We are thoroughly exhausted and will be off to bed soon. So we're taking the easy route by asking here instead of doing the research. VN and I both love dogs. Now, does anyone here know what kind of dog (i.e., specie) can live in a small 3-bed terraced house and seriously, doesn't eat or need care far too much such that it's not overly expensive to upkeep? We thought a calm, sociable dog might be good for her brother? He loves dogs very much and is always ever so good to other people's dogs, so, we thought of maybe, trying out what we saw in a TV documentary about an autistic boy and his beloved dog who helped him find his tongue. Has anyone seen it?

I'm fairly calm with him. He is wordless at almost 4 and is terrified of changes and thus flies off the handle and basically one has to restrain him each time as one would a rioter and start the same low pitch reassuring plainchant like "Good boy, no throw" over and over and over again like a monk. It sinks in eventually and he forgets whatever the mysterious change was that brought abt the sudden violence and stops the attack or self-harm. But this is both very tiring and injurious, physically and I said to VN that I'm growing older and he's growing stronger and we can't do this forever and she suggested - Perhaps we could try and get a dog for him to love (in the future). Just like the same aged autistic kid in the documentary?

First, is this a good/mad idea? Second, what small dog is cool and calm, anyway? I only know that the big working dogs in general tend to be a calm lot.

Any constructive comments welcomed.

Thanks and good night!

Greyhounds, especially retired ones, are supposed to be very calm and good with children, and contrary to popular belief do not need a lot of exercise. I know they're not exactly small but you could try investigating them as a breed.......Labradors are wonderful generally with children but need a lot more exercise!!!!! (Especially as they can tend to be like canine dustbins and therefore need a lot of exercise to burn off all that they consume........and they can often be food thieves so kitchens need to be carefully monitored!!) And they're more excitable too......

I think it's a great idea, but it would need a lot of research. Sorry that I cannot be of any help! Good luck and do keep us posted!
xoxox

I've heard that retired Greyhounds make very good pets.

Labradores don't get me started on them!! The good thing about them is their personalities, great with kids wonderfully loyal and loving. On the down side they do eat alot, chew everything in sight as puppies and need lots of exercise. They are however highly trainable and super intelligent, if you strart as you mean to go and show them who's boss they are easy to control. If I had trainers on and played with ours she would grab them with her teeth, yet I could so the same with bare feet and she wouldn't touch me. There was no trouble taking things out of her mouth or even holding them whilst she had them between her teeth. Even at 4 my nephew could hold a chew ball between his fingers and she'd have the other sides in her teeth.

We were told Molly was a first cross lab when we rehomed her but as you can see from her picture she isn't.

Did you see the true TV drama on the telly over Christmas about the autistic boy and the Retriever. AlthoughI'd have a lab any day over a Retriever as they can be less tolerant.

Small dogs tend to be more nervous and therefore less tolerant, their usually good for older people, but there will always be exceptions.

A whippet or a greyhound

Molly's got some whippet in her and whilst she is good natured I'd never trust her 100% like we could our Lab. Before people start... we did and we could... even when eldest was a baby!

We have two dogs. The Border Collie is my daughters (10) dog sleeps with her, but is very protective, a little to protective. She will bark at myself and husband if we pretend to hit daughter. She dislikes other people. She needs loads of stimulation and exercise. I trust her only 100% we us.

Our Lab, this is our second, I trust with anyone and everyone she is great. I trust 100%.
They are walked most days 2 to 5 miles depending on time. We live in the country so they have the run of several acres. The Lab is quite content to just plod around the garden and lay in the sun when it is out. She would be quite happy with shorter walks. She loves playing ball, frizbie etc. Labs make great loving friends.

I have never liked smaller dogs as the ones I have met mostly working Terriers on farms are very snappy. I can't say for Town dogs. Surely to some degree it is down to the way they are brought up a bit like children.

Have you thought about a cat?

Labs with Drakeshead in their lines tend to be smaller and thinner than the more common larger Labs.

A dog is a really good idea - but do think of the dog too! A labrador or retriever requires an awful lot of stimulation, and they are not easy puppies unless you have endless time. I agree about greyhounds or lurchers, and they don't actually need as much exercise as you might imagine; they are sprinters rather than cross-country animals. If it was me, I would do the rounds of the dog homes - especially just after Christmas - and see what they've got. Many will allow you to take a dog home for a week or so to see how it goes.

