I’m getting the urge to get a dog. It’s the only kind of pet I can see us having. I won’t bother with reptiles, Matthew is allergic to cats, fish are boring… Seems like a dog could be part of the family. And it seems like if I’m going to give my kids the ideal childhood, there needs to be a family pet involved at some time.
So. Does anybody know of a medium sized dog with very minimal shedding that is calm and well-behaved and good with children? And cute too? 
Aye yay yay…I’m afraid to even start. I’ve been looking online and the dogs are so cute. But it’s a huge commitment. Though I’m beginning to feel ready for it.
Should I have a dog or a baby? I think with Franklin getting bigger, maybe we’re just itching for something small again.
19 Comments
Let me know if you find a dog that doesn’t poop too.
since i’m pregnant, i vote for a baby! my cousin has a 1/2 chihuahua and 1/2 italian greyhound, who is sweeter than anything i can think of, and is nearly hairless!
You’re baby hungry, and feeding it with a puppy…interesting.
We have a black & white male Cockapoo. He weighs about 22 pounds, doesn’t shed and doesn’t have doggie odor (my son and I have allergies). They’re good around kids, but are hyper for the first few years. I’d say if you’re going to get one, wait until the kids go back to school. Puppies are a lot of work!
I’m sure you’ve heard our recent dog story that didn’t have the best ending. However, I know we’ll get another dog sometime (we soothed our grief by buying hermit crabs–super easy to take care of, but boring as heck). Our friends’ dog is a cute little Shih Tzu (sp?). It is medium sized and doesn’t shed. The thing I learned with our dog was that it was absolutely like having another child, so if a baby is in the near future, AND you get a puppy…
Good luck with your decision! PS: Even after practically promising with their own blood, my girls NEVER picked up one of Drake’s poops. Just couldn’t do it.
English Springer Spaniels!! They are awesome and beautiful.
My dad trains them and is part of the AKC so email me if you think you might want a springer!!
oooh, i love dogs! i prefer a baby over a dog any day, but having a new puppy really IS kinda like having a new baby. you have to get up in the middle of the night with them and let them play and stuff…but maybe i just spoil my dogs. =) i am a big pug advocate, but they don’t meet all of your criteria because they do shed. short hair shedding, but they still go through “phases” of it. miles is shedding right now because it is the middle of summer…he doesn’t always shed, it is weird. anyway, they are GREAT with kids. he weighs about 17 pounds and he’s almost a year old. he’ll be about 20-25 when he’s full grown. jenna just rolls all over him and he loves it, so if it weren’t for the occasional shedding, i would definitely say get a pug! we also have a doberman and he’s a total sweetheart. seriously. he is the best dog we have EVER had. he’s good with jenna, but doesn’t really give her much attention like miles does. of course, he weighs 95 pounds too…
ahhh….i’d say get a dog. why? cuz if it ticks you off you can always give it away…lol. can’t really do that with kids…unless of course if you’re a crack-ho mom then that’s perfectly acceptable behavior…lol. totally just joking here ok?
seriously though….i would recommend a winnie dog. we had two at one time and they were great with my little one. we had to give them away because we were selling our house. still miss those little buggers.
i would also suggest that you look in the paper because sometimes people are just giving them away. we found ours that way. the only set back is that they already come with a name. the first one we got was named bugger. creative huh? and the second one we got was named tramp. and so we had bugger and tramp. how cool is that?
- g
i’d go with baby………
:)
As the proud owner of a new puppy, all I can say is “Why did we wait so long?!” Parker, now 12 weeks, is a Yorkie (full size, he’ll be about 10 pounds)…My husband and girls have allergies/asthma and have had no reaction at all!! Yorkies have hair and no undercoat (no shed). He’s a baby and has to be trained, but already follows the command ’sit’ and plays fetch…when he’s old enough we’ll go to puppy school . His hit/miss rate on the pee pads has been about 60% and getting better (small dog=easy clean-up!!)
Got him from a breeder in Milpitas…$800 (no papers). In the spring we hope to get a cockapoo from a breeder in Willow Glen.
HOWEVER…IF I could have another child, I’d do it in a heartbeat! this post-menopausal old body just can’t do it. Parker is the closest thing to a sibling I could get for 6yr old Lauren! LOVE this little guy!! Try babysitting a puppy first…see how your kids handle it.
Um..since I don’t like dogs and I really WANT you to have another baby (and I know my opinion counts..right? :)) I’d definitely say baby.
remember i have 5.
btw, i had a shiz tu and they are wonderful with kids.
so you know what i would do.
but, i am not going to come out and suggest a baby.
because if you decide later that you should have gone with a dog i don’t want you to blame me.
Oh - get a Boston Terrier - They are wonderful, wonderful dogs for kids. Make sure to check out their parents and breeders. That will tell you how big they’ll get and give you an idea of their temperment as well, if you’re really concerned about that. As with any dog, though, it takes consistent training to get the behaviour you want from them (hmmm…kinda like a kid? HA!) So - if you’re ready for a bit of work, I’d do it - I waited a bit, since I’m a big animal lover, but not so much so with little kiddos. They take a lot of work at first in order to get the results you need/want. I waited until Kaitlyn went to Kindergarten and I had time to devote to the dog during the days. It has been great with minimal regrets, lol! We’re so glad we have her! Wouldn’t trade her a bit - well, maybe just sometimes when she chews up my pens.
We’re looking into getting a mini-schnauzer. They don’t shed, are ultra-smart, the puppies are CUTE, and they’re good with kids. Good luck with your decision, I keep waffling back and forth, I’m not sure I’m ready for the committment yet. Maybe I’ll just sit back and watch you and see how it goes, then decide.
Baby for sure. Think about wanting to take vacations with a dog. You can’t. Unless you have a HUGE backyard and live next to the Coltons.
if it were me, I would have a baby. haha.
I am not a pet person. AT ALL. We do have a cat, but it wasnt’ by choice…darn thing showed up and wont’ leave. lol. I would say baby, or something like a hermit crab or fish…haha. I am into LOW MAINTANENCE pets. lol.. although you still have to cahnge the water/cage…which totally turns me off. lol. 
puppies
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buuuuuuut……
kellicrowe
yes. I do believe that you are now ready to pick up your membership card to crazy. Let me know if you need a ride, k?
try a yorkeshire terrier-they have hair not fur. they are great for people with the worst allergies. I have four