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Yes, with the supervision every breed deserves: the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)'s record with children reads Better with older children. The breed's wider record helps too: with other dogs, With early socialization; with strangers, Friendly with strangers.
With energy at 3 out of 5, neither couch dog nor athlete, the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) fits owners whose routine already holds an hour or so outdoors. Temperament is the deeper reason for the rating: an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) built Bold, scrappy, cheerful and full of self belief reads household chaos differently from a nervous breed.
The growth record behind the breed: an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) puppy weighs 8 weeks at about 1 to 2 lb, 6 months at about 4 to 6 lb, 9 months at about 6 to 7 lb, on the way to 7.0 to 9.0 lb fully grown at 10 to 12 inches. The breed belongs to the Terrier group and its home ground is England.
A English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) that is included, exercised and allowed to retreat becomes the dog its Better with older children rating describes, and the centre of family memory for years.
For scale: the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) stands 10 to 12 inches and weighs 7.0 to 9.0 lb, counts as a senior from about 10 years, and needs 20 to 45 minutes of exercise daily. Keep those numbers in mind and the rest of the page falls into place.
Owners describe a treasure of the old English terrier family: the Manchester in miniature, elegant, loyal and increasingly rare. Expect a devoted, bright shadow with a ratter's sparkle. The supervision rules are unglamorous and non negotiable with an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan): no sitting on the dog, no disturbing it asleep or eating, an adult's eyes on toddlers.
Photographs lie about this pairing both ways; the real evidence is an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) choosing the children's company on ordinary afternoons, free to leave it.
The social picture around an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) is completed by its barking score of 4/5: the household hears arrivals announced at that level. At 4 out of 5 for barking, plan early training to a quiet cue; the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) notices everything and believes the household should know.
Holidays stress test the pairing annually, and an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) whose exercise of 20 to 45 minutes travels with it holidays as calmly as it lives.
Children old enough to follow handling rules, usually school age and up, get the best of a breed rated Better with older children. At 7.0 to 9.0 lb the practical question cuts both ways: small children can hurt a small English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan), and a big one can bowl a small child over without malice.
The rating here is Better with older children, and it describes the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) with children generally. Babies and toddlers add unpredictability: sudden grabs, falls onto the dog and high pitched noise. Even the gentlest English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) deserves supervision and a child free retreat at that age.
In herding and mouthy breeds it is common young behaviour, and it is managed, not punished: redirect onto toys, reward calm around running children and supervise until the habit fades. If it escalates or frightens the children, a behaviourist should see the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) promptly.
The English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) in detail: the facts and the honest verdict behind this owner question.
Two breeds, one decision: the honest differences that matter day to day.
Families ask because the answer matters: the Kooikerhondje is rated Good with children, and the detail below earns that rating out.
Last updated: November 4, 2026