To get a puppy or not get a puppy, that is the question.

[Chile Pepper]

The thing is, even buying a dog with certified bloodlines, being vetted out by the breeder (signing a contract etc) and all that, doesn't guarantee a perfectly healthy dog, or the temperament.

We got a golden when my son asked for that breed specifically. She's a wonderful dog in a lot of ways, but she is very aggressive with the rest of the pack (three other dogs) and somewhat aggressive with the kids. Her personality is totally golden, but she's an alpha golden. You just never know what you are going to get, even from a reputable breeder.

I would also recommend an adult dog. A puppy will be very rambunctious until it's at least two years old, and I wouldn't want to deal with that with a toddler. A young dog will play roughly, and your kid's face will be right at dog level.

[Chile Pepper]

In a dog pack, there has to be an Alpha. If the human doesn't take that role, the dog will.

Thanks, but don't worry. We are quite competent at managing our dogs. My point was not that I couldn't control my dog (I can), but that there is variation of temperament within breeds. Even the nicest breeds can have undesirable characteristics.