Child friendly big dogs

Khannie

My wife's leaving work in the new year and I love dogs. We live in front of a large green area, so I'm pushing for a dog (since there'll be someone in the house all the time now, we could properly look after one).

We have an 8 year old, and we hope to have more children one day, so any dog we get would have to be tolerant of babies / small children.

I like big dogs. My dog of preference would probably be an alsatian, but obviously that's a no-no.

Any alternatives that people would recommend?

Child friendliess is the overriding factor, but being a decent guard dog would help. Our house is very exposed (corner house), so security is an issue.

Thanks in advance.

Sandals

Put simply, a Labrador.

Heinrich

Labrador or Golden Retriever are splendid animals!

Dyr

Why is an alsatian out of the question? I've had a few and they were amazing with kids, its as much the dog's temperment and its upbringing that will make them kid friendly as it is the breed.

Hellrazer

Ive a Labrador and a Samoyed.Both are brilliant with the 2 kids (8 and 3)If I had to choose one Id go for the Samoyed for the whole reason that hes a big softie and will even let the 2 kids pull out of him/play with him etc and not bat an eyelid.

Hes a great guard dog aswell.

masteroftherealm

yeah a lb for definite everyone Ive known have been brilliant with kids. or a stbernard.

the_syco

Its not how big they are, but their upbringing. I know of people who have small kids and a west highland terrier, and they get on grand, but for some reason my west highland terrier hates small kids. The family we got her off had small kids, so I think she doesn't like them from there. As someone said, its all about their upbringing.

Some dogs are cute, but you still have to know their boundries.

Example: made had a dog (golden type dog, 2 or 3 foot high, forget breed), which got on great with the kids in mates family, and kids in general. Got put down as a neighbour approached it from behind, and pulled it collar. Now, if the neighbour had done this from the front, it'd have been no problem, but some dogs (such as this one) tend to act defensivly, and just turnd around and bit the neighbour.

So cute loveable dogs, or any dog, has their boundries, so be carefull. My advice: ensure that the dog likes small kids, and you should be ok.

RedorDead

Our family have had 3 generations of boxers and never had trouble. They are completely docile animals and excellent around children, even when provoked by poking slapping standing on paws etc..

junkyard

You could also consider a Burmese Mountain dog, great with kids and a good watchdog. There is a breeder in Limerick, PM me if you want details.

ApeXaviour

From personal experience: firstly get them as puppies so you can bring them up. Lab, golden retriever, alsatian or alsatian mix. Springer spaniels are not huge but are probably the most tolerant dogs going. Will sit there and take complete crap off children. Even if the kid hurts it, it'll just walk away.

Do not get Pit bulls imo they have aggressiveness bred into them, dobermans to a lesser extent. Boxers are fine docile animals that sometimes get lumped with those other two when they're actually very gentle.

hadook

My early years were spent with a german shepard who did part time nanny work - all my baby pictures have Sheba in them somewhere close by me. She adored me & I was fascinated with her. My mother swears that the dog was the best babysitter she ever employed

Other dogs we had as kids were a collie, a lab & a cocker spaniel. I'd recommend all bar the collie - he had oodles of energy & was a (much loved) hyper handful!

Wokie

I'd agree breed as such not so important, but upbringing and temperment are. Though you can get unlucky. My friend researched well and got a Golden Cocker who was great with her kids (ranging from 4 to 12) but snapped at a neighbours kid. We took her as we've no kids. However, I walk her with my nieces and nephews (10 & 14) every week and now that she's getting to know them she's more friendly towards them...wouldn't trust her an inch though!! My other, collie x that we got from ASH is absolutely perfect with the kids and everyone else - almost too friendly!!! He's a good size and looks as though he'd make a decent enough guard dog but no:) It's actually the Cocker who guards best:)
I'd recommend checking out rescues - the people who run them know what they're talking about and will make good recommendations!

meditraitor

Hope you get your way, personaly I have always wanted a couple of red setters, by all accounts they are stupid dogs but very friendly and child friendly......

Roar

I'd say a lab. my mother got a b!tch for her house and she's absolutely brilliant with my 6 year old brother, very friendly animal altogether.. very easliy trained, never strays from the garden..

Nala

Labs and Golden Retrievers are generally very friendly and gentle.
Almost all Guide Dogs are either Lab, Golden Retriever or a mix between the two, because they have great temperments.

ApeXaviour

Nala wrote:

Almost all Guide Dogs are either Lab, Golden Retriever or a mix between the two, because they have great temperments.

Indeed. With the only common exception being German Shepherd (Alsatian):

http://www.modernpooch.com/archives/byrontheGermanShepherdGuideDog.jpg
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1725000/images/_1727013_crawford300.jpg
http://www.westernwheel.com/050316/images/dog%20guide.JPG
http://reg.golfreg.com/images/uploads/659/Brenda%20and%20Spud%20Guide%20Dog%20resized.jpg

I reckon cos they're the most intuitive. Our (mostly) german shephard is the most intuitive dog I've had. They sense your mood, your intentions etc. more than most.

