Which breed of dog would be best for someone who is somewhat afraid of dogs?

I have been bitten two different times by two different dogs in the past, and so I am a bit skiddish around large dogs. My hubby-to-be wants a Lab, but they are so big! Would that breed be ok to get, or is there another that would be mild, gentle, and not at all aggressive or timid? I also want a dog that would be good with children, as we hope to have several in the future. Help!

if you get a dog as a puppy, you can raise it and there is no way it will bite you, i suggest a small dog, maybe a yorkshire terrior or a maltese, but a maltese nedds a lot of grooming because its hair is white. if you get a yorkie, i suggest you keep its hair relatively short. if it gets too long it's very hard to keep up with and it's not nearly as cute!

shih tzu

A standard dachshund. who is afraid of a weiner dog! They are so lovable, and comical. A standard weighs usually over 15 lbs, and up to 35lbs. They are goofy lovable, playful, easy to groom, and easy to exercise, also-easy to catch:)

Lab's do come in different sizes. So look for one that is on the smaller size.

I grew up w/ Goldens.... they are wonderful, sweet dogs. Overall, they would be perfect, but can get a little hyper sometimes.... which might scare you if you're already skiddish. Research the breed and look for a submissive dogs rather than a dominant one. Good luck.

Labs

A bouvier des flandres! It is a large dog but if your looking for the most loyal breed that is amazing with children then this is the perfect dog for you. They are intelligent, alert, loving, fearless and just a wonderful all around family dog. Good luck with your search!

i agree with laurie and julia. I used to have a dog phobia. I had 2 dogs as a child and NEVER touched them once during 14 years I had them. I refused to go into people's houses if they have dogs. If dogs happened to get to me I immediately broke down and cry and shake really badly. Now I'm a dog lover. I have a dog of my own and I love to go to dog beaches and dog parks. It took me just 5 minutes to fix my phobia. I pet my friend's dog for the first time (I was 21 at the time) and I realized that he had no intention to bite me. He just sat there and let me pet him. Since then I've been wanting a dog. And now I got one!!! Get a puppy since a puppy doesn't have teeth and can't bite you. When you play and care for the puppy you will realize that your puppy will never harm you. I have a shih tzu and I love him to the death. He likes to chew on my hand and I don't mind it at all! Good luck!

the best dog would proabably be a golden retriever because they are so gentle and there personalities are so fun and loving.

Been attacked by alsations and ridgebacks, here. So don't get one of them. A Lab is a very friendly sort, even though it is a fairly large breed, so why not go with your future-hubby's choice?

Oh, i was gonna answer 'a cat' but i can see your question is serious!Labs are pretty mild mannered. So are Golden Retreivers.Herdering dogs are usually gentle but need exercise and walks (can get bored): collies, border collie, Aussie shepherd.Mid sized dogs you might want to consider: beagle, foxhound, etc.Many smaller dogs are more nervous, so not recommended.Read about breeds and their temperaments here;http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breedsSounds like your husband wants a Lab tho.If you get a dog, you need to be involved in the training so that:1. you gain confidence and know you can control the dog2. dog knows that you are one of the bosses and has respect for youSuggest (small book)"What all Good Dogs Should Know" by VolhardEasy to follow and gets good results.

Before you get any kind of dog, I would suggest working on overcoming your fear of dogs. A dog no matter what size can pick up on your fear of him/her. Even sweet dogs! They wouldn't necessarily bite you, but they might try to be dominant (and not listen to you) if they sense your fear. I understand your fear. I was afraid of dogs (any size) when I was a child. It was a golden retriever who kept repeatedly showing me her kindness and gentleness that got me over my fear. You can contact a psychologist for ways to help you. I think there are some specific behavioral things that you can do, but I am not a qualified professional. I think those things just kind of happened naturally with the golden retriever and me. If you do decide on a lab, please remember that they are wonderful, sweet dogs, but they require a lot of mental and physical stimulation to be clam and gentle. I think researching breeds may also help you overcome your fear. Good luck to you!

Ahhh sorry about your fear, but any dog can bite & labs tho usually sweet can become ornery, temperamental & attached to one person so much they become a danger, but any dog can bite & many will sense your fear ! The other problem with labs & purebreds, etc is they have been so overbred many dogs have problems - hips, temperments... especially labs & shepherds, so be very careful & cautious when getting a dog, see the parents, check with previous customers, etc, if the breeder won't do that YOU DO NOT WANT THE DOG !!! Other suggestions I have would be for you to get around some dogs, like friends dogs, go to pet shows especially, what they call TRIALS, for hunting dogs, labs, etc & go to them, the breeders & owners are sooo friendly & helpful too Check your newspapter, or local pet shops, trainers, groomers, etc & they can help too, because dogs really can sense fear !! If you adopt pick the one friendly but not agressive, same with pups, not the pups or dogs who seem afraid of people !

Any dog would be fine. try to get a gundog which are placid, eg italian spinonieenglish setteretcI can give you a full list of different breeds that would be suitable.Stay away from breeds that need a person that has been around dogs a lot.Siberian huskies wreck your house & never let off the lead because of there strong pray drive.check out the EURASIER on the net they are wonderfull dogs excellent all round dog,etcIf you need help on training I would be happy to help. If you would like to see mineSpringer spaniels are wonderful dogs but very hyperhttp://www.freewebs.com/aldebarab/ other kinds of dogs

I used to feel the same way untill we got my dog Sammy. She is an American Cocker Spaniel and she is the best! She is great around children and loves all other people, too! She does not scare easily nor timid. If you are mor comfortable with small dogs, the american cocker spaniel is a great choice because they only weigh up to 15-30 pounds, depending on the gender. About your questions with the lab, they are great dogs too but they can tend to get very big. They usually way up to 60-100 pounds. They have a great temperment, but they need alot of excersize. I hope u take my advice!

