Is Rough Collie a good choice for a family with a 3years old and 9 years old kids?

As long as the family is commited to owning a dog, a rough collie is not any worse of a choice than many other breeds, and as puppies, they can be relatively calm. However, like any other breed, they do need training and exercise, as well as a pretty significant amount of grooming. 

I hear all the time, herding dogs are generally not good for little kids, but I know a person whose family aways has a collie and they are always recommending collies to everyone.  IMO, it's all in how you raise the pup and teach the kids to respect the dog.

Rough Collies need a lot of grooming and they are very active. I would suggest a Smooth Collie instead of a rough one.

We had a collie when I was little. The only issue with her was that if there were more than 3-4 kids in the yard she'd try to herd us together. An ankle nip was funny at the time - now it might get you sued.

Do GSDs herd the kids too? I wonder if herding dogs are not the best choice what med/larg breed you suggest for kids?
Thanks
Benign

IMO, it's really difficult to make good predictions/recommendations just based on breed or group.  For every person that says "This breed is not good with kids", you'll likely find a dozen families whose dog has always been fine with kids. 

To me, people's expecations and commitment to training, exercise, and socialization are better indicators of whether or not a particular dog will fit with a particular family. 

For example,  I know of a family that had two little girls and a baby and they had a GSD that was just fine.  They exercised the dog, trained it really well, took it along to weekends at the cottage, etc.  The fact that the dog was a GSD and that they had very little kids was never an issue for them because they recognized the dog's needs and also made training and socialization with the children a priority.  I know another family who did not properly train their GSD, did not provide it with enough stimulation and exercise, and the dog became frustrated, biting strangers who didn't know it was aggressive.  They thought that feeding the dog and letting it out to potty would be enough and it wasn't.

ORIGINAL: benign

I wonder if a Rough Collie puppy is a suitable choise for a family with two young kids? (A 3 years old and a 9 years old). The choices were GSD, Standard Schnauzer and Rough Collie. I thought maybe Rough Collie could be the mellowest of them all. Is it right?

A well bred Rough Collie is generally very good with children. Although they are a herding breed, they are generally pretty calm and don't require an enormous amount of activity once they mature. Like any dog though they can be pretty active as puppies. Of the three breeds you mentioned, the collie is the one I would pick for a family with young children. Schnauzers are nice lively dogs, but they have more of a terrier's "feisty" attitude toward life, and tend to be a bit more snappy. GSD's require a lot of activity to keep their minds occupied, require more intensive socialization, and can become overly protective pretty easily.

Although rough collies don't need to be constantly doing a job the way a border collie does, they do need steady companionship. They are very people oriented, and if left alone with nothing to do for long periods of time they bark. And bark. And bark. Loudly and piercingly. So, if you have neighbors within earshot, be prepared to keep your collie indoors anytime you aren't home. If you do get a collie make sure his eyes have been checked by a veterinary ophthamologist (not just a regular general practice vet). Also get a written guarantee against dermatomysitis (a skin and muscle problem), and a written guarantee that none of the puppies parents or grand parents have ever had a seizure.

Oh, and if you don't want to brush out a long coat once a week for the next 13 years, consider a smooth coated collie - same temperament, but with a coat more like a GSD. They still shed like crazy about twice per year, but their coat is tangle free and drip dry.

ORIGINAL: buster the show dog

ORIGINAL: benign

I wonder if a Rough Collie puppy is a suitable choise for a family with two young kids? (A 3 years old and a 9 years old). The choices were GSD, Standard Schnauzer and Rough Collie. I thought maybe Rough Collie could be the mellowest of them all. Is it right?

A well bred Rough Collie is generally very good with children. Although they are a herding breed, they are generally pretty calm and don't require an enormous amount of activity once they mature. Like any dog though they can be pretty active as puppies. Of the three breeds you mentioned, the collie is the one I would pick for a family with young children. Schnauzers are nice lively dogs, but they have more of a terrier's "feisty" attitude toward life, and tend to be a bit more snappy. GSD's require a lot of activity to keep their minds occupied, require more intensive socialization, and can become overly protective pretty easily.

Although rough collies don't need to be constantly doing a job the way a border collie does, they do need steady companionship. They are very people oriented, and if left alone with nothing to do for long periods of time they bark. And bark. And bark. Loudly and piercingly. So, if you have neighbors within earshot, be prepared to keep your collie indoors anytime you aren't home. If you do get a collie make sure his eyes have been checked by a veterinary ophthamologist (not just a regular general practice vet). Also get a written guarantee against dermatomysitis (a skin and muscle problem), and a written guarantee that none of the puppies parents or grand parents have ever had a seizure.

Oh, and if you don't want to brush out a long coat once a week for the next 13 years, consider a smooth coated collie - same temperament, but with a coat more like a GSD. They still shed like crazy about twice per year, but their coat is tangle free and drip dry.

