choosing a new pet

Question
Our last dog (maltese) died 2 months ago. We really miss him and are thinking of getting a puppy(poodle mix, maybe a pekapoo) We have 3 small grandkids and would like the dog to be safe. I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I don't want them to have an underbite. Do you have a suggestion and is there a preference of male or female?
Thanks, elaine

Answer
Hi Elaine,

As a general rule, small breeds are not recommended in homes with small children. Both Toy Poodles and Pekingese can be intolerant of children, so I wonder how well a Poodle/Peke mix would be around the kids. That rule isn't cast in stone, but you would have to make sure whatever puppy you get is well socialized.

If you get a Poodle mix (of any kind) that comes from a breeder where the puppies have been socialized from day one, and you pick a puppy that has a gentle, mildly submissive nature, you probably won't have any problems with how that puppy interacts with your grandchildren. Of course, no matter the breed, children need to be supervised around dogs.

Not every Pekapoo has an under-bite. So on top of the puppy's temperament, you'd have to see that the puppy has more "Poo", than "Peke"! There are other popular mixes these days, such as Puggles (Beagle/Pug) CockaPoo, etc. that you may want to consider.

Many people do not realize that these dogs are not true dog breeds. Rather, they are popular breed crosses, or mixed breed dogs. Considering these are mixed breed dogs, they usually have a hefty price tag, usually reserved for a dog with a pedigree. I would recommend you find a sweet small mixed-breed, and save a ton of money.

You can browse available dogs/puppies at the following web site:
http://www.petfinder.com/

Use the "Quick Pet Search" on the left side of the PetFinder home page. Your search goes by your zip code. You can select to search for small breed puppies by specific breed, or leave the breed space blank if you just want to see any puppy in the size you selected.

As far as which is best with children: a male or female dog:
There's many opinions on that subject. Some say male dogs tend to be more tolerant with kids than female dogs, but there are no real rules, or science to this.

Having owned numerous males and females, I can't find any evidence to support that one gender is "better" than the other. Both sexes can be very affectionate and loyal, both sexes can be difficult to keep. Both sexes can be equally a joy to have in the home.

The best determination for which gender would be better for your home is to disregard the dogs gender entirely. From my experience, a dominate dog can be either male or female, no matter the size.

Consider this while shopping for the puppy: You will undoubtedly see more than one that you would consider buying. When evaluating a puppy, which one do you immediately feel comfortable with? After handling several, there will be one that seems like a natural fit. That should be your choice.

If you buy from a breeder, rather than a pet store, you have the opportunity to see how the parent dogs interact with the kids. Are they gentle? Do they want to be with the kids or want to get away from them? Allow the kids to walk them. Then let the kids make noise or run around. Do the dogs act calm?  If the puppy's parents are good with kids, the chances are good that the puppies will be good with kids.
Good signs are: If the dog seeks the child out and does not walk away from the kids, is happy to be around the them and shows signs of submission to the children.
A pet store can't do that for you. Pet store puppies aren't well socialized, either.

You have another option, you could adopt am adult dog that has been evaluated as being good with kids, there's no guess work in that!

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti