One of the characteristics about a Dandie Dinmont Terrier is its patience with children. Its gentle nature makes it a perfect house pet for homes where there are children. That doesn't mean that each individual dog possesses the same gentle qualities, but the trait is common to most of the Dandies. Unfortunately, some Dandies do not survive well in the company of small children, but if you purchase your dog as a puppy, you shouldn't have any trouble teaching him to be patient with the children. At the same time, you want to teach your children how to act around the dog in order to make sure that everyone gets along. It may sound ludicrous to say that the children need to learn to get along with the dog, but in the real world, it is part of teaching children how to behave.

Teaching your children and dog how to get along, even for a Dandie that is less than friendly with children, isn't a very difficult job if you exercise consistency. Of course, it is always easier with older children who are more understanding of the temperament of a dog, but it is certainly not impossible to teach small children how to treat the dog and when to leave him alone. It's easier to teach your children how to behave around dogs when you have a dog that has as much patience with children as a Dandie. Even those that don't have as much patience as others certainly have more than some of the other breeds. There are certainly some breeds that will allow a small child to pull its tail and just sit there, but there are others who will snap at the mere sight of a child coming into the area where he is.

Children and dogs tend to go together like bread and butter or toast and jam, you just can't have one without the other. There are few families with children that don't have a dog, and those that don't is usually because someone is allergic to dogs or they rent a home where dogs are not permitted. Of course, it is unlikely that someone who owns a Dandie lives in an apartment because they are not dogs for those with limited financial means, and most people who have the financial means live in a house. This is not to say a Dandie can't live in an apartment because they are perfect pets for that environment. Because they take up little room, even children and dogs can live together in harmony without steeping on one another.

Even if you don't have children, you may have guests who come to visit with children, so it's important to have a dog that is patient with these little visitors. The Dandie is gentle enough and patient enough to make exceptions for small visitors, but it's important to remember that children can sometimes get rough. Make sure your small visitors do not attempt to do things to hurt your dog or he may lose his patience as is normal for any animal.