Are you looking at a big dog or like a lap dog? From experience in currently owning a Maltese shitzhu and a husky I'd say go a bigger dog, they're just all round better

I've had bull terriers in the past, they are a lovely dog, very loving and well family orientated

Anyways hope you find a good one at the pound, make sure to look into family history for abuse/neglect, never know when they might snap from a memory of bad owners, you don't want your kid in the way when it goes down

Ohh and yes +1 for harness around the chest, I have my husky in a harness when we walk, mainly because he has such strong pulling power, but I find it easy to control him with it on