I ve been horrified to speak to people who wanted to get a kid s dog, but were looking at Chihuahuas. Chi s are small, all right, but they have a snappy temperament and don t tolerate a lot of childish mauling very well. Plus, a Chi at seven pounds could be squashed, unintentionally, by a heavy child sitting down on it. A working foxhound dog, eager to find a raccoon. This large outside dog has a loud, baying bark and wants only to sniff and hunt.
Mutts often make excellent kid dogs.
Hard working dogs, like Border collies, will prefer to herd rather than play anyway, but the kids won t understand that either. The worker stays outside in its kennel when not at work, the pet sleeps in the kids room, probably right on their beds. The kids will understand this arrangement. That s what a pet dog returns over time, all in exchange for a pound of kibble a day and some basic veterinary care. A working dog, however, can take the place of another human by moving livestock or guarding a portion of your land.