What is the best type of dog that is small in size and friendly with kids?

Answers:
We just adopted a new puppy in February and took a few months prior to that researching what we wanted and what would be appropriate for our family.

We decided upon a West Highland White Terrier (Westie). Some people did not recommend Westies for smaller children. Some people said the dogs were great. These answers are just like dogs in general: it depends on the individual. There is no guarantee that any dog you get will take to your kids--they all have their individual temperament.

That said, our Westie has fit right in with our family. Our children, ages 4 and 6, love him and he them (but he is definitely a momma's boy!). If the kids over-pester him, he will let them know, as is his right. But he loves to play, misses them when they are at school, and is a cuddle bug.

Westies remain relatively small, generally around 10-11 inches tall and I think run around 15-20 pounds at maturity, depending on the individual dog. But they are sturdy dogs who love to romp, chase, pull and get down and dirty just like bigger dogs.

Here are a couple of websites that helped me in my decision. Hopefully, they will benefit you as well.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/west_highland_...
http://www.westieclubamerica.com/... (This one even has a quiz to see if westies are "appropriate" for your family. I took my results with a grain of salt.)

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mongrels are good with kids but you cant be sure of size.dont get cocker spaniel we had one and it bit the kids

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TOY POODLE!!! TOY POODLE!! TOY POODLE! seriously get a toy poodle, and make sure its pure breed, those r SO friendly, i potty trained mine in three days, and also theyre family dogs, so go and get one!!!

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a stuffed one !

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pugs are very friendly. i have a pomeranian and she is great but they can be rly hyoer and are great watchdogs...she even scared away a labrador today when she was outside lol. just dont get something too small because kids can be rough and poms and chihuahuas have rly small legs. pugs, beagles, corgies are good for kids.

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All I know is pomersnians are vicious, they get territorial over food like any dog, but ours seem pretty nippy, on sunday we had to put down our youngest one, because he bit my mother...

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I wouldnt put a dog with children until the children are old enough to treat the dog with respect. And THEN, only certain breeds are safe.

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i have a t-cup pomeranian, and she is crazy at times, but when it comes right down to it little kids love her. and she's really cute too.

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I am 14 years old, I have 3 other sisters, the youngest is 4. We got a pocket puggle. He is the best ever! he loves to play and is energetic but at the same time, he si calm and falls alseep next to you on the rug. A pocket puggle is 10-12 pounds, actually our dog isnt a pocket puggle, he is a regular puggle. You can never be sure about how big the dog will be when they grown up. Ours is 20 pounds. That is the size of a regular puggle. A puggle is a mix between a pug and a beagle. DO NOT get a toy poodle or a toy breed dog with children. If they run too much, their heart rate with quickly increase and they would die. Thus, you can not play fetch with them. Your kids will want to play fetch with your new dog/puppy. ALso, if you get a toy dog with children, they can easily break bones if they jump off the couch, bed ect. or if they are handed wrongly. 1 10-20 pound dog is best in your situation. I hope i was able to help!

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There's no magic breed that's friendly with kids no matter what. How you raise and train them is what makes the difference.

This said, there are some breeds that are naturally more placid or sociable than others. Here are a few favorite family dogs to get you started:

Sheep dogs (small ones would be Shelties or Corgis), in general, are very trainable, but they often like to "herd" children like sheep by nipping at their heels.

Beagles are very rarely aggressive and get on great with kids, but they can also be hyper and difficult to train.

Bassets win first prize for being ridiculously friendly and placid (I have one), but they're not for everyone, and although they're low to the ground, they can weigh up to 80 pounds so they're not exactly small. Research the breed thoroughly before you get one.

Finally, there are millions of wonderful mutts out there, in all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. If you get a slightly older dog (over 6 months of age) you'll have a better idea of its character. Puppies are great but they're a lot of work. A whole lot of them end up in shelters (or worse) because their owners didn't realize how difficult puppyhood can be.

Best of luck!

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The most important thing is too be sure the kids are old enough and responsible enough to be around any dog.Never leave any kid alone with dogs. Any dog can love well behaved kids or bite brats. In general toy breeds are not big and sturdy enough for toddlers but a Beagle or Corgi are still small but sturdier. My toy breed dogs love kids but I am very careful which kids pet them so they do not get hurt. Some toy breeds have oversized members and over 12lbs is generally big enough for all but really little kids. Something around 75-80% of dog bites are by un neutered males so neutering a dog helps keep them from being as aggressive or protective over bones. Train the dog to not guard food or toys and use a crate as a safe place. Often a responsible breeder or rescue is a safer place to get a honest eval on a dog than a shelter. Top breeders often have kids and place their retired show/breeding dogs in good homes. You can get a well behaved sound dog. But keeping an eye on both kids and dogs is most important. Kids are not born knowing how to treat pets and can squeeze small ones to death or break legs. A rescue I work with gets many kid tortured dogs a year. And then the parents complain when the poor dog bites the kid who has hurt them for years.

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I know you said a small dog but labradors and golden retrivers are by far the best kind of dog to have with kids aroud. they are amazing pets. thats all my family ever owned when i was growing up and man theyreally where the greatest dogs.

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Chihuahua or Yorkshire terrier
Good Luck!

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Miniature or Toy Australian Shepherd. Smart, protective, sweet and easily trained. Did I mention they are A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! ??

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Corgis are great family/kid dogs. They are adorable and have that big dog attitude with the little body. But they are tougher than most small dogs so they hold up well with kids.

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My dad and his wife got a female Italian Greyhound that is fantastic with their two daughters. She is so adorable and gentle....but if you consider this type of dog make sure the kids would be gentle to it.this dog breed looks pretty fragile and probably is.