If you have kids and are thinking about adding a dog into your household, you are no doubt nervous about making the right decision. There are many factors to consider before making the decision to get a dog but if you have kids you will want to make sure you get a dog that will get along with the kids. When looking at dog breeds, one of the most important factors to consider if you have kids is temperament. You do not want to get an overly dominant or aggressive breed. Also, you need to consider the activity level of the breed. If your kids are very young you might not want an overly active or hyper breed of dog. Finally, the size of the breed is also important. Very small dogs could easily be injured by active kids. A medium to a large breed is often a better choice in households with active kids. Whatever breed you opt for, be sure to do your research prior to making any decision to make sure it is the best fit for your family.

Children and dogs seem to be a perfect match. But with all the different breeds of dogs, it is very important to select the right breed of dog for your children. So you might want to consider your children as you select a dog to be their companion. Many dogs need lots of grooming and so this is a task that would need to be performed several times a week if not daily. Many times children either can not or will not be willing to perform this. You need to consider beforehand if this is going to be a task just for the children or if you will be willing and able to fill in when they can’t or won’t do it. Also, many dogs need lots of exercise. And like grooming, who will exercise the dog? When you have decided on these issues then you can begin the process of looking for a dog that will fit in with your family.

When choosing a dog breed, you have to keep in mind the kind of personality the particular breed has. If you have children, this is even more important than ever.

They key to choosing a kid friendly dog breed is research.

Thoroughly research the kind of dog you want. First narrow it down to size. Decide whether you can accommodate the demands of a larger breed of such as golden retriever, labrador retriever or Saint Bernard. These medium to large breeds of dogs, usually adult size, 50-60 pounds or more, generally need daily exercise. This would involve at least two walks a day or access to a gated outdoor yard These working class dog are generally very accepting and tolerant of children.

In addition to the breeds mentioned, Bernese mountain dogs, border collies, Australian shepherds, English sheepdogs and Shetlands all are larger dogs that are good with children. Not predictable with children would include boxers, pit bulls, weimeraners, and to a lesser extent, German shepherds.

Smaller dogs can also be intriguing for children. Japanese chins, pugs, pomeranians, Corgis, and beagles are all very compliant with children Be wary of poodles, chihuhuas, dalmations, and schnauzers. Smaller dogs who bark often are often very insecure and not good around children. Any breed that are compatible with only one owner or are difficult to train need to be avoided.

Be sure your children are old enough to understand how to touch, treat and care for a dog before you get one. Animals can be unpredictable and only you know how your children behave. Keep in mind time needed for grooming, training and cleaning up after your new dog. Remember it needs periodic visits to a veterinarian, as well, to keep your dog safe and healthy. Spend time with friends and neighbors who have dogs. Talk to breeders and groomers, who have experience working with dogs, to find a breeder that can accommodate the traits you wish to have in your new dog.

Research. research, research. The last thing you want is to obtain an animal that is not compatible with your young ones. 

The perfect dog can bring a lot of  joy to your family for many years.  A great guide on training your new puppy is ‘Secrets to Dog Training‘ by Daniel Stevens.  This guide will help you solve over 25 dog behavior problems with numerous photos and step by step instructions. 

It also has a 30-minute video program that puts you right in the picture with real-life examples of how YOU can become the top dog and stay the top dog! Plus sure-fire house training methods and how to stop your dog pulling on the leash much much more.  I highly recommend you click here to check it out.

If you’re anything like me, your dogs are a source of companionship and delight in your life.

I mean… who else can create laughter simply by running around the kitchen island in a full out sprint?

But along with all the perks of being a dog owner comes all of the responsibility of training the puppy.

Most people think of housetraining a dog when they think of training tips for dogs, but the truth is there are other things that are critical for a dog to learn, and the earlier the better.

Here are the top 7 areas where a dog needs to be trained:

1. Housetraining.

The younger a puppy is when he learns to go to the bathroom outside, the better he’ll be able to follow the rules when he’s older! Mastering the best ways to teach a dog the rules of going to the bathroom where & when they’re supposed to is key if you expect the puppy to master the behavior.

2. Crate training.

Crate training is invaluable for a puppy – crates create a safe place for the puppy to stay, his own little home. Crates can be used for sleeping at night, for travel, and also just as a place that the puppy knows he can go when he is anxious or needing some privacy.

