What kind of puppy should I buy for my son?

MzVictoria: What kind of puppy should I buy for my son?
I have never owned a dog (only cats). I plan on spending the next year researching the perfect puppy for my son and then getting him his first puppy by the time is beginning to walk. I want a dog that is loving, sweet, very playful and also protective. I prefer smaller to mid-size dogs but would consider any breed. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your comments, suggestions and feedback.

Answers and Views:

Answer by sugarbayb846
a golden lab, they are sooo cute and faithful, perfect 4 a boy

Answer by Ms.Way
miniature daushund or beagles are good cause they are friendly and small 🙂

Answer by jaime
Miniture Collie. Whatever you do, don’t get him a pit bull.

Answer by Sweetpea
I would suggest a boxer…I have 2.

They are great with kids..and loving…and loves to play..but than at the same time will be protective .

I have not regreted gettting boxers.

Good Luck in your decision making. I know its a hard choice.

Answer by holliechanges
a pug, theyre really small.

Answer by joshandashleydorn
lab. or dalmation.

Answer by chevy87fanatic
Get him a Cocker Spaniel

Answer by Leland J
get ’em a little jack russell to toy around with…or a lab ‘cuz they will by loyal and loving forever.

Answer by stroppa2004
I highly recomend A Labrador or Golden retreiver,I work with dogs,they more expensive but a great temperment

Answer by tupidloco
Definitely a black lab. I have one and they are the smartest dogs. Will play with the kids in the pool, play fetch, and will be gentle with the children. Great pets!

Answer by magawaga
hi there the best puppy to get is a shitzu as they are perfect they love kids very easy to train and very loving i have had mine for 2 years now her name is chica she is adorable .

Answer by quatu
labrador

Answer by dutchess_6767
ANY LABRADOR RETRIEVER WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE, THOUGHT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I’M PARTIAL TO BLACKS. THEY ARE GREAT WITH KIDS, GOOD PROTECTORS, NATURALLY AFFECTIONATE AND LOVE TO PLEASE THEIR MASTERS. THEY’RE ALSO SOFT AND CUDDLY DOGS, GREAT FOR KIDS.

Answer by gsxrter1994
A lab or a goldenretiver are the best for family’s if you like a med to large dog.
beagle’s are nice too.

Answer by celticrose121
If you want a smaller breed, I’d go with a pug. They’re cute and reliable. A good medium breed is an Australian Cattle dog. I have owned two in my life and they’re gorgeous and very protective. If you do get one, make sure they are able to run and you start training as a puppy. A great large breed, although it has a bad rep, is a rottweiler. They’re beautiful dogs and very good with children, especially if they are raised with them. Just don’t expect them to play fetch. It’s not in their nature.

Answer by chad_mercure2001
labsoapso. yorkie terrier and a golden retrivever

Answer by cincyreds626
i would suggest a golden retriever. I got mine when I was about 3 and my little brother was one, she let us sleep on her, pull her fur when we were trying to stand up or play, and she NOT ONCE in her entire life snipped at us. She was a wonderful, loving, protective, and smart dog. If a golden isn’t your choice, I would suggest to you a female dog, they are more calm.

Answer by MCRloveralltheWay
Just don’t get a chow chow, they have bad temperament.

Answer by bubbarae007
if you are gonna get a puppy, and are thinking of any pure breed, they are a lot of work. they are more hyper than a mixed breed puppy. i have a beagle. great with the kids, but chews everything. i also have a collie, who thinks she is thier mother. (she herds them while playing in the yard.) I also hear bordercollies are nice

Answer by cstar1509
sugarbayb846 is right, a golden labarador is perfect. I have had one since i was born. She died last year at 13 years old but having a dog since you were born is fantastic. They’re so protective. The perfect little puppy is a boy labrador. We now have a chocolate one at 5 years old and hes the sweetest little thing. He doesn’t bark and doesn’t do anything particularly repulsive! But hes soooo sweet. I definetely suggest a labrador. Which ever colour you prefer but golden is always cute! Just make sure you get the dog you think will best suit the needs of your son. Other than that. Happy choosing!

Answer by ab1609
Go to a dog shelter and ask them which dog might fit best into your family. Don’t go by breed, go by character.

Answer by charliesangels1471
You want a labrador, just like the andrex puppy, they do fit into everything you require in a dog! They are not boisterous so your son will not feel threatened but have a cheeky playful side to them!

Answer by LaLa9923
you should get a golden lab. they can get a little big but trust me, i have 1 and they are the most sweet loving and caring dogs anyone can ever hope to find. if thats not what you r looking for then try a miniture dachund. they are smallin case the lab wuz to big. it is smart and protective and i am sure your son will love eaither one!! hope this helps!!

P.S. you can also look through dog books or go to a pet store and ask some workers which dog is the best 4 your son.

Answer by jenjf5678
Check out the websites below. Throughout my life when I’ve heard this question asked, the answer is typically Golden Retriever or Lab. They are pretty big, though.

Answer by stace_ar
I think a great kid dog would be a beagle. Here is a great site to help you with your research.

Answer by preciousdobes
All breeds can be protective of their family. I know you said small breed but I would recommend a doberman. I know I breed them but I also have young children and my 6 year old’s friends in and out of the house. All the dogs I have owned have been very gentle and loyal. They are also smart and when trained will do anything for you. People mention labs and retrievers but maybe you should learn about them first because the are very, very hyper for the first 3 years and maybe to much for a baby just walking. I hope you find the perfect breed for you.

