Leelaa17 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 My friend and I have been debating about dogs and doggie things. One thing she was saying to me is that she would NEVER have dogs around kids - no kind of dog at all... Now with Max and Jenna, I wouldn't even hesitate, I know what they're like around kids. Of course I would NEVER leave them unattended... but I wouldn't have a problem with my kids being around dogs... I would actually WANT my kids to be around dogs so they can learn how to treat them and behave around them... Also, she was saying that she would want a labrador because they have a much gentler and calmer temperament than other breeds... this got us into a debate with deed not breed stuff... She didn't actually say it but I felt like she was saying that other types of breeds (such a GSDs) would be more likely to turn... I don't know how to feel about this... what do you guys think about what she was saying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I feel she is being silly, that said kids do excite dogs, mine just goes into a licking frenzy but some dogs might get rough or nippy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I agree with you that if I had kids, I'd want them to be around dogs, in order to learn how to interact with them. Supervised, though, no unsupervised. But I do think that some breeds of dogs are, in general, better with kids than other breeds. I'm not sure if I'd agree with her that Labradors tend to be very calm though, most of the young labs I've met have been friendly but also reasonably energetic and boisterous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emery Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 i have three rottweilers with my 4 and 3 year old and baby on the way. They do sometimes knock the kids over but never intentionlaly hurt them they always get slobbered on lol. The well known breed that is supposed to be a great family pet that comes to the local school iwont let my kids near so deed not the breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) IMO ;) those cute & cuddly labs one sees as guide dogs, or toilet tissue testers had to be trained- same as ANY dog. I have worked with labs who were not the sort to have around children-,and I have seen ACDs and GSDs who were the softest and most patient (indeed- the dog who was my nanny and constant companion as a toddler was an ACDX) That said- apart from the fact labs shed 25 hrs a day, and often attempt to eat anything smaller than them and not nailed down .. and have not much 'finesse' - I do recommend them for families .. and love them to bits! I hope your friend does not get a dog while she has this belief- - keeping a dog & kids totally separate would be a nightmare :( Edited May 12, 2011 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) No such thing as a dog that "turns". Dogs do what they do for a range of reasons. The fact that some folk can't read a dog or identify a trigger for behaviour doesn't change that. Good family dogs are made, not born. Breed alone is NEVER a guarantee of safety around children and young kids should never be without supervision around dogs - for both safety of both. Dogs cannot form a social bond with kids if they never see them and kids cannot learn to behave appropriately around dogs (and to enjoy them) if they don't get to interact with them. I'd have no dog before I'd attempt to completely separate them in a family 24/7. It sure wouldn't be much of a life for the dog. Edited May 12, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkabull Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I often find that people are surprised and amazed when I tell them that Dobermann's are fantastic with kids. When I'm out walking the dogs I always steer kids towards patting Acheron over the little 'friendlier' looking dogs because they are really not at all interested in getting attention from people they don't know but Acheron likes everyone and will accept a pat and give a kiss to anyone willing to take it. I grew up with Dobes and my children grew up with one as well and I would sooner have a Dobe or Rotti etc around kids than a JRT for example. (not having a go at JRT's, I own one and she is great but I wouldn't trust her to be as tolerant of children as my Dobe). I suppose that although the smaller dogs might not be as tolerant they wouldn't cause as much damage if they did bite, hence why many people wouldn't feel 'safe' having a large or 'scary' looking dog around their children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelaa17 Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 I feel she is being silly, that said kids do excite dogs, mine just goes into a licking frenzy but some dogs might get rough or nippy... I felt that as well. And I always remind my nephews to not run too quickly around Max because he thinks they are playing and will try and grab their shirts to pull them back (it's not an aggressive thing, that's just how he plays - he's gotten out of it now though thank God... he learnt that tugging on people's pants means a not-happy mummy!!) But he LOVES licking them. He just goes up and plants a big kiss up their entire face and then wanders off... I agree with you that if I had kids, I'd want them to be around dogs, in order to learn how to interact with them. Supervised, though, no unsupervised. But I do think that some breeds of dogs are, in general, better with kids than other breeds. I'm not sure if I'd agree with her that Labradors tend to be very calm though, most of the young labs I've met have been friendly but also reasonably energetic and boisterous! I know - all the labs I've met are full of beans!! very funny to watch!! i have three rottweilers with my 4 and 3 year old and baby on the way. They do sometimes knock the kids over but never intentionlaly hurt them they always get slobbered on lol. The well known breed that is supposed to be a great family pet that comes to the local school iwont let my kids near so deed not the breed. I completely agree. IMO ;) those cute & cuddly labs one sees as guide dogs, or toilet tissue testers