3. Obedience.

Being able to tell your dog, “Sit,” “stay,” “wait,” or “No!” is incredibly more effective when they actually obey you!

Obedience training is one of the most important pieces of puppy training to create a harmonious and peaceful environment with your dog.

4. Walking.

The iconic image of a dog owner with their dog is always that of a dog walking peacefully beside his owner. But what if your dog isn’t able to walk peacefully beside you? Trying to take your dog for a walk and constantly battling the pull against the leash can take all of the enjoyment out of that special time.

Training a dog to walk peacefully beside you means that you can enjoy the experience fully, without worrying about your dog getting away, pulling you, or being overly excited or aggressive towards people you may encounter during the walk.

5. Returning.

This is perhaps the most important training advice I can give: teaching a dog to come when you call him can save a dog’s life.

What happens when your dog is running out into a busy street and he doesn’t respond when you call to him? The result could be tragic. Teaching your dog to come when you call is vital.

6. Manners.

This is perhaps the area that plagues dog owners the most often! Teaching a dog not to jump on house guests, not to beg during dinner, and not to bark while inside the house can all make a huge difference in your relationship with your canine friend.

Puppies respond well to the right training in this area, and it’s easier when you know the right methods to use.

7. Tricks.

This one is just fun! Every dog owner loves to give his puppy treats in exchange for sitting on command, shaking, waving, speaking, or playing dead.

And puppies love to show off their skills!

All in all, training is the most valuable resource you could have in your relationship with your new puppy.  Click here to discover the best dog breed for you and your family.

Having a dog as a pet is not always the right thing for many people. Some people can’t stand the thought of having a dog, while others don’t like the idea of having to clean up after their dog.

The people who do love to have a dog as their pet and bosom companion are the people who will devote the most time, energy and effort into raising their dog.

These people will find that their lives are empty without a dog to fill in the void and will almost always have at least one dog with them. I am I have to say, one of these people.

I got my first dog when I was nine years old and I haven’t looked back since. In the way of children all over the world, I pleaded and begged and all but sold my soul to get my first dog, and then proceeded to forget all about him as the novelty wore off in the first few months.

The dog, catcher, however didn’t forget me and continued to faithfully dog my steps (excuse the pun) until without my even realizing it, he took up a large portion of my affection.

I was lucky in this, my first dog lived to the ripe old age of twelve, whereupon he succumbed to old age and went to doggy heaven. After a suitable period of mourning I then found myself missing the unquestioning loyalty and faithfulness of my soul companion so I went searching around for another companion.

This wasn’t as easy as I thought since I didn’t want another Labrador (Catcher was a Labrador), but then again I didn’t want to deviate too far from the doggy characteristics that made Catcher my dog-in-a-million.

Amazingly enough, unlike when I went looking for Catcher for the first time at age nine, I found that mature college student that I was, I was still having difficulty finding and choosing the right dog for me.

I spent hours trawling through the various books and other magazines about dogs, in an effort to find out what I needed to know before I made a decision.

Being older I now needed some specific characteristics from my dog, traits which catcher innately had, or which he learned through interaction with me as the years wore on.

But since this was a whole new ball game, and a whole different breed of dog I was after, I gave the matter more thought than I otherwise might have.

This in turn led to my ultimately embracing everything that was dog, which in turn has led me to this point.

I have seen so many mismatched pairings of owner and dog over the years troop in and out of my sight that I finally gave in to the pleadings of my best friend and decided to put down on paper what knowledge I have collected, with the thought of helping fellow dog lovers to find the best pairing of dog for them.

Of course with the advent of the Internet it has become much easier to find help in choosing the right dog breed for you, but even there I have found that you have to do a little bit of legwork before you can get to heart of the matter.

Here, in my dog breed ebook, I have tried to give you as much knowledge and help as I could to get along with the little matter of choosing your perfect-fit dog.

I don’t claim to have everything written down on these pages that you should know about dogs and selecting the correct dog.

Nor have I managed to find information about each and every type of dog that exists in the world today. That would be an almost never-ending impossible task what with the different cross bred dogs which abound. However, there is a goodly amount of information for you to take, and which will hopefully be of help to you.

Oh, yes. You might also be interested in knowing that I now have a spunky four year old Chihuahua and a six month old Saint Bernard that admittedly tends to slobber over everything. And overseeing this odd pairing, I have an eight year old Labrador whom I found in an animal shelter.