Getting a puppy when you have small children?

[Anonymous]

You really should wait until your youngest is at least 6. We adopted and then soon returned a puppy when my kids were 5 and 3 because it was INSANE. I wish someone had told me. Now that my kids are much older, we have a dog and it's great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you wait a few years? It's really nice to have the help form the older kids, and once the youngest are past age 4 or so, you really decrease the likelihood that the child is going to hurt the puppy and cause the puppy to do something you'll all regret. I love dogs and grew up with them, but we've got a puppy now with our three, and I'm glad they are not younger -- it's hard enough getting the youngest to interact appropriately with the puppy.

Op here. We aren't done having kids though and I assume we'll have another in about 3 years. Can't imagine spending 7 years without a dog. I understand small dogs who bite and how to train. The breed we want is laid back and not nippy like labs.

I have always had dogs also growing up, in college and after college. I know how to raise and train a dog. But not waiting until my kids were older was a HUGE mistake. My kids were 3 and 5 when we got our puppy. I did a lot of research and chose a breed that was laid back. But even a laid back breed goes nuts after a child freaks and starts wailing and flailing their arms when a puppy bites (because there is not a single breed laid back enough that it will never nip as a puppy). Trust me I taught my kids EVERY trick in the book about what to do when the puppy nipped at them. Our puppy was awesome with my husband and I and with older kids. But with ours, it always though they were playing or that they were puppies. It nipped them the most and the kids always ripped the hands out, which caused scratches. Or the puppy would jump on them and scratch their legs and they would freak out again and the puppy would get all riled up and get all playful (aka nippy). Like when they nip and growl with their litter siblings and get all worked up in play? My kids are now 5 and 7 and neither of them like the dog very much. They ignore it completely. Our dog is very calm now, and it is pretty much a rug, but the kids never cuddle with it. I think they just remember how many boo boos the dog gave them

Thank you for your input, PP. I hope OP listens to you.

We just got a Samoyed puppy who LOVES children. We thought we were in the clear because our youngest is 7. Guess what? He grew so quickly yet stayed so puppy-like and rambunctious that I had to watch every single interaction with my youngest, because he did nip, he did think she was a litter-mate, and one jump sent her flying. Now he's 6 months, and has stopped nipping. Still working on jumping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really should wait until your youngest is at least 6. We adopted and then soon returned a puppy when my kids were 5 and 3 because it was INSANE. I wish someone had told me. Now that my kids are much older, we have a dog and it's great.

This is exactly the right thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Op here. So no one with kids gets dogs? We wanted to wait until our grief went down but I can't imagine being dogless for so long. There's a huge hole in our family.

[Anonymous]

It’s the combination of kids under 6/7 with puppies. They really do think the little kids are litter mates and are just confused how to play with them. Seriously, adopt a dog that is between 3 and 5 years old. You will be ready for another when your unborn baby is 6 and can get a puppy then. I’m so glad our dog was between 3 and 9 when our kids were babies—he was so calm and such a help (sitting by my feet when they had a rough night, watching over them, etc.). Now we have a puppy that will hopefully live until my youngest goes to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So no one with kids gets dogs? We wanted to wait until our grief went down but I can't imagine being dogless for so long. There's a huge hole in our family.

You don't have that amount of self-control? Wow. Most people have had to face worse things. You must either have led a charmed life, or never realized that delayed gratification could bring critical benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So no one with kids gets dogs? We wanted to wait until our grief went down but I can't imagine being dogless for so long. There's a huge hole in our family.

You don't have that amount of self-control? Wow. Most people have had to face worse things. You must either have led a charmed life, or never realized that delayed gratification could bring critical benefits.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So no one with kids gets dogs? We wanted to wait until our grief went down but I can't imagine being dogless for so long. There's a huge hole in our family.

Hi OP, I'm the poster who did get the dog with young kids. Yes, you can do it, but I feel it was the wrong choice for our family. But hindsight is always 20/20. I really wanted my kids to have a dog, but unfortunately, I think I have made them not like dogs very much. It's the opposite of my hopes. Their experience with our puppy just wasn't a positive one.