 
WOW. Thanks for the great reply. Surely between them I will go for collie. The only remained concern is:
Between Collie and Golden Retriever which one will be better with kids. I know Goldens are not best watch dogs but my first concern is kids relationship with the dog. I heard that Collies may nip the babies when they are puppy that's why I did a little more search. How serious is this nipping and does it break the skin? Does it make the babies uncomfortable? I am ready to train the puppy but when they are too young they may influence on the kids badly even before I train the puppy.
While I heard that Goldens have very soft mouth and don't bit kids and love to play with water. (Summer is coming and the kids and a puppy in the water will a great fun for all.) I will be dedicated to the training, mind stimulation and all the exercise sessions.
Please help me
Thanks
Benign

Of the dogs you mentioned, the Rough Collie would be my choice, too.  They tend to be milder with kids than some of the other herders.  In my opinion, the GSD is not a dog for everyone, and not for a first time owner, nor is the Giant Schnaauzer, which can be a tough dog for someone with little training experience and can get testy with the constant attention of children.  GSD's need extensive socialization and training to be ok with kids, and, especially, with kids's friends who might come over.  Unfortunately, they have been severely overbred, and it's hard to find the original stable working temperament.
Whatever breed you opt for, do find a reputable breeder, however.  If you want, I can direct you to someone on another board that is active with Smooth Collies, and can probably help you find either a rough or a smooth breeder.  Just PM.
One of the easier dogs for first timers, and with kids is the Leonberger.  Also a large breed dog, and not in the herding group.  Or, the Portuguese Water Dog - and, nice for mom, no shedding to speak of, but does need regular grooming.
No child under 10 should be left alone in the company of any dog, no matter how nice the dog is.

I would not get a herding dog with little kids.  It might nip at the kids to herd them, and that could be scary for a young child who doesn't understand.  Regardless of what you get, make sure you socialize it properly and teach the kids how to properly interact with a dog.  I don't think any of the three breeds you listed would be the optimal choice for young kids, but could be accomplished with good training. 
 
I vote Golden Retriever.  Nothing beats a golden's personality, they are fantastic with kids.  You would just have to be sure to get it from a responsible breeder because their popularity is their downfall.  Poorly bred Goldens with poor temperments are becoming a problem.

ORIGINAL: benign

Between Collie and Golden Retriever which one will be better with kids. I know Goldens are not best watch dogs but my first concern is kids relationship with the dog. I heard that Collies may nip the babies when they are puppy that's why I did a little more search. How serious is this nipping and does it break the skin? Does it make the babies uncomfortable? I am ready to train the puppy but when they are too young they may influence on the kids badly even before I train the puppy.
While I heard that Goldens have very soft mouth and don't bit kids and love to play with water. (Summer is coming and the kids and a puppy in the water will a great fun for all.) I will be dedicated to the training, mind stimulation and all the exercise sessions.

Well-bred goldens also make terrific family dogs. But, because they are so popular, there is a greater chance of running across poorly bred ones as well. With either breed, you need to investigate breeders carefully. With goldens it is absolutely essential that both parents have had hip x-rays certified as good or better by OFA. Accept no excuses. I wish more collie breeders would also check hips through OFA, but honestly, depsite lots of experience with collies I've never met one with bad hips. Goldens also tend to be more prone to cancer than collies, although of course that can show up in any breed.
As for the nipping thing... Yes collie puppies can sometimes be nippy. That's not because they are a herding breed. It's because they are puppies. Goldens can be nippy too, it's just that when a non-herding breed does it they call it mouthiness, and recognize that it is normal puppy behavior. For some reason people insist on attributing any use of the mouth by a herding breed as herding behavior instead. Erm. Sorry. I'll get off my soapbox now. It's just that I see nippy/mouthy puppies in my training classes all the time, and it drives me a little crazy that the border collie/aussie/sheltie/cattle dog/GSD owners all think that it is somehow special to their breed and don't seem to notice that the weim and the westie and the pomeranian and the beagle puppy are happily chewing on ankles too. Ok. Now I'm really off my soapbox. I promise. Golden adults do have a softer mouth than collies adults, but well-bred individuals of either breed shouldn't be nippy as adults anyway. As puppies, those little baby teeth are sharp regardless of the breed. For any breed, you'll have to teach the puppy that kongs and bones are good to chew on, people are not.
Goldens generally do love water, and collies generally hate it, although there are exceptions both ways. So, if you want a dog that will splash around with the kids a golden would be a better choice.

In my opinion, the big difference between a golden and a collie is that collies are more sensitive. Goldens tend to be happy-go-lucky big ol' lugs that just always see the world through rose (or gold) colored glasses. Collies, like most herding dogs, seem to pick up on moods more. Some people really like this "intuitiveness", but the down side is that it is easier to hurt a collie's feelings and make him more suspicious/cautious. If you over-react to something a collie did, he is more likely to take it personally. You can scold a golden and three seconds later he's back wagging his tail dropping a tennis ball at your feet because he just can't believe you would really be mad at him. That's not to say that goldens can take a lot of harsh treatment, but they just are the eternal optimists of the world. Collies tend to worry more. Again, neither temperament is good or bad, it just depends on your personal preference.