In all honesty, You need to heal your fear, and and realize it not a breed that makes a dog safe, it is their owners. I raise and train pit bulls. My male is my service animal. and the ones i breed, are special. They are a home pet and hunting dog. I use animals that are great around children, and soft mouthed. (dont get me wrong, if some one breaks in they would be very sorry) . Pit bulls are a great animal as well as many other breeds. If you get a puppy, start training it day one (there are so many trainers and cources for beginers). Pick a puppy whose parents are kind, calm, and well trained, genetics plays the second largest role. Also , when you meet a dog- live in the moment- dont fear them but stant tall and confident around them, show them that you are in controll (if they sense fear or weakness is when they take advantage of you)if you have any other answers or concerns:[email protected]

A female siberian husky will not be overly large, 35-50 lbs, but not too small either, they are not timid, can learn easily and are not the least bit aggressive. I have rescued several; one poor siberian had acid poured down it's mouth, shot several times with BBs - they were embedded into the skin, one ear was cut off, lots of burns, and this dog was still the sweetest dog to be around. They are also very good with children. They are also very quick to learn new things. Down side - must have a fenced yard - you can not let a husky out without it being on a leash or in a yard - even in the yard watch it, because they are great escape artist. Make sure your dog is husky and not malamute - malamute's tend to be more aggressive. They look so much alike though that often people will think it was a husky that bit them when in fact it was a malamute. It is very hard (almost impossible) to make a husky aggressive towards people. They need lots of exercise, you can't just have one and forget it. They can be quite noisy although they don't really bark (but they sure can talk a LOT). If a husky thinks he or she is being ignored too much they will sit right beside you and tell you all about it in their own little husky way (it's really kind of cute). Sometimes a husky is aggressive with smaller animals, mine likes to chase squirrels, cranes, but she does allow my daughter's cat to curl up next to her inside - outside neighbor cats are a different story. Also for the record - I raise german shepherds, and they are wonderful with children and although some people say they are dangerous, I can take treats out of their mouths. All of my shepherds have been raised in a loving environment and they are breed for health and temperament. Whatever you decide - good luck!

I have no idea where you live but I have a suggestion, I know of kids and adult who have in the past were attacked by dogs and wher really scared of big dogs but one day ended up at some pet store or event where there was a greyhound meet and greet, and they stood back and watched the dogs for a bit and suddenly found themselves not feeling scared of them because the dogs where so calm and almost deer like in looks and they would go up and pet them, and often it was the greyhound that became there very first dog, They are one of the calmest big dog breeds available and because of their track training they are used to being handled by a lot of people so will stand quietlyTake a look on this site and see if any adoption groups are near you contact them and see when and where they will be putting on a meet and greet or if they have some event so you can get a chance to see and meet them, you are not committing yourself to getting one, you are just going to see how they make you feel, you might feel the need to meet them a couple times before you know if your are comfortable around them, may be just being around them and handling them a little may make you feel more comfortable, a lot of men do view them as whimpy dogs because they are so soft natured and not active like other breeds, but if you think this maybe the dog for you he might agree and be willing to hold off for a lab or some other more active till later on allowing you to grow in confidence by having a dog that is more docile after a year or two you might have gained enough confidence to add another dog of his choice to the family, plus you never know, he many actually end up growing to enjoy greyhounds as they are easy to care for dogs that do not require a lot of exersizeAnother possibilty is if the greyhound make you feel comfortable and hubby really is not interested in one, you can spend some time volunteering in greyhound rescue so as to gain more confidence being around a big dog and handling then say helping to wash them and load them in and out of cars, after 3 or 4 months as a last part of the test for yourself you may even want to foster one to see how it feels to have big dog living in the house with you, somebody else will adopt the dog but your job as a foster parent will be then to teach it house manners and house rules, maybe teach it how to use stairs, making sure it can walk nicely on leash and assess it's personality for the adoption group so they can find the right home for itafter that you may feel comfortable and have lost your fear, and then be ready to okay to the lab, a lab is quite a bit more boisterous, and energetic and in your face than a greyhound, but if you can get yourself to the point where you can foster a greyhound that is coming off the track and you can help show it how to be pet, you should be a lot more prepared for a lab and not find their exuberance and energy levels as intimidating http://adopt-a-greyhound.org/directory/list.cfm

Go with the lab or a golden.. They are not large dogs, they are not little dogs, but they are friendly, and sweet dogs... Both dogs have a soft mouth, they aren't a breed that generally is running around biting people.. If they are it's due to bad breeding, lack of socialization, and people encouraging bad behaviour.. They do well around children... Like any breed of dog, they need socialization.. Making sure that you walk them daily, introducing them to people, kids, new situations, noises etc. Good socialization, training and plenty of exercisebuying from a good reputable breeder, and you aren't going to have an aggressive or timid lab or golden.You don't want the submissive dog necessarily.. They can easily be turned into the fearful dog, which is just as bad as an aggressive dog. You want the middle of the road dog, likes to meet people, learn new things, and is very forgiving... If you are nervous or shy around animals, this dog will feed off of you, if you start out with the submissive dog, you could end up with a dog that is afraid of everything.