Sigma Force

Agree, it's not the size of the dog but how the dog is raised (if getting it from a pup) or how the dog has been raised so far. If you plan on more kids then the dog may need time to get used to a new baby because unless the dog is brought up with babies your baby will be very new to him/her. What happens when if a new baby comes along, will you be still able to give the dog the attention it will have been used to? If you can and if you can put in the time for on going training esp. for larger breeds then most breeds would be suitable. Labs are a working dog so although family friendly they need a lot of excercise throughout their life esp. as they get older because they tend to become overweight. Alsations are no longer just guard dogs, they have a good temprement and make great family dogs. It's all in the care they get in an early life so picking a even tempered pup or dog is very important. There are lots of rescue dogs who have come from homes and are perfectly fine with children of all ages, a good rescue will recommend a dog to suit your family and vice versa.

jinxycat

alsation's are great dogs, i don't see why there'd be a problem with them, i've grown up with them my whole life, never had a problem with them. they were really friendly too, if you only seen my dog now, she's a big scardy cat for an alsation but i wouldn't swap her for the world.

she's great with kids too, my friends kids love her, once the little girl kicked her and she passed no remarks of it at all, we even have that on camera, it was one of those incidents that accidently get caught on camera:) looking back on it and all we could do was laugh.

Arcadian

I wouldn't label ANY dog as child friendly based entirely on its breed. I know several alsations, all very child friendly. I also know one or two cranky labs. As others have said it's all in the training and socialisation. Many rescue centres will have child friendly dogs of all breeds, why not check out

http://petsireland.invisionzone.com/index.php?act=idx

or

http://board.irishanimals.ie/

old boy

it does not matter, we had a black gs huge brute brilliant gaurd, our 2 year old used to ride it like a pony, weve never had a dog that disliked kids,all ours have been rescued, they never let you down, weve got 30 years experience

The Bollox

Labrador would be my bet, but most dogs could be trained to know not to attack young children. I mean my aunite has a black labrador, but it ain't very nice, however it doesn't mind the babies pulling it's tail or anything. but yeah, an alsatian is a no-no, I would really like a bull dog, I think they are really cool dogs, but they are all daft as a brush!

Rabies

I think it is all about how the dog is treated as a pub will determine its behaviour around adults and children.

We have 2 young St Bernards (1.5-2yrs old) and had one for 12yrs before that. They are amazing dogs. Very playful, friendly and quite. They can intimidate strangers because of their size but that can be a good thing

Gazza22

Boxers tbh....they are great with children and even protective of them. They are also a good guard dog too. My boxers are very loyal and friendly.

Dyr

Marts wrote:

but yeah, an alsatian is a no-no

why?

tj-music.com

A lot of research has been done about that over the last few decades and quite frequently the German shepherd is mentioned to be "the best" dog with regards to children.

In fact, I use to have a German shepherd, three kids and my son of course and I have to say that this huge dog was more patient and thoughtful and brilliant than some adults are.

Ah, well, I believe anyway that dogs are the better parents but that´s another story.

thatkindofgirl

Some more non-traditional dogs that are reputed to be great with kids are Staffordshire Terriers, any kind of sheep dog (good for herding the kids! ha). Apparently Greyhounds are fantastic pets for families with children -- and lord knows there are plenty of these available in rescue (think "Santa's Little Helper" from the simpsons).


Staffie


Greyhound

A Newfoundland is an amazing dog for kids, but they are massive animals (think small furry rhino) and drool. They are so incredibly loyal though and kids adore them.


A big old newfie

Standard Poodles (they're not all small, poofy things!) are fabulous companion animals and are fiercely intelligent. I met one this summer and was very impressed.

standard poodle


We have a rescue lab, and she's great with kids.

I think the key is to meet the dog before you commit. If you must go through a breeder, make sure you meet mom and dad, and make sure the puppies have been exposed to children, other pets and household noises that would be common in your home. Also with a puppy, make sure you're ready to be laid back about accidents for quite some time. Puppies are not for the houseproud.

Steel yourself to able to resist if you have doubts. Investigating all your options is not rude, it's responsible. Bad breeders especially will try and guilt you into taking a puppy you may have decided wasn't for you. A good breeder will usually sound fairly unwilling to part with the puppy until you have proved yourselves worthy.

Good Luck!:)

Dyr

thatkindofgirl wrote:

Some more non-traditional dogs that are reputed to be great with kids are Staffordshire Terriers,

I'd love a staffie

Nala

I find in general, big dogs tend to be more gentle than small dogs. I find small dogs to be snappier.

ApeXaviour

Marts wrote:

however it doesn't mind the babies pulling it's tail or anything. but yeah, an alsatian is a no-no,

I second the why? A family brought up alsatian would have a ridiculously gentle temperment and a child could pull its tail no prob. They'd probably reciprocate in playfulness though unlike a lab who'd more ignore/tolerate it. They're extremely eager to please so are very obedient. You're probably thinking of them in their police dog role. Think about it however, they're the chosen dog for this occupation because of their tendancy towards obedience and control. They are naturally non-aggressive which is a requirement. Hence they're great dogs to have around kids

hutchie

Big dogs are great...We have 2 rotts and a staff they are great with everyone(when we are there)
You wont get better guard dogs either ,Can some tell me how to put pictures up i have a class one of them.