I ought to add with labs that if you can't exercise them much you have to be extremely strict on their diet as they have a tendency to put on weight - and nothing breaks my heart more than seeing an obese labrador. They are big dogs to start with and any excess weight can damage their joints. Also if you get a lab from puppyhood, exercise has to be very strictly controlled and limited as you can damage their joints early on by giving them too much and the wrong sort of exercise. Only around 12-18 months can you really start to increase the exercise levels.......I once saw a 6 month old lab and it had the wierdest shape back legs I'd ever seen (the 4 year old it was with was the same) and the owner said he'd just had them both up a mountain that morning.........The 4 year old already had arthritis....By over-exercising, that guy has actually condemned his dogs to a life of pain....... I could have cried for those dogs.....

My dad has a couple of retired greyhounds; they're very docile, although not very demonstrative in their affection (i.e. they won't jump up and lick you as soons as you get home in the evening), which may or may not be a good thing. They are big dogs, and can put on a real turn of speed if there are rabbits around!

I remember reading that rehoming centres tend to get at their fullest around Easter - the adorable puppy has grown up a bit, so isn't quite so cute and adorable; the expense of feeding it and hassle of exercising it has sunk in; it's had one accident too many on the pale carpet; a few vet's bills have arrived for vaccinations; the children are bored with their puppy and want a PlayStation instead - you get the picture! That said, there are always dogs who need rehoming, but be warned, some of them may have behavioural problems or be nervous around children.

Don't overlook crossbreeds. We had a great dog when I was a child - a Jack Russell/labrador cross . Fortunately it was JR size with labrador temperament! It was a small black dog with a big tail and bigger bark, and he ran around like a puppy until he was well into its teens.

Why not visit your local rehoming centre (Dogs Trust? RSPCA? Battersea?). You'll get an idea of sizes, and the staff will be able to advise on any other issues that haven't yet been mentioned. Be warned though, you'll need a heart of steel to walk away from all of those lovely doggies without taking one of them home (and to avoid cries of "Mum, can we have that one?", you may wish to leave VN and her brother at home )

In my experience of working with children on the Autistic spectrum, I found most of them were afraid of dogs. Has the child in question had experience of being near dogs? Would a cat, or a smaller caged animal such as a hamster be an option?
As you probably know, most children like the feel of the fur and find it very calming. Stroking a cat or holding a hamster could have just the same effect as a dog.
With so much horrific news on at the moment around dogs, it would be a tragedy if the boy became upset with the dog, and the dog turned on him.

I'm the very lucky owner of a rather special dog - she has come across 2 children in the last 6 months who until meeting her were terrified of dogs. After just 30 mins with the real cd, they have at least overcome their fear of her - she is very non-threatening..... I think greyhounds are very similar. Black dog (my first dog) was a cross lab/lurcher type dog - very gentle, laid-back and non-threatening. She also would tend to be affectionate on her own terms - ie not very demonstrative - although if we ever left her with other folk while we were away on holiday, she missed us far more than yellow dog, who just loved everybody and was extremely affectionate so he could transfer his affection very easily to whoever was looking after him.
But definitely investigate the different breeds - and yes visit the dog homes. It's a good idea. Black dog was a 4 month old stray when we got her, and all I can say is whoever abandoned her is all the poorer for it - and we were the richer........ Although we never knew her exact parentage, she was a wonderful dog.

-- "Don't overlook crossbreeds." --

We got a puppy from our neighbour a few months ago. His female Bull Mastiff had a fling with a Labrador and she had beautiful pups. It's going to be interesting to see how she develops in the future. According to the info I found, Mastiffs are lazy and don't need a lot of exercise, whereas Labs are the opposite. Fortunately, both breeds are said to be great family dogs and good with kids.

But she's going to be enormous!!

Steve

On the small of scale size we have a west island white terrier (westie).

Pros

i) Beatiful nature
ii) Will sit and watch tv with you
iii) will listen to music
iv) will listen to music practise
v) only needs a little garden for exercise and to do business
vi) if you like to walk will go with you
vii) They are robust dogs and can take handling by both ill co-ordinated youngsters as well as adults
viii) Not to big to control if the need ever arose

Cons

i) They need interaction (but this is why you want the dog anyway)
ii) Some weties have skin problems (check puppies parent/breeder)
iii) If you leave them in the garden for a prolonged period they will dig it up and end up dirt colour rather than white!

I have an 8-year-old whippet in a three-bed house. I decided early on that he would have to learn to come when called because I would have no chance in catching him. He ran faster than me even when he was an 8-week pup. However obedience training can have unintended consequences. I once called him from the garden. He was at an upstairs window. I thought he would do the sensible thing and come down the stairs through the house but to my horror the dog jumped up through the open window - it was three feet high - and then fell into the garden ten feet below. He was fine but in my rush to see if he was ok I stubbed my toe quite badly.