had to be trained- same as ANY dog. I have worked with labs who were not the sort to have around children-,and I have seen ACDs and GSDs who were the softest and most patient (indeed- the dog who was my nanny and constant companion as a toddler was an ACDX) That said- apart from the fact labs shed 25 hrs a day, and often attempt to eat anything smaller than them and not nailed down .. and have not much 'finesse' - I do recommend them for families .. and love them to bits! I hope your friend does not get a dog while she has this belief- - keeping a dog & kids totally separate would be a nightmare :( unfortunately it would only be a nightmare for the dogs shes not much of a dog person - more a reptile person... and she wont be getting a dog anytime soon. No such thing as a dog that "turns". Dogs do what they do for a range of reasons. The fact that some folk can't read a dog or identify a trigger for behaviour doesn't change that. Good family dogs are made, not born. Breed alone is NEVER a guarantee of safety around children and young kids should never be without supervision around dogs - for both safety of both. Dogs cannot form a social bond with kids if they never see them and kids cannot learn to behave appropriately around dogs (and to enjoy them) if they don't get to interact with them. I'd have no dog before I'd attempt to completely separate them in a family 24/7. It sure wouldn't be much of a life for the dog. I think that is so important that kids and dogs learn to be around it each... for unseen circumstances, the more they know, the better they may handle the situation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpets Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 My daughter has a big GSD male aged nearly 5 & 2 girls aged nearly 4 & 2 years. He is an inside dog so is around the girls most of the time (supervised) but he is great with them. We are sure he thinks he just another child only with fur. When we go for walks together & he is off lead he watches to make sure they don't fall behind & rounds them up if they do. He is very gentle & careful of them though he has knocked them over once or twice when he is excited about going out. They just get back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelaa17 Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 I often find that people are surprised and amazed when I tell them that Dobermann's are fantastic with kids. When I'm out walking the dogs I always steer kids towards patting Acheron over the little 'friendlier' looking dogs because they are really not at all interested in getting attention from people they don't know but Acheron likes everyone and will accept a pat and give a kiss to anyone willing to take it. I grew up with Dobes and my children grew up with one as well and I would sooner have a Dobe or Rotti etc around kids than a JRT for example. (not having a go at JRT's, I own one and she is great but I wouldn't trust her to be as tolerant of children as my Dobe). I suppose that although the smaller dogs might not be as tolerant they wouldn't cause as much damage if they did bite, hence why many people wouldn't feel 'safe' having a large or 'scary' looking dog around their children. I should also note - in you saying all of that... a maltese went for my nephews face because he clapped. I was in the same room, my nephew was not near the dog and Mia (the dog) went straight for him. She pulled back at the very last minute when I went crazy. I have never seen Max or Jenna react that way to anything or anyone. I would never trust Mia around kids... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keira&Phoenix Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) My friend and I have been debating about dogs and doggie things. One thing she was saying to me is that she would NEVER have dogs around kids - no kind of dog at all... Now with Max and Jenna, I wouldn't even hesitate, I know what they're like around kids. Of course I would NEVER leave them unattended... but I wouldn't have a problem with my kids being around dogs... I would actually WANT my kids to be around dogs so they can learn how to treat them and behave around them... Also, she was saying that she would want a labrador because they have a much gentler and calmer temperament than other breeds... this got us into a debate with deed not breed stuff... She didn't actually say it but I felt like she was saying that other types of breeds (such a GSDs) would be more likely to turn... I don't know how to feel about this... what do you guys think about what she was saying? You could tell her that for a very long time Pitbulls were known as the nanny dog and for a very good reason the nanny dog Edited May 12, 2011 by Keira&Phoenix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Shepherd~ Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 The only 2 breeds I considered getting after my Goldie died were either a Belgian Shepherd or a White German Shepherd. I wanted an intelligent breed that was easy to train. I got it. My W-GSD bitch lives inside with my Whippet bitch uncrated with a baby a 3 year old and a 5 year old. They are push button behavior wise, as the only way to train kids and dogs is by putting them together in the same environment and training the both of them for the rest of their lives together. The Whip was a turd to train until she was around 2, but she was respectful and tried hard, she was very cunning and sneaky. Still is today but she is a steady, tolerant dog. This does not happen in a backyard, a divider or a crate. My dogs are crate trained, off lead trained and kinder kid crowd trained. They all were, including my Belgian Shep and Goldie. The most predictable actioned dogs however were the Shepherds, and they never once knocked any of little ladies over. The funniest thing happened last night with my 3 year old. She had her typical fairy night time dress up on and her magic star wand. "Watch this Mum, MAGIC" She had Kimba the Shepherd sitting dropping standing and weaving around her bowling set with her wand. At the end of the magic show, she said "well done Kim Pim, love you". Kimba