Recently my husband stated that our son will be getting a dog on his third birthday (this year). He wants to get an Australian Sheppard. Personally, I want to wait another year or two at least before we condsider getting a dog (I hope I will have a say in this matter!). We have 2 cats at the moment, which our son just recently started to take an interest in. I'd like advice/shared experience on when folks got their first family dog -how old was the child/children, and what kind. How are Australian Sheppards? thanks

Here is an alternative way to get a perfect dog: We had an old German Shepherd when our kids were little, and remained dog-less for two years after she died. When our youngest was almost five, we adopted a "career change" dog (a black Lab) from Guide Dogs for the Blind -- i.e., a dog who flunked out of training. This was one of our family's all-time great decisions. We adore this dog! He was bred for an even temperament, and although he flunked out, he is superbly trained. (He even heels for our five-year-old!) Guide Dogs requires adopters to have a fenced-in yard (they check) and generally prefers to place dogs with families with children over 6. (I think they gave us the benefit of the doubt because we are experienced dog people and our little one had had a dog (albeit one more like a throw rug) before.) There is often a long (several year) wait for one of their dogs. If you have a fenced-in yard and would like the best dog you'll even have, I would recommend submitting an application now; they probably will call you about the time your child is old enough to be reasonable with a dog. If you have questions, feel free to call me about how to apply to Guide Dogs. Leslie

You may wish to get a pet who is a bit mellower, such as a golden retriever. Be prepared to take your dog to obedience school immediately, especially to train him or her to get used to ear- and tail-pulling--which toddlers love to do to dogs. Be sure to have a place where the dog can go to get away from your toddler (such as a crate or an off-limits room), but otherwise, you'll want to be able to have your pet in the same areas as the rest of the family.

A dog needs a lot more attention than a cat does. So you and your husband should really ask yourselves if you're prepared to spend the time giving the dog the love and care he or she needs while you're raising a child. Plus, you're going to want to spend time conditioning the cats to the dog and vice-versa. (You may want to start with a puppy, to make life easier for your cats; a full-grown dog who has not been raised with cats will probably chase them. On the other hand, puppies are very demanding.) I love dogs and have had them since I was 8, but they can be overwhelming, so unless you're willing to give it a lot of effort, you may want to talk your husband out of this for a while. Gwynne

As a child myself, we always had various dogs, although they were really my mother's. I had and trained a puppy myself when I was eleven and, again, it was a trully wonderful experience. I loved all the other dogs, too, of course, just they weren't mine. My husband's experience was that he was given a dog when he was ten, in the teeth of his mother's objections (to fur, I think), and she broke his heart getting rid of it within six months. It sounded like a painful and unnecessary situation to me. Overall, getting a dog is a family thing - not something one member of the family should foist on the others without consultation. If your husband wants a dog - is he really going to look after it? Fiona

We decided to wait until our youngest was at least 4...and as it turned out, we didn't find the right dog until she was five and her older sister was 8. I'm glad we waited. A child under the age of 5 just doesn't get safety rules and should never be left unsupervised with a pet. My five year old occasionally slips up and sticks her face in front of the dog's, for example. (We got a book called "How to Talk to Your Dog" by J.C. George which really made sense to her.) A three year old will probably want to poke and pull at the dog in inappropriate ways. You'll need to think about whether you and your husband are willing to always supervise the dog and your child. An older child can participate in obedience classes and help take real responsibility for the dog (my girls feed her, give her water, take her out.) Best of luck in your decision and your search. Natasha

My friend has a wonderful Australian Shepherd, but since both my daughter and I have been "corrected" by an attempted nip from this dog, I asked my friend what she thought of an Australian Shepherd living with a three year old. My (anonymous) friend's response follows:

"I have an Australian Shepherd who I adore; however, I would not recommend the breed for families with young children. My dog views youngsters as being the equivalent of sheep in need of herding. That means she may dart at children and nip or pretend to nip them. Not surprisingly, this can be alarming to both the child and parent. These are extremely smart work dogs and that means that they can easily get bored. They need a lot of attention and if you have a three year old, you may not be able to give them the attention they need. If your husband really wants an Australian Shepherd (which I can easily understand), I'd wait until your child is at least eight." Martha

My nephew, aged 3 and a half, is begging my sister for a puppy. He says he will take care of it. both she and I think he's too young now, but what is the right age (knowing that no child is ever going to do ALL of the caretaking). fyi, he is one of twins (the other is a girl). and, maybe I should also mention, he is Deaf (we have heard about "hearing dogs" and are interested in this too).