Answer by laceypooh102087
Black Lab if you have the space.

Answer by insane
i would suggest a terrier of some type. they are very active and need exercise, and usually small. remember this is a long term commitment that you will have to make yourself as well as your son. SO STUDY THE BREEDS PLEASE.

Answer by julie
A lab mix. Adult not puppy. I had a newfy-lab. Big dogs are more tolerant than little ones, small expensive ones have large vet bills. They like old people. Puppies require training and are not so cute when they ruin things. This is my opinion.

I prefer a dog that lives outside, they scratch wood floors dn aalso leave lots of hair in the ductwork, on the floor or dark clothes, etc.

Have fun

Answer by DaRk AnGeL
Try a little chinese dog, they r pretty calm animals…

Thing good before adopt one…

Answer by doglover
Prpbably either a poodle,lab or reterver. I have a very nice black and white poodle my friend has a lab and my best friend has a reterver.

Answer by ilovecat
any kind of LABRADOR RETRIEVER ot retriever they r VERY playful and they hate strangers. dont get pit bull or rotwiler cus they bite people and r very mean.

Answer by Jarrod
Labradors and dachshunds make awesome pets depending on how well they are treated and trained. Any dog can be a horrible pet if the owner does not take the time and effort to make sure it stays well behaved. Labs are a bigger dog. They are playful, loyal, loving, and will go all out for a caring owner. Dachshunds can be very protective. They can develop that little dog complex with bigger dogs. They like to cuddle and can be very playful. They are just like another member of the family. Just make sure you give the dog, whatever it may be, the training and attention it needs so it doesn’t end up hurting your child or someone else on accident. All that I am saying is through personal experience. I have a Chocolate Lab and Miniture Dachshund. They are the best of friends and worst of enemies.

Answer by Rat_Catcher
Ok. Stop right there ….. now THINK:

Dog lasts 15 years (average). Your son would be about one when ye get this Dog? So, by the time the Dog’s dead, ye son will be almost old enough to take full responsibilty for it.

Now we see you’ll really be getting a Dog which will (effectively as ye like) be Your Dog. But Your Dog will be around a very small child for the first five or so years. It’ll be around You for about fifteen years. K?

So how about ye find a Dog YOU can’t live without. Then ye son can grow up around the Family Dog and, by the time that Dog dies of old age, he’ll be around the age to have his own ideas on Dogs and maybe then ye can let him have more say in the next Family Dog.

Never give a sixteen year old kid a Dog of their own. When they go to leave home they’ll have hell trying to find accommodation that’ll allow a Dog. Been there 🙁

Check google for a ‘Dog Breeds’ site and just browse till a breed catches ye eye. Make a short list on fancy. Then search through them for the nearest thing to your idea of perfection. Then study that Dog. Get out and Meet such Dogs. Do it all now. Fifteen years is a long time if ye get it wrong. And there’s more than enough Dogs on death row. There because people didn’t do their home work before getting them.

The pound should be ye first port of call for a Dog anyway. Don’t encourage ‘Breeders’.

Phew! Sorry. I’m REALLY into Dogs! 😉

Answer by Yetty
Lab or even a mixed breed rescue pups tend to be very loving

Answer by Luxifer487
Golden lab, but how is it you got this many hits for this question?

Answer by angelhimm
I’ve read all the suggestions of breeds that would be suitable for a young child, and not once did I see a Havanese suggested. I have owned 2 Havanese, and I find them to be the most loving, friendly, even somewhat human. I am also a dog groomer, and know my breeds. If you type in Havanese(word comes from Havana Cuba) in your browser many websites will pop up. The Havanese is not a well known breed, but you can find a breeder close by. They come in 3 different coat types, curly, wavy, and straight. They also come in many colour combination. I own an Irish Pied, black and white. They range in weight from 7-11 lbs, but very muscular, as they can jump quite high. They are quite expensive, but well worth it. Just a word of advice…….never get a Jack Russell for a child, I find this breed to be very hyper and can be aggressive if provoked.

Answer by Animal Friend
Although terriers are great dogs, I don’t recommend them for young children. Most Jack Russell’s (or other terriers) will not tolerate any form of abuse from a child, whether intended or not. Babies like to pull, touch and mouth…not always gently. You can never leave your child alone unsupervised with ANY dog. I see too many Jack Russell’s come into rescue, because of not getting along with young children in the home. Owning a dog, especially a puppy is like adding another child to the house. That being said, I think it’s great that you are researching this first.

Answer by nascarfan2438
i would say a husky female. they are very protective of childern, but also fun loving and full of energy. They are midsized ( about 45 lbs) and come in a abundance of colors.

Answer by Shelly
how about a Golden Lab Puppy
Shelley

Answer by karsten_boy
Dog D O G Any…You people have missed one VERY important, operative part of the question/statement. “In A Year, When He Learns To Walk”… Puppies are wonderful for children to grow up with, however, you may consider an extra year for the child to develop just a tad more. They grow much faster(dogs)than kids and although labs are perfect for kids, the kids get pretty much hammered by the pup. And Lab puppies have very sharp teeth and love chewing on hands, arms legs…Anything else that they can get in their jaws. You also left out the part about where you live, City, country, ‘burbs, makes a diff in how you keep a pet.