Sorry forgive me but

I hope there was no perminant damage to your toe and I am sure you chuckle when you think back.

The recovered in a few weeks but my bank balance took a while longer as I too the hound to the vet to have his hips checked. The dog was fine. Apparently dogs do this sort of thing.

Cross breeds are a great idea. We've got the most gentle natured collie cross lab. We got her from our local RSPCA centre when she was just 8 weeks old. She's 10 now and still acts like a puppy! She's great with kids and other animals except cats (just likes to chase them out of the garden)! But especially likes rabbits!

Yes, most autistic kids are terrified of dogs but my boy loves them. I'm afraid of the way he runs off after and then touches strange dogs before I catch up with him and VN and I both try to dissuade him.

Do greyhounds eat much more than most dogs? Do they need obedience training? I'm not lazy but we just would not want to get a dog we simply cannot afford!

Is a whippet a cross-bred greyhound?

Did someone say a retriever is not good for kids? Why?

We never got a dog for VN bec of her former allergies to all haired animals in the past. Now she is allergic to some cats.

Cats by the way, make unsuitable pets for autistic kids bec they are largely loners just like my autistic kid who is oddly affectionate but lives in his own world.

Thanks,
Tess

Some Retrievers will be fine with kids but others won't be, they are not as predictable as Labs who are more or less always affectionate.

If you have any concern about allergies then Labradoodles might be worth looking into. A cross between a lab and a poodle, they don't shed hair, but might be expensive.

Nope, whippets are breed in their own right, recognised by the kennel club. Lurchers are cross breeds.

My family has kept Cavalier King Charles Spaniels which have fantastic temperaments and are fairly small (although require quite a lot of grooming and walking). However as other posters have said I would be reluctant to trust any dog with a child especially after the recent tragic attacks, and having worked on a children's ward we had quite a few kids admitted needing theatre with severe dog bites.

My daughter's in-laws race greyhounds, and own a retired one, so she has come to know quite a bit about them. She says that retired greyhounds make excellent pets and are usually very affectionate - having been kept at kennels they don't always get the amount of affection they would like to receive, so they make up for it when retired! They do not need as much exercise as you would expect, being bred for short bursts of speed. The fact that they are bred for speed, not looks, also means that they do not suffer from the breeding problems that popular pedigrees often have. Also, they are not all big dogs - some can be not much bigger than a whippet. As with any dog, there will be individual characteristics, and the advantage of going for a retired dog is that those characteristics will be known to the owner and trainer.

Good luck in your search for a suitable dog, Tess.

I used to work in a pet shop.... Greyhounds have some dietary requirements (can't remember exactly what now...) that you may want to look into before committing.

Labs and retrievers are lovely animals but are quite large and need lots of exercise.

My grandmother has always had shelties (shetland collies) and they have always been very good-natured. They are long, rough-haired though, and need brushing.

King Charlies are usually good fun and tolerant, but do need lots of exercise.

Good family dogs we met (though we probably shouldn't stereotype entire breeds) included dalmations and boxers (though quite large), corgis and westies (quite small), beagles and poodles. Labradoodles are indeed an excellent choice for those with allergies.

A friend just had a westie from the RSPCA. They recommended it for her, as she has a small house, and not much time for long walks. His temperament is lovely, and adores my children.
Good Luck
Beverley.

I would look at rescue dogs too. We have a lovely staffy cross and he loves kids. He is so gentle that he once let a tiny child take him for a walk attached by a lead that she had made from sewing cotton! An older dog should be house trained and may have learnt to sit and to come when called. I would look for a smaller cross breed.

Rescue animals are a great idea - our two cats are rescued - but it is important you get a good history. Where they have lived, with children or not, any 'unfortunate events'. The last thing you want is a dog that reacts badly to kids because of some unknown trauma in the past.

Before you consider a Lab can i suggest you read 'Marley and Me' by John Grogan - Just to see what the worst that could happen is.

I don't really have any experiance with any of the dogs mentioned. We've always had rottweilers, which i think might be a little too big. If you do get a rescue dog though, don't automatically dismiss any that might seem a little sharp to begin with. I know you want a safe dog for children, but if you would just be willing to put in a few hours before letting them near the kids then it might work out. When we first got our dog she was a vicious 7st steamroller of a rottie, but it was only because she had never been loved and was trying to protect herself (she was 4 months and had already had 5 homes when we got her), but once she realised that we we're going to hurt her or pass her on again she soon changed, and now we couldn't wish for a more loving dog. My 2 year old cousin plays with her quite safely.