We are looking for a family dog. We have a blue heeler that is an outside dog, and he is almost 8 and not really into playing with children any longer.

We are looking to get a small dog that will stay inside. I am a stay at home mom so the dog will not be left home alone regularly.

I am looking for the following:
-small breed (of course not toy)
-prefer non yappy
-non hyper/jumpy
-low shedding
-great with young children
-intelligent/easy to train

Considering:

Mini Schnauzer (health problems?/ Bark a lot?),

Corgi(may be better w/older children?, shed a lot?),

Westie (hyper/jumpy?),

Beagle Mix (puggle-but may have breathing problems?)

Any other suggestions or ideas?

Thanks-

How many children and what ages?
Do you have a fenced yard or will rely on daily walks?
Any family activities the dog will be included in?
What about grooming requirements? Are you wanting a wash n go type dog or are you willing to make monthly groomer visits?

my dog is a little dog hes 17 pounds but hes a mixed he loves kids and playing but some people might get mad if i say to get one. so id say a boston terrier or a pug or like a bull dog there kinda lazy but i think there soo nice. i also no a good small family dog is a beagle they are so nice. my best friend just got a shiba inu. she looks like a little fox. good luck finding a baby.

A mini schnauzer may be good if you socialize them when they're puppies. I think they are prone to allergies and hip dysplasia. But they are lovely playful and loyal dogs and will guard. They were originally to kill vermin but also to guard children during the war. I read a story about a couple with 2 mini schnauzers and when the wife got pregnant, she was worried how the dogs would deal with the new baby. The first night the baby was at home, one of the dogs slept underneath the baby's crib and the other guarded the bedroom door. When they had their second child, they did the same thing. So get them used to poking and pulling by poking and pulling and offering a treat so they associate a good thing with stuff kids may do with a dog. I would love a mini so I'm biased but you may also want to consider a bichon frise which are very playful and they love kids and are not aggressive. They are sturdy dogs even though they may look delicate and are not yappy. Once you've decided on a breed, look for a good breeder whose focus is on the health and maintaining the standard of the breed. THat way you can be more sure of the traits and health of your new puppy as opposed to getting one from a pet store or backyard breeder. Bull dogs are wonderful with kids; they look mean but they are the gentle giants! I'm not sure about health problems though; they are prone to cherry eye and they can't handle the heat. They also snore because of their short nose but for me, I would think that's cute (not for a guy though!).

If you have a toddler, I wouldn't recommend a corgi, and the rescue group and the breeder I went to for my corgis wouldn't adopt a corgi to a family with young children. I think they are wonderful dogs, and they are very intelligent and can be well trained, but even then I wouldn't trust them unsupervised. They are just too nippy and a group of active toddlers are irresistible herding material. I'm not sure off the other breeds, but generally I think most small dogs don't get along well with small children. Your best bet would be looking for 1-2year old dogs who has had experience with children.

I would think a aussie would be good,
I have 4 kids ranging from 14 months to 6 years and my aussie is great with them,
I did a lot of research on the best dog for kids and a aussie is it.
medium size and a female even smaller.

I have one with showlines & they are the best!!

How old are your children, and how many do you have? You said an indoor dog, or I would have said a Golden Retriever, maybe an English Springer Spaniel. They both need to get out and run, but very gentle with children.
Depending how old the children are, there are lots of breeds to consider.

Personally as a groomer, I would stay away from most terriers. They can be stubern, hard to train and nippy. Bichons are a wonderful choice. they due have there share as most breeds due of health problems, so You would want to screen breeders really well. Most of what I have seen is allergies to alot of different things, of corse differnt dogs, not all one. Aussies are great, I breed and raise mini aussies. I couldn't see my life without them. The due tend to shed alot, and can nip a young childerns heals (herding instict). It is however easily broken. they are very smart and easily trained, but extremly active. You might want to try the shelter for a young mix. Most of the time you can find a great dog that will fit into the family. Good luck, and if you have any questions about Aussies, feel free to email me.

I've had very positive experiences with the Shih Tzu. One of the biggest concerns with them is that they require daily grooming. The ones I have had experience with didn't shed and they were very social with children.