[Anonymous]

Of course you can get a dog with small children, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend a very small dog. Go for medium sized, and make sure to tell the breeder that you have experience with kids and small dogs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you wait a few years? It's really nice to have the help form the older kids, and once the youngest are past age 4 or so, you really decrease the likelihood that the child is going to hurt the puppy and cause the puppy to do something you'll all regret. I love dogs and grew up with them, but we've got a puppy now with our three, and I'm glad they are not younger -- it's hard enough getting the youngest to interact appropriately with the puppy.

Op here. We aren't done having kids though and I assume we'll have another in about 3 years. Can't imagine spending 7 years without a dog. I understand small dogs who bite and how to train. The breed we want is laid back and not nippy like labs.

I have always had dogs also growing up, in college and after college. I know how to raise and train a dog. But not waiting until my kids were older was a HUGE mistake. My kids were 3 and 5 when we got our puppy. I did a lot of research and chose a breed that was laid back. But even a laid back breed goes nuts after a child freaks and starts wailing and flailing their arms when a puppy bites (because there is not a single breed laid back enough that it will never nip as a puppy). Trust me I taught my kids EVERY trick in the book about what to do when the puppy nipped at them. Our puppy was awesome with my husband and I and with older kids. But with ours, it always though they were playing or that they were puppies. It nipped them the most and the kids always ripped the hands out, which caused scratches. Or the puppy would jump on them and scratch their legs and they would freak out again and the puppy would get all riled up and get all playful (aka nippy). Like when they nip and growl with their litter siblings and get all worked up in play? My kids are now 5 and 7 and neither of them like the dog very much. They ignore it completely. Our dog is very calm now, and it is pretty much a rug, but the kids never cuddle with it. I think they just remember how many boo boos the dog gave them

Thank you for your input, PP. I hope OP listens to you.

We just got a Samoyed puppy who LOVES children. We thought we were in the clear because our youngest is 7. Guess what? He grew so quickly yet stayed so puppy-like and rambunctious that I had to watch every single interaction with my youngest, because he did nip, he did think she was a litter-mate, and one jump sent her flying. Now he's 6 months, and has stopped nipping. Still working on jumping.

Hello which Breeded did you use for your Samoyed? We have been researching and researching. My kids are 10 and 12.5 and have been asking for one of these since they could talk. I finally think we are ready.

[Anonymous]

Op of this thread. Funny to see it pop up. We were all missing our dog so much this morning. Big hole in our family right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op of this thread. Funny to see it pop up. We were all missing our dog so much this morning. Big hole in our family right now.

OP, I am so sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you wait a few years? It's really nice to have the help form the older kids, and once the youngest are past age 4 or so, you really decrease the likelihood that the child is going to hurt the puppy and cause the puppy to do something you'll all regret. I love dogs and grew up with them, but we've got a puppy now with our three, and I'm glad they are not younger -- it's hard enough getting the youngest to interact appropriately with the puppy.

Op here. We aren't done having kids though and I assume we'll have another in about 3 years. Can't imagine spending 7 years without a dog. I understand small dogs who bite and how to train. The breed we want is laid back and not nippy like labs.

I have always had dogs also growing up, in college and after college. I know how to raise and train a dog. But not waiting until my kids were older was a HUGE mistake. My kids were 3 and 5 when we got our puppy. I did a lot of research and chose a breed that was laid back. But even a laid back breed goes nuts after a child freaks and starts wailing and flailing their arms when a puppy bites (because there is not a single breed laid back enough that it will never nip as a puppy). Trust me I taught my kids EVERY trick in the book about what to do when the puppy nipped at them. Our puppy was awesome with my husband and I and with older kids. But with ours, it always though they were playing or that they were puppies. It nipped them the most and the kids always ripped the hands out, which caused scratches. Or the puppy would jump on them and scratch their legs and they would freak out again and the puppy would get all riled up and get all playful (aka nippy). Like when they nip and growl with their litter siblings and get all worked up in play? My kids are now 5 and 7 and neither of them like the dog very much. They ignore it completely. Our dog is very calm now, and it is pretty much a rug, but the kids never cuddle with it. I think they just remember how many boo boos the dog gave them

Thank you for your input, PP. I hope OP listens to you.

