What breed of dog is best to have around kids?

Labradoodles (Labs/Poodles) are good, Beagles, --Both are sturdy dogs for kids. You neglected to say whether this would be in or outside pet. These guys could go either way. They are very good natured and smart. I would wait till your son is a little older though. That way he can appreciate his pet more, while helping in the care. Even a couple of years will make a huge difference. It is a great idea to start early research. Good luck ...

Sorry, but if you're child's that young, I wouldn't recommend any dogs at this time period for your family. I would wait till he was maybe 5.

it depends on whether you want a small dog or a large dog. It also depends on how much attention you can pay to a dog and a small child simultaneously. You have to be as responsible for your dog as you are with your child. There is also the shed factor and any allergies. All dogs shed, so you will have to be vacuuming and cleaning all the time so your toddler is not ending up with dog hair and dander at every turn.You also might want to consider your and your child's personality. If you are very active and outgoing, you may prefer a dog that is more active. If you are more quiet and sedentary, you would want to look for a dog which is high personality and low activity.Personally, I am a great advocate of pugs. They are small and would not be intimidating to your child. They also adore children. They are playful, but not overly active. Regardless of what breed or mix of breeds you decide upon, I would not recommend getting a puppy of any breed. Go for an older dog, especially if you would like a larger dog, at least two years old. Larger dogs go through a lot longer puppy period, including chewing and jumping up on people, and not knowing their own strength. If you are distracted and placing your attention on your 1-year-old (which is proper), the puppy will suffer, so get an older dog.The smartest dog in the world is only as smart as a two-year-old child, so you may want to wait a little while until your kid is at least as smart as the dog. It all depends on the environment and having a pet which fits into your lifestyle, becomes a part of your "pack." We tend to think of dogs as being fur persons, but the truth is, dogs see us as tall, hairless dogs.My suggestion is to wait a little while.

Agreeing with the first poster on Labradors and Golden Retrievers. What I'd love to add and I saw someone mention it is Boxer. For me it can't get any better than that. Boxers love kids (even in their old age they are as playful as a puppy which is the only breed to stay that way) Not only are they playful when they grow but they bond great and are very protective over the owner and the household so it's a double use (playfull yet protective) and are easy to train which comes in very handy. And once again agreeing with someone who said a trainer is good.The only problem you might come across is that they need a lot of exercise otherwise the house could be in a mess from the energy they have built up inside.

While i can understand the reasons and concerns some people have here for not wanting you to get a dog right now with your child so young, i have to say it really depends on the individual dog, and how you teach your child to respect an animals space. Labs are great, but even labs have a level of tolerance for pulled tails and rowdy play from youngsters. it's very important to teach your child what proper behavior is around animals. I am not against having a dog in the home with little ones though..i myself have 4 dogs, and 4 children. 2 of my children came home from the hospital while i had all 4 dogs in my home, the dogs are older than my youngest 2 kids. We prepared our dogs for their arrival, and things went well. Getting a puppy with a baby in the house already is something that i'd personally not do...it would be like having 2 babies, twice the potty training, twice the clean up, twice the work really. I honestly would recomend an adult dog from a reputable shelter like the SPCA or a private rescue. These dogs are usually fostered and their temperament is known, their likes and dislikes and the rescue would know the best fit for your home. Also, the dog would more than likely be potty trained and have some sort of obedience training. All of my dogs were rescues and only one was a puppy when we adotped him (but he was 3 by the time we had our youngest 2 kids).What you can do is google "what pet is best for me" and you'll get sites that have little tests, they ask you questions about your lifestyle and match a breed to your family. Known breeds that are good family dogs- LabsGolden RetrieversBorder ColliesShetland Sheep dogsBichon FrisesLabs and Goldens are very popular family dogs. I have a fondness for Goldens. things you should know-they are a double coated dog. they will shed, buckets. if this is an issue for you you might think about a single coated dog. ALL dogs shed, only some shed buckets and others shed more like we humans do (check your hair brush...we shed too). A low shed dog's dander is also not as allergic as a heavy shed dog so if you have allergies you might consider a low shed breed like the Bichon Frise.Shetland Sheep dogs and Border Collies are a medium sized dog, very good with kids and very very smart dogs. they love learning. because they are so smart though they need LOTS of stimulation or they can become bored, a bored dog can become a distructive dog. I had a sheltie (shetland sheepdog) growing up and i adored him! he did require a lot of exercise and training, but he was my best friend for 13 yrs. he also shed like crazy, and i remember when he blew coat it was like a tornado of hair hit the house and backyard. lol The Bichon Frise is a low shed dog, (much like a poodle) and they are very happy go lucky dogs. they usually get along well with everyone they meet, people and animal alike. They aren't as small as say a toy poodle and are a bit more sturdy, their cousins- the Coton de Tulear and Havanese are just as happy and sturdy...in fact the Havanese is my chosen breed the next time we decide to bring a pet into our home. If you have your heart set on a puppy and truly have the time and engery for the training...please make sure you go through a reputable breeder, NOT a pet store or BYBer. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills and those pups are riddled with disease and genetic defects. BYBers are people that breed dogs out of their home in mass and do NOT do any genetic testing to make sure their puppies are sound. a reputable breeder will have a genetic guarantee on her/his puppies. will take pup back for any reason during it's life. have mom and dad avalible for your to see. will welcome you to their home to see where the pups live. have no more than 1 to 2 litters every couple of years. have genetic testing on mom and dad for their eyes, hips, heart, etc depending on what defects are common in which breed. and will have a spay/neuter contract as well. be aware that just because someone says their dogs are registered with the AKC or CKC doesn't make them healthy....anyone can register a litter as long as mom or dad is regiested...that doesn't mean they are "better" it just means their parentage is known. if they have testing done, and all the above mentioned done a registration is just icing on the cake. :)good luck i hope you find the best fit for your family.

My son with our friends Golden Retriever.http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j44/rxqueen14/DSC03795.jpgEnough said?Yes a puppy is hard work. But some people already plan another baby when they have children the same age as ours and a puppy isn't more work than another baby. My dog (also a Golden Retriever) is only 18 months and I have a 10 month old baby and I'm telling you it's do-able. And the benefits are amazing. My son LOVES our dog so much. We spend so much time in the yard with him. No matter how bad a mood my son is in, whether he's overtired, teething or just fallen over (he's just getting on the move!)... our dog makes him smile every time and even comes up to make sure he's ok when he's crying.Just make sure you get one through a registered breeder and not a puppy mill.

pitsthey are nick-named 'the nanny dog' for a reasonthey are GREAT with kidswhenever we have young kids over, my pit watches out for them and gets btwn the kids and the stairs when they walk by them

We have a Great Pyrenees - they make great family dogs. They are low key, love kids and are very friendly but also protective of their family when necessary. We adopted our Pyr as an adult - she was already housebroken and leash trained - and she adored our 15 month old. She's always nuzzling her and loving her and puts up with a lot of face grabbing and not so niceness from Thalia - she's still learning how to be nice to the dog =P I think they are a great breed, but not for someone who lives in an apartment - they can bark alot which can annoy close neighbors. They also need either a fenced in yard or to always be on a leash outside as they aren't really trainable for obedience - they are bred to be a livestock guardian and patrol large areas of land so if they are let off leash, they start trying to establish a perimeter.I would highly suggest doing a breed selector quiz type thing - Animal Planet has a good one here: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do It allows you to put in all your criteria for a dog and then comes up with breeds that most closely match your criteria. Of course, every dog is an individual, but it can get you in the right direction.