What kind of dog would be good for our family?

A Schnauzer may be a good fit for your family. They don't shed, but do require grooming. They are smart dogs.  Not too big, but not too little. While puppies are cute, they are hard work!  

I have two cousins that had bad allergies as kids. They couldn't have dogs and living on the East Coast was so bad for one of them that he quit college and moved to Arizona. As adults, they found allergy meds and allergy shots, plus the allergies got better with age. Both of them have dogs for their kids. One has labs, the other has a golden.

I am allergic to cats. Some cats bother me much more than others. Some don't bother me at all. Zyrtec works so well.

Now it's easier since there are more dogs that have hair instead of fur or are "hypoallergenic".

My mom had a mini schnauzer. He wasn't fun to play with, he had such a prey drive that all he wanted to do was chase squirrels, insects, sit in the window and watch cars.

The best dog was a little pomeranian spaniel mix. She belonged to someone in my grandmother's neighborhood and stayed at my grandma's to play with us. She loved to play ball--and even would climb to the top of the 6' high holly shrubs to get the ball. I know pomeranian isn't going to be the ticket to you, but the mixes do combine traits that make a dog more fun for a kid.

When I was growing up, we had a golden retriever and a german shepherd. We played with them all the time. The retriever loved to "fish" behind our house on the sound and salt marshes--I grew up at the beach in NC. When we'd swim, she'd swim as well. She even would climb up onto the board of our windsurfer, which we tied to the back of our jet ski--we'd slowly pull her, and she loved it.

Our german shepherd wasn't as much of a swimmer, but he'd play with us in the yard and loved to curl up with you. He also accompanied us on in the woods while we explored and would come with us on our bikes. He was so sweet, but he was also great protection. My dad's business partner actually owned the jet ski we had but kept it at our house--he rarely used it (he was loaded, lonely, his kids were grown.) He'd come over at night with a movie and curl up on the floor with our german shepherd and us (mom and dad, too) and pet that dog for hours. (his wife wouldn't let him have a big dog)

The pom mix and schnauzer were my grandmother's dogs that my mom inherited. The small dogs were ok, but as a kid I really liked a more medium size dog. One that could keep up with us and wasn't fragile--small dogs can break legs so easily.

I think your local animal shelter would really be able to give you some good advice. Maybe even if you talked to a local vet--they could definitely help with the allergy issue, plus you'll need a vet anyway and getting the dog checked out before you make the adoption permanent is wise. (sadly a lot of pups from breeder mills can have chronic problems)

I hope y'all find the perfect four footed family member!

Aside from breed, one thing that you might consider is how much time do you have available for a dog or puppy? Puppies are adorable and sweet and so many other wonderful things, but they are a lot of work. Do you, as the primary caretaker, have the time necessary for the near constant supervision needed for training and housebreaking a puppy? I see that you have a toddler...imagine having another one Please don't get me wrong...I adore puppies, but I also know how much work they can be. It truly is like adding another baby to your family.

When we decided to get a dog for our family, our kids were young. We decided to go with a young adult (18 month) yellow lab. It was the very best decision for our family and may be a good option for your family too. Our yellow lab Ella is now almost 12 and I can not imagine a better companion for our family. I am totally biased, but I think labs make the very best family pets. Our son was the driving force behind our family getting a dog too...the bond that they share is priceless.

Check rescue organizations in your area too. They can be a great resource in helping your family find the perfect fit.

Aww so awesome! I definitely think kids should grow up around animals so very cool for you to do this

if you get in contact with a rescue they will let you see or play with all the dogs and you might just feel like one is "the one" when you sit with him. I volunteer at adoption events and one of the #1 reasons dogs get returned to the shelter is that they were not a good fit for the family. Take your time and dont rush into anything good luck!!

I'm going to toss another suggestion in the mix - westies are great dogs. Smart, sweet, small but sturdy, minimal shedding and great with kids.

Piper is 3 1/2 now, and she is about 14lbs. She is fabulous with kids of all ages and sheds very, very little. I take her to be groomed about every 3-4 months. I follow a local small dog rescue on facebook, and I see westie mixes (mostly poodle/westie and westie/other terriers)come up in their feed fairly often.

I think with a 2 year old, I would go with a young adult dog. I can't imagine potty training a child and puppy at the same time!

I really wouldn't get a puppy with a toddler. I may be biased though. Cute as they can be, I refuse puppies because they are just like babies. And I've already raised babies, thank you very much. We currently are "fostering" a mix that is about one years. Her nick name is Ms. Tear It Up. I think 18-24 months is a better age. And she's puppy enough for me. Lots of energy. Funny but no potty training issues. Just the teething issues.