Choice Of Breed For A Six Year Old

[Zug Zug]

Maybe Dad is hoping for an edge back into the family and by giving a dog which clearly will require him to assist in the training gives him the opening to spend more time back with the family. All wrong reasons still.

I wish this were the reason, because it would mean he was planning to take some responsibility for the dog.

But I can't help thinking that if this were the case, he would be taking his son and the puppy to puppy classes, instead of my sister stepping in to do it.

[jacqui835]

Wow I'm guessing I must be really wrong about this breed, but I actually thought it was quite a good one with children. I've always heard them to be described as gentle giants and the ones I've seen have conformed to this image. I have seen a couple of mastiffs and rotties raised by young children (of course with the parents supervising and assisting but with the child really fulfilling the role of main caregiver) and it's been a beautiful partnership. My cousins were virtually raised by a rottie, it walked them to school each day when the little girl was only slightly taller, but the parents did teach them how to be firm and assertive. Unless the parents/adults plan on having absolutely nothing to do with the dog, well I would imagine it could work out quite well.

I guess I don't know the full story here, but to be honest, I would be freaking out more if the child was going to be trying to raise a really high energy, intelligent breed rather than one bred to basically lie around and guard his territory...

[Henrietta]

Wow I'm guessing I must be really wrong about this breed, but I actually thought it was quite a good one with children. I've always heard them to be described as gentle giants and the ones I've seen have conformed to this image. I have seen a couple of mastiffs and rotties raised by young children (of course with the parents supervising and assisting but with the child really fulfilling the role of main caregiver) and it's been a beautiful partnership. My cousins were virtually raised by a rottie, it walked them to school each day when the little girl was only slightly taller, but the parents did teach them how to be firm and assertive. Unless the parents/adults plan on having absolutely nothing to do with the dog, well I would imagine it could work out quite well.

I guess I don't know the full story here, but to be honest, I would be freaking out more if the child was going to be trying to raise a really high energy, intelligent breed rather than one bred to basically lie around and guard his territory...

I do not think that people are saying BM + 6 year olds = disaster. It's the combination of this, plus the mother has been saddled with this responsibility and was not consulted and, by all accounts, not interested. Father will not be there to take much responsibility - yet he chose the breed. They do not sound dog saavy - choice of breed under the circumstances plus father was hoping that the 6 year old could take the dog to dog training.

Hell, I hope they take the dog to training, but I hope the whole family is on board. Six year olds should not be the main care provider for any dog.

Do I think a BM could work with a six year old? Yes. But the main adult caregiver would have to really, really want the dog and really do their research. It couldn't just be a dog 'for the kids', that gets left out in the yard 24/7 and should just magically behave without being taught what is appropriate behaviour. Not that I think any type of dog should be bought under these circumstances.

Edit to add something

Edited April 3, 2011 by Henrietta

[TsarsMum]

first thing came to my head is

dad buys puppy dads the best

mum takes puppy back mummys the bad guy.

dad wins the power trip and mum looks horrible and mean.

if they dont want it give it back to the dad say we cant have a dog here you got it, it stays at your house or take it back from where you got it.

[aussielover]

I think BMs are actually excelent family dogs when raised by responsible, knowledgable people.

But no dog can be raised, solely by a 6 year old.

[sas]

I hope it gets returned whilst its still cute.

[Dogsrawesome]

maybe print out these pages or show the mother what everyone has wrote and then let her decide?

[Kaffy Magee]

Jacqui, this breed are great with children but I would never allow a child to raise a bullmastiff. A child by no means has the ability to show authority over a bullmastiff, they have no physical strength to control the dog or make the dog do as they ask, they have no verbal strength for the dog to obey commands and they do not have the mental strength to understand the way a bullmastiff thinks and they would have very littel consistency I think. A bullmastiff would walk all over a child, and what would the child do about it? Nothing because they cant and a bullmastiff knows that. It will only end in disaster. As a young puppy and we all know what young puppies can be like, hyped, unpredictable, minimal attention span , by the time it is 6 months old, it will weigh more than the child and will learn that unless something is enforced it does not need to obey and I as an adult know how hard it can be to get a bullmastiff to obey. Things could be different if the mother actually trained the dog and was the "pack leader" and the dog was taught well and to obey human commands but to put a child in charge of training such a breed is sheer stupidity. The mother needs to return the puppy otherwise this will only end in tears. Is the puppy a male or female?

[Leelaa17]

bullmastiffs are actually quite lazy dogs. (from my experience). they aren't like boxers who have so much energy...

of course I don't agree with a 6 year old being the 'master' or 'pack leader' because I just don't think hes old enough yet...

but if the mother was willing to give the dog a go and help with the training etc I think it could easily work.

[jacqui835]

Wow I'm guessing I must be really wrong about this breed, but I actually thought it was quite a good one with children. I've always heard them to be described as gentle giants and the ones I've seen have conformed to this image. I have seen a couple of mastiffs and rotties raised by young children (of course with the parents supervising and assisting but with the child really fulfilling the role of main caregiver) and it's been a beautiful partnership. My cousins were virtually raised by a rottie, it walked them to school each day when the little girl was only slightly taller, but the parents did teach them how to be firm and assertive. Unless the parents/adults plan on having absolutely nothing to do with the dog, well I would imagine it could work out quite well.

I guess I don't know the full story here, but to be honest, I would be freaking out more if the child was going to be trying to raise a really high energy, intelligent breed rather than one bred to basically lie around and guard his territory...

