is 2 too young for a family pet?
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Anonymous
2nd this. My dog was a little past 1 when my son was born and she didn't chill out for another yr and a half. Fortunately, ds was immobile for a lot of that time and we had strict rules for where she could/couldn't go bc we didn't allow them alone together. It's great now and they're buds but I can't imagine having an active, impulsive toddler during those first couple puppy years. |
Anonymous
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dog owner and parent here and have always had dogs/puppy's with little kids.
It is always best to get a puppy with small children, more work for you, but the dog grows up knowing how to behave. Older dogs aren't always used to children and with a puppy you control the training and environment. Even an older dog that grew up around kids is not necessarily going to be fine with yours. MHO, but if your kids are under the age of a minimum of 6, a puppy is the best best. kids and animals are unpredictable, so remember that you will have to be extra vigilant and never leave the two alone. The dog will learn manners and house training a lot faster than a young child. A puppy and baby are no big deal to me, but it is a lot of chaos and confusion. It is not for all... |
Anonymous
| We have a 4 yo very high energy dog (Wheaten Terrier) and two kids (ages 3 and 8 months). He's great with the kids and I'd recommend getting an older dog (as long as you can verify that the dog is good with kids). Or wait until your kids are in school to get a puppy. Our AKA certified breeder refuses to sell puppies to anyone with kids under age 8. That's part of the reason we got the puppy before the kids. |
Anonymous
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Only one area rescue would give me a dog with young kids (Lost Dog). It's been great, but definitely recommend an older dog. Puppies nip because they are teething, and your kid will probably learn to be scared of the dog as a result.
Be prepared to spend a fair amount of energy separating them because the dog tolerates but doesn't enjoy the toddler's attention. My toddler is curious and doesn't understand that the dog experiences pain (he seems to think she's just a great toy/robot), so I agree that waiting even a year might be helpful. Even if you are confident the dog would never hurt the kid (as I am), before kids learn to read dog language and permit an escape route, you have to be careful not to expect the dog to put up with too much. He's grown up with the dog since we got her when he was three months old, but he's just always been obsessed with her. |
Anonymous
| I would definitely go with a slightly older dog, as PPs suggested. If you go through a rescue, you can find dogs that are accustomed to kids. |
Anonymous
I call BS. I have a 6 month old DS and a very reputable breeder sold us a 3 month old black lab a couple weeks ago. All is going smoothly. But the dog is already potty trained and knows most basic commands. She is very gentle with DS and licks his toes. Dog and boy will be good friends. Yes a dog and a baby is a lot of work, but it's not hell or impossible. |
Anonymous
| We have 1.5 year old twins and two dogs and one cat. The dogs are good with the babies, but we always supervise of course. The babies are learning to pet nicely, but sometimes need a reminder. We adopted the younger one from a rescue about a year ago, so you can adopt with young kids. |
Anonymous
Thank you for giving me hope! We just got a puppy with a 2 and 5 year old and it is WORK keeping them all happy, healthy, and the floors clean. We do have to keep the dog separated from the kids a lot, unless one of us is there for hands-on supervision. But, it's getting better. We were "dog people," but the dog we'd had for 16 years just died -- we didn't remember how much work a puppy would be. |
Anonymous
| Dogs are a lot of work. A lot. |
Anonymous
| Only if you realize that dog will take beatings from 2 year old. It doesn't matter if they intend to be malicious, they usually are |
Anonymous
No words. |
Anonymous
| I would try to get an older dog who has been around kids. I swear my dog rolls her eyes at my kids but puts up with tea parties and "vet" visits. |
Anonymous
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Children have good intentions, yet by nature, they have unpredictable movements and sound effects which may scare a potential pet.
I say either get a goldfish for now or just wait another few years. One warning: Even if your child is a teen, once you get that pet, chances are pretty high that YOU will be the primary caregiver of that pet even though said child will "claim" he/she will take care of EVERYTHING. Trust me on this...Pet novelty wears off quite fast. |
Anonymous
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No, it's not at all too young, provided you're willing to do the work. Do some reading and research and really know what you're getting into.
The trolls on this thread talking about how no reputable breeder or rescue would place a puppy in a home with children are full of the same nonsense as folks who say all Pit Bulls are violent, evil dogs. It's a stupid bias. You are a parent. You know your kid. If your kid is the zoom through the room, yell and party type, you'll probably want to hold off on a puppy. If your kid is the "look at that!" sit on the floor and observe type, a puppy can be a fine companion. You probably don't want a huge breed, nor a tiny, teacup, purse pet. But a mid-size shelter mutt could be a great friend, if you're willing to supervise, crate train, and raise your pet (and child) responsibly. A reputable breeder or rescue would know their dog(s) well enough to help you find a suitable match for your family. |
Anonymous
6 month old and 2 year old humans are very different from each other, as are 3 month and 9 month old puppies. |