Even though some breeds do make better family companions than others, there will always be individual differences within breeds. When looking for a puppy to share a home where there are children, seek breeders who have exposed their pups to children from a young age. Also ask about the temperament of the parents and see how they interact with your kids. Once your new pup arrives home, take him to puppy socialisation classes and ask the trainer to help you socialise the pup specifically for children.

Welsh Springer Spaniel
The Welsh Springer Spaniel is an active, loyal and affectionate dog. He may meet unfamiliar strangers with barking when in his territory, or act aloof, cautious or wary. He is well known for being loyal and affectionate to all members of the family, especially children. He is also likely to be friendly and accepting of other pets. Your Welsh Springer Spaniel will be quick to learn and with correct training, he will become very obedient. The description ‘springer’ refers to his ability as a hunting dog to ‘spring’ upon hidden game, so regular routing exercise is necessary to keep him happy and healthy.

Miniature Schnauzer
This is a highly alert and spirited breed. Your Miniature Schnauzer will be a lively and friendly dog who is intelligent and willing to please. He will be devoted to his family and is good with children, as he is not typically aggressive. He is a very playful dog and will require an outlet for his energy. He is also highly trainable and tends to be an excellent watchdog who will alert you to any danger with barking – he’s definitely more bark than bite. One note of caution though – the Miniature Schnauzer has a beard, so please ask your children not to pull or tug at the beard as it will cause pain and discomfort for the dog.

Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is a gentle-mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate breed. Seeing as though he has had a long association with people, he tends to get along well with children and other pets. A popular characteristic of the breed is the ‘Bichon Buzz’ or ‘Bichon Blitz’, which describes unpredictable, sudden bursts of energy that a Bichon Frise will sometimes experience. Once in buzz mode, the Bichon will start running frantically at full speed throughout your home. Your Bichon Frise will be a very obedient dog if training is started early and continued consistently. He will respond well to non-forceful training and is likely to enjoy learning tricks. A daily walk or two will meet his exercise needs.

Pug
Pugs are loyal and affectionate dogs. They are strong willed but are very rarely aggressive, which makes them great dogs for children. They are usually very fond of children and are sturdy enough to endure playtime. They are not traditionally a ‘one-person dog’ so they do make excellent family dogs. Your pug can also make a good watchdog as he will always be alert and ready for action. Pugs tend to be intelligent and stubborn, so some patience and persistence will be required when it comes to training. Regular exercise is required but you should be mindful of the breed’s wheezing and breathing problems that stem from his short snout. Keep exercise moderate and not too strenuous.

Airedale Terrier
Airedales are highly intelligent and responsive dogs. They are playful, inventive dogs who find each day a grand adventure and so they enjoy being around children. Your Airedale will make a great companion and will want to supervise and help out with everything you do. He will be loyal and loving towards his family. Airedales are very energetic dogs who require an outlet for their energy, so regular exercise is required. Thanks to their intelligence, Airedales are easy to train. They get on great with children, so much so that well-known Airedale breeder Pat de Coning says that her dogs are the best nannies her grandchildren have ever had.

Start socialising
Please note that these are not the only breeds that are suitable for children. For purposes of this article, we selected breeds that do not feature regularly in Animaltalk. Regardless of breed, a dog who will be around children must be socialised from a young age. Animal behaviourist Karin Landsberg suggests taking your puppy to a good puppy school from nine weeks of age, and taking him to places where he will encounter children, to ensure he is socialised from a young age. Be careful not to overwhelm your puppy but encourage him to play with children. It is important to socialise your pup before he gets to the age of 12 to 16 weeks.

Tips for choosing a dog who will be around children
Most puppies, if they have been exposed to people between five and eight weeks of age, should easily approach anyone new they encounter. This approach behaviour will gradually decline until the puppy is around four months of age. If he hasn’t been continually exposed and socialised with people and children, he’ll opt for avoidance. When choosing a puppy who’s likely to be around children, opt for the one who willingly approaches you and wants to interact.

When is a child ready for a dog?
In reality, the dog will be the parents’ responsibility. A puppy may be most appealing in the beginning, but with children still developing themselves, they are likely to become distracted by other things, leaving the parents to care for the dog. Look at the situation as getting a pet for the whole family, rather than just for a child. There should be shared responsibilities regarding training, feeding, grooming, exercising and cleaning up. Everyone should understand their shared responsibility towards their pet because at the end of the day, the dog will be the one to suffer if proper care is not given.

How should children handle and act around dogs?
Some breeds get more excited than others, but it’s a good idea to stop playing before the dog crosses his arousal threshold and gets so worked up that he makes a mistake and bites. It’s preferable to refrain from wild running and chasing, unless the dog has been trained and can stop when asked. Great games include fetch, find the biscuit and tug of war. Just be sure that all involved know that the game should be stopped before the dog gets too excited. Parental supervision is essential to prevent mishaps.

How to prevent your dog from being aggressive towards children
Don’t punish your dog for growling at children – it’s your dog’s way of saying ‘please stop’. If you punish the growl, your dog will stop warning in the future and just proceed straight to biting. It’s only natural that dogs (like people) reach that point where they’ve just had enough. Allow your dog to have a ‘safe space’ where nobody can bother him.
Teach children not to handle dogs too roughly, because if a dog gets hurt, he is likely to snap or bite in self defence. Teach children to understand the warning signs of a dog who’s had enough – stiffening, growling or moving away when approached. Dogs usually bite because these signs haven’t worked. People often think that growling or snapping is the only warning dogs give; they often miss the dog initially avoiding their child. When this happens, give the dog some space and a chew toy so he can de-stress, and pay attention to what the children are doing.

Text: Laura McKeen
Photography: Johann Theron

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