I have an autistic child and need advice on choosing a dog

Hi i am Andrea
I need some advice,we have 3 kids and 2 cats.Our middle child has autism.He loves dogs and we would love to get a family dog prob next yr when our toddler is a bit older.
we need an extremly patient breed that doesn't mind a little boy getting in their 'space' as he likes to cuddle a lot!!
I have obviously considered labs and goldies but wondered if there were any other breeds we hadn't thought of.
btw we have a small courtyard but live a minute from the beach where a dog would have their walks,also i dont work so it wouldn't be alone
Thanks

maybe consider a staffie or st bernard as both are known for their excellent temperaments with children , st bernard may be a little too big for most families

Owning a Staffie who has been around for the birth of my two children I would say they are incredibly great dogs to have around children. They are loyal protective, hardy so can take a bit if prodding and poking and love rough and tumble. They also are happy with a sunny patch to sunbathe so don't need huge amounts of garden space.
They are quite an easy breed to maintain don't need much grooming etc.
They have a very undeserved reputation and are renowned nanny dogs. My dog is dog aggressive but absolutely adores the kids from the moment they arrived.


I suppose it depends on what you want from a dog too, are you thinking about a pup or rescue?
Obviously if you do go along the Staffie route please consider Stafford breed rescue as they are probably the most overbred dog so there are thousands in rescue everywhere. If you are thinking puppy, ensure that all health tests have been done, see the parents and do your research

i would consider any other dog but a staffy i am afraid.its the only dog that i am wary of no matter what anyone says.

never understood this train of thought , anyway , st bernard ?
wouldn`t go for anything too small like a king charles cavalier which is a breed i would normally suggest , also , what about a retired greyhound , most do extremely well with children and are extremely placid dogs , you may be lucky and find one that is cat savvy

Can I suggest you contact Autism Assistance Dogs http://www.support-dogs.org.uk/AADogs.htm and talk it over with them.

Staffies are wonderful with people - but sadly partly because of poor breeding and bad owners, quite a lot are dog aggressive it seems.

If you're looking for a very calm dog, maybe a Rough Collie?

Labradors are incredibly affectionate, usually, but can be very hard work when younger. How about a slightly older Lab, or Golden Retriever, from a rescue...?

certainly dont understand that train of thought either, but hey ho! Staffies are one of the few breeds as recommended by the kennel club for being with children and use the words "With the human race, he is kindness itself, and his genuine love of children is well known." "Highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children." "totally reliable"
I wouldnt count them out of the picture so quickly. They are incredibly tolerant of children being in "their space". Although you should never leave a dog unsupervised with a child, and you need to be careful with getting in a dogs space, because they do need their own time and space also.
There are of course certain breeds of dogs that are more tolerant of children than others, just because of what they have been bred to do, etc - some are more boisterous and lively and might not be suited to a young child.
It would probably be better too for you to get an older dog - one that has been through the adolescent stage. being at home you would probably do well with a rescue dog....It would be worth visiting a local rescue to see what sorts of dogs they have that would be best suited to your lifestyle and home environment. Maybe even a loveable old mutt/heinz 57 would be good for you.
I have to say though when kids are involved the first dog I think of is staffies.

I agree that Staffies are usually fabulous with people/children.

Guess my reservation would be that as they can tend towards dog v dog aggression, might not be perfect for the original poster, especially if she and her children wanted to take it to the park etc......

As a staffy owner its something that you should always be aware of - definitely. I think you would be irresponsible if you weren't aware that some staffies can develop DA tendencies...Generally though something has happened to cause that - i.e another dog attack. And generally speaking (although the newspapers would have you believe otherwise) they arent normally the fight starters, but they are retaliators to aggression displayed to them. Mine started to get a bit funny with other dogs after being attacked a couple of times by offlead dogs, but with gentle socialisation and positive experiences he is back to his normal self. The most important thing is good animal socialisation with staffies, but mine lives with a tiny kitten sized cat and dotes on her, so ownership and training has alot to do with it too. Staffies have more of a tendency for it because of what they have been historically bred for, but it doesnt mean that they will be DA. Mine is walked off lead in parks, beaches, woods, etc because he is fine with others, so it really depends on the individual dog.
I think all dogs will come with some form of reservation...I dont think there is a dog that ticks every single box 100% of the time, but I think going down the rescue route you can meet dogs that have lived in similar situations previously, lived with other dogs, good with other dogs, etc. Thats why perhaps maybe a mutt is best you dont get so much the "typical" tendencies of a single breed