I do not think that people are saying BM + 6 year olds = disaster. It's the combination of this, plus the mother has been saddled with this responsibility and was not consulted and, by all accounts, not interested. Father will not be there to take much responsibility - yet he chose the breed. They do not sound dog saavy - choice of breed under the circumstances plus father was hoping that the 6 year old could take the dog to dog training.

Hell, I hope they take the dog to training, but I hope the whole family is on board. Six year olds should not be the main care provider for any dog.

Do I think a BM could work with a six year old? Yes. But the main adult caregiver would have to really, really want the dog and really do their research. It couldn't just be a dog 'for the kids', that gets left out in the yard 24/7 and should just magically behave without being taught what is appropriate behaviour. Not that I think any type of dog should be bought under these circumstances.

Edit to add something

Oh thanks, that makes sense then. The families I knew with these breeds were very passionate about the breed and yeah, at least one adult was desperate for the dog (and the other quickly came around lol).

I should have read it more carefully to begin with...

[SpotTheDog]

I do think a BM could be a very sweet companion for a 6 year old boy, but only if the mother steps up and controls the dog, trains it, feeds it, commits to vet care, so on, so forth.

However if she doesn't want the dog this is definitely a disaster.

Look at the first absolute basic with a bull mastiff - that's an awful lot of dogsh*t to have to pick up out of your yard so your six year old doesn't step in it, especially for a woman who didn't want the dog in the first place...

[Maddy]

I wouldn't allow a child the responsibility of managing my doddery, elderly greyhound, let alone a large (and growing) dog with a far harder temperament and much greater physical strength.

I'm all for encouraging children to learn how to safely interact with dogs (and "safely" involves parental supervision, at all times) but a child that young simply isn't going to have the skills required to correctly train a dog.

If I were the parent of a child who wanted a dog, I'd be making them do a few years worth of homework relating to dog ownership, training and behaviour first. At least that way, if you then choose to buy them a pet once they're old enough for the responsibility, they already know what's involved in caring for the animal.

[Lindainfa]

Absolutely ridiculous! Couldn't he have gotten the son a guinea pig or something??!!

[persephone]

I feel sorry for the kid's Mum .. she doesn't really want a dog , but gets one which is going to GROW ,and GROW

[Dogsrawesome]

Absolutely ridiculous! Couldn't he have gotten the son a guinea pig or something??!!

Even a cat would have been a lot easier and cheaper to look after then a BM

[Bluefairy]

My advice would be to:

Rehome the BM, I'm thinking its from a BYB, at least return it to the last owner.

Rehome the dad back to the breeder....or some dark remote corner of the world.

Get mum to take the kid to the pound/ Shelter and pick a dog of his choice in the smaller breeds section.

BF

[Dogsrawesome]

My advice would be to:

Rehome the BM, I'm thinking its from a BYB, at least return it to the last owner.

Rehome the dad back to the breeder....or some dark remote corner of the world.

Get mum to take the kid to the pound/ Shelter and pick a dog of his choice in the smaller breeds section.

BF

Good idea atleast it will be an adult and they will have some idea in what they are getting into.

[Zug Zug]

Sigh - I've tried talking to my sister about getting them to rehome the dog while it's still a puppy, but she said they don't feel they have any choice.

The mother definitely doesn't want the dog, has never had a dog before, doesn't really like dogs, but feels she has no choice and needs to let her son keep the puppy because his Dad gave it to him.

It turns out the Dad had actually told the Mum a few months ago that he was wanting to buy his son a puppy, and she has been trying to talk him out of it for that whole time. In the end he just showed up to the birthday party with a puppy and a ribbon around it's neck.

She is quite a submissive person, and won't stand up to him.

I just think this is a disaster waiting to happen.

It's a boy puppy, and he is already sleeping on the 6 year old's bed. The mother has already said 'if he bites my son I'm putting him down'.

I'm not saying BMs can't be lovely dogs - I know they can. I just think they need strong leadership - both physically and mentally. This dog isn't likely to get that, and I think that is a huge problem.

I give it 12 months, maximum. I would not be surprised if the dog is put down for some reason at the end of that time. God it just makes me sick for the dog.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Zug Zug

[Dogsrawesome]

Sigh - I've tried talking to my sister about getting them to rehome the dog while it's still a puppy, but she said they don't feel they have any choice.

The mother definitely doesn't want the dog, has never had a dog before, doesn't really like dogs, but feels she has no choice and needs to let her son keep the puppy because his Dad gave it to him.

It turns out the Dad had actually told the Mum a few months ago that he was wanting to buy his son a puppy, and she has been trying to talk him out of it for that whole time. In the end he just showed up to the birthday party with a puppy and a ribbon around it's neck.

She is quite a submissive person, and won't stand up to him.

I just think this is a disaster waiting to happen.

It's a boy puppy, and he is already sleeping on the 6 year old's bed. The mother has already said 'if he bites my son I'm putting him down'.

I'm not saying BMs can't be lovely dogs - I know they can. I just think they need strong leadership - both physically and mentally. This dog isn't likely to get that, and I think that is a huge problem.

I give it 12 months, maximum. I would not be surprised if the dog is put down for some reason at the end of that time. God it just makes me sick for the dog.

Thats so upsetting.

[Bully]

In the right hands it could be a match made in heaven, but I feel this is a recipe for disaster Get rid of the puppy now!

The woman needs to stand up to the father and tell him that if he wants it he raises it and trains it himself at his house or send it back to the breeder NOW!!!

Poor puppy