looked as proud as punch as well! Excellent stuff. Fun too. Respect on both parts is so easy, giving them the opportunity to interact together in a controlled environment regularly is the only way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I know someone who owns a lab that gets very snarky and sometimes even a little bit predatory around kids (especially smaller kids) but I've never had this problem with the vicious, "baby-eating" greyhounds. Even Sally (our DA, nervous, difficult-to-manage greyhound) is very accepting of kids in her space and although I'd obviously never just leave her alone with a child, she's never given me any reason to worry about her behaviour with kids. Breed itself just doesn't seem to matter a whole lot- good socialisation with kids and proper supervision and management and you'll have no problems. Buying a particular breed under the assumption it's "good with kids", however, is just inviting tragedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) I wouldn't trust my Lab around a child at all! I do get a lot of people telling me they want a Samoyed because it's good with children. No, it's not quite like that, they can be wonderful with children but like any dog they need to be trained correctly. No breed is automatically perfect with kids. Edited May 12, 2011 by Bjelkier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaar Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 What a ridiculous statement. Perfect example of someone who knows very little about dogs. One of my Poodles absolutely ADORES children, no I would never leave a child alone with him, but the way he acts around kids is just gorgeous, his whole personality changes and he becomes very playful but gentle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 It's great to take the Mickey out of a stereotype, and it's true that many young Labs are excitable and a worry around kids. But this worry is with kids they are greeting, not kids that they live with. But I think, in general, Labs good reputation with kids is deserved. I have placed dozens of Lab pups with families with kids. I had only one disaster . . . that was in a family that allowed 3 and 4 year olds to play chase with the puppy and ended out with a puppy that chased and sometimes nipped kids. This was corrected by some behavioural training. Mostly, dogs sense that little ones are physically vulnerable and take a gentle, protective attitude. Labs (and pit bulls) have very high pain tolerance, and thus are likely to withstand ear pulling, poking, getting dressed up, and other things kids do to dogs without getting upset. I don't know how many times I've heard the story about the family Lab that used to go to the bus stop every day to greet the kids when they came home from school (no longer possible, alas). I know a couple people whose kids were saved from drowning by a family Lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Not all labs are the same. My lab would be a perfect family pet he is very calm and very placid and not at all ' over the top'. As a pup he would have had to be watched carefully as he was bouncy but ALL puppies are. As a 3 year old my mum got me a lab x and she was my best mate for many many years, i pulled her tail and put sand in her eyes and she let me do it without ever bring grumpy or aggressive she just loved me so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordelia Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 What a ridiculous statement. Perfect example of someone who knows very little about dogs. This is exactly what the OP stated.. the person she was discussing the topic with had very little knowledge and would never put kids and dogs together and has no intention of getting a dog... all responsible, good choices on that persons part as far as I can see. What's the point of trying to convince someone otherwise when they'll not change their mind? My mother has a nervous breakdown if she sees my dogs near William.. oh well. No oint arguing with her as she won;t change her mind and and I have little inclination to explain anything to her as she won't listen anyway.. I simply keep the baby gate up when my mum is visiting. Easy. Not all labs are the same. My lab would be a perfect family pet he is very calm and very placid and not at all ' over the top'. As a pup he would have had to be watched carefully as he was bouncy but ALL puppies are. As a 3 year old my mum got me a lab x and she was my best mate for many many years, i pulled her tail and put sand in her eyes and she let me do it without ever bring grumpy or aggressive she just loved me so much No she didn't. She tolerated your potentially dangerous behaviour very well.. SHE was non-reactive and the fact that you were never bitten is testament to her good temperament.. NOT how much she loved you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Yip beautiful nature - thats what i was trying to put across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.mister Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Also, she was saying that she would want a labrador because they have a much gentler and calmer temperament than other breeds... this got us into a debate with deed not breed stuff... She didn't actually say it but I felt like she was saying that other types of breeds (such a GSDs) would be more likely to turn... This reminds me of my friend who believes every Stafford is the devil reincarnated. :rolleyes: Her reason? "Oh my friend told me about a friend of his who got bitten by one." She was as stubborn as turd on a shoe and wouldn't take no for an answer - despite facts supplied to her. Sigh In regards to your friend: Kids, like dogs, need to have interactions with all kinds of different things to help them be balanced people. I've seen a few kids now who have an unnatural fear of dogs because they have never been exposed to one, and their parents have kept it that way or even worse - instilled a fear in the child as a way to avoid the risk of dog related injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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