We just got a Samoyed puppy who LOVES children. We thought we were in the clear because our youngest is 7. Guess what? He grew so quickly yet stayed so puppy-like and rambunctious that I had to watch every single interaction with my youngest, because he did nip, he did think she was a litter-mate, and one jump sent her flying. Now he's 6 months, and has stopped nipping. Still working on jumping.

Hello which Breeded did you use for your Samoyed? We have been researching and researching. My kids are 10 and 12.5 and have been asking for one of these since they could talk. I finally think we are ready.

Our wonderful breeder, Gina Park, is not planning on breeding for a couple of years, and she's going to move to the Midwest anyway. However, below is the list of breeders in the mid-Atlantic. It's an old list, so some of them may be retired. Please stay away from the White Magic kennel! They farm out their breeding dogs and are not in it for the betterment of the breed, but just to make as much money as possible. Very bad reputation in the business (but slick website, so customers can be taken in).

https://www.samoyedclubofamerica.org/the-samoyed/choosing-a-dog/breeder-disclaimer/mid-atlantic-breeders/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you wait a few years? It's really nice to have the help form the older kids, and once the youngest are past age 4 or so, you really decrease the likelihood that the child is going to hurt the puppy and cause the puppy to do something you'll all regret. I love dogs and grew up with them, but we've got a puppy now with our three, and I'm glad they are not younger -- it's hard enough getting the youngest to interact appropriately with the puppy.

Op here. We aren't done having kids though and I assume we'll have another in about 3 years. Can't imagine spending 7 years without a dog. I understand small dogs who bite and how to train. The breed we want is laid back and not nippy like labs.

I have always had dogs also growing up, in college and after college. I know how to raise and train a dog. But not waiting until my kids were older was a HUGE mistake. My kids were 3 and 5 when we got our puppy. I did a lot of research and chose a breed that was laid back. But even a laid back breed goes nuts after a child freaks and starts wailing and flailing their arms when a puppy bites (because there is not a single breed laid back enough that it will never nip as a puppy). Trust me I taught my kids EVERY trick in the book about what to do when the puppy nipped at them. Our puppy was awesome with my husband and I and with older kids. But with ours, it always though they were playing or that they were puppies. It nipped them the most and the kids always ripped the hands out, which caused scratches. Or the puppy would jump on them and scratch their legs and they would freak out again and the puppy would get all riled up and get all playful (aka nippy). Like when they nip and growl with their litter siblings and get all worked up in play? My kids are now 5 and 7 and neither of them like the dog very much. They ignore it completely. Our dog is very calm now, and it is pretty much a rug, but the kids never cuddle with it. I think they just remember how many boo boos the dog gave them

Thank you for your input, PP. I hope OP listens to you.

We just got a Samoyed puppy who LOVES children. We thought we were in the clear because our youngest is 7. Guess what? He grew so quickly yet stayed so puppy-like and rambunctious that I had to watch every single interaction with my youngest, because he did nip, he did think she was a litter-mate, and one jump sent her flying. Now he's 6 months, and has stopped nipping. Still working on jumping.

Hello which Breeded did you use for your Samoyed? We have been researching and researching. My kids are 10 and 12.5 and have been asking for one of these since they could talk. I finally think we are ready.

Our wonderful breeder, Gina Park, is not planning on breeding for a couple of years, and she's going to move to the Midwest anyway. However, below is the list of breeders in the mid-Atlantic. It's an old list, so some of them may be retired. Please stay away from the White Magic kennel! They farm out their breeding dogs and are not in it for the betterment of the breed, but just to make as much money as possible. Very bad reputation in the business (but slick website, so customers can be taken in).

https://www.samoyedclubofamerica.org/the-samoyed/choosing-a-dog/breeder-disclaimer/mid-atlantic-breeders/

Thanks so much! That's the list I have. They are a hard dog to find--and when you do there is always a long waitlist . I have heard about White Magic's track record.