Rabies

when you post a reply there is an option a little further down to add an attachment.

doctor evil

breeding and training can help determine how a dog will act, there is always the unpredictable element of any animal.

Khannie

First off...thanks for all the replies.

ApeXaviour wrote:

They are naturally non-aggressive

Hmmm. Ok, this point was reiterated lots of times throughout the thread but from this site:

Statistics show that some breeds are more likely to be involved in vicious attacks. European countries have banned or outlawed the import and breeding of breeds deemed dangerous.

I suppose the thing is that even with the best will in the world, there is /some/ chance that your child will get mauled by the family pet. That's something that is making me reconsider.

I'm certainly willing to put the time into training a pup and wouldn't mind the initial toilet training stage or anything like that but I think the best time to get a dog is probably after we're finished having children and they've passed infancy. That way we wouldn't be introducing babies to the dog, but rather a dog to children.

edit:

Interesting quote from the "dogs and kids" site:

The importance of sterilizing your animal cannot be overemphasized. Spaying and neutering your dog tends to reduce aggressive tendencies significantly. A U.S. survey of over 200 fatal dog attacks showed that in all but two cases the attacks were carried out by unneutered or unspayed dogs

**Timbuk2**

Go for a labrador...

They are great around kids and can also be a good guard dog...

Aisling(",)

I know a few St.Bernards that are very good with kids.Bit slobbery though so the kids get very wet

Our man in Havana

ok I have 11 dogs & whilst we do not have kids my neighbours do.

My rottweiller, lab, lax x newfoundland & borzoi x setter are FAB with kiddies.

My terriers are not! Especially my westie she is snappy & nasty with kids so we have to be eagle eyed with her - we have had german sheppards in the past & they are also FABO with kids. but saying that every dog is differnt & you have to watch how kids treat the dogs my neighbours daughter kicks & is very nasty to their dogs so much so that the collie bit the child on the face & was put to sleep but my neighbours still do not tell the child off when she kicks the 2 sheppards which is STUPID! Like humans dogs can & do snap.

If you want a german sheppard get one from a breader that has kids & see how the dogs are with the kids/babies etc.

ApeXaviour

Khannie wrote:

Hmmm. Ok, this point was reiterated lots of times throughout the thread but from this site:

Indeed there are some breeds that have an aggressive psychosis bred into them. German Shepherds not being one of them.

Khannie wrote:

I suppose the thing is that even with the best will in the world, there is /some/ chance that your child will get mauled by the family pet. That's something that is making me reconsider.

Yeah but... there's also a /some/ chance the ceiling will fall in on your child. Once the dog is of a gentle breed, neutered, brought up well etc. You can pass this off as negligible risk, like with lightning striking or some randomer throwing a petrol bomb through your window. I'd worry more about accidents that can happen around the household and on the road. They're far more likely/dangerous.

Khannie wrote:

but I think the best time to get a dog is probably after we're finished having children and they've passed infancy. That way we wouldn't be introducing babies to the dog, but rather a dog to children.

Inspite of what I said above I think this is a very good, well thought out idea. Dogs are like toddlers. A new child sapping the attention away from them would cause them to seek attention in often mischevious ways. Chew things up, pee on things etc.
Whereas introducing a child to a dog teaches them a lot, while letting the dog know it's place.

Khannie wrote:

Interesting quote from the "dogs and kids" site:

Yes. This is especially true for male dogs. It also prevents wandering tendancies and dog-dog anti-social behaviour. There is also the added incentive of not allowing lots of little stray dogs to be born where they will most likely have a meagre and short-lived existence.

BeardyGit

I don't know if this would be of any interest to you but I've a stray I picked up on Friday afternoon. I've tried everything I can think of to find his owners but it's been 3 days now and nobody's come forward (8 Garda Stations, Dog Warden, Pounds, Rescue Centres, Irish Animals.ie etc all notified with my phone number and address).

He's approx. 6 months old, house-trained, playful and (somewhat) obedient - Barring distraction with toys. He was found around the Pottery Road area in Dun Laoighre but a weekend spent in every park around the area has also failed to turn up anyone who recognises him. This could of course be explained by his incredibly good manner in cars - No bother to him to make long trips so I'm thinking he could be from miles away and have strayed while out for a walk in unfamiliar territory.

Mad about kids (and went ape when he saw a little girl in a pink jacket but neither she nor her dad knew him) so I'm sure he's come from a family with small kids. I'm losing hope of finding the owners. EVERYONE has said the pounds can't do anything but apply the final solution within a day or two at this time of the year.

I've an option to rehome him to Cork with a friends parents (who will treat him very well - This I know for sure) but I'd love to see him going to a loving family home where the kids will play with him too. Sorry about the long post.....I've attached a picture too if you're interested - He'll be a big dog, already the size of a border collie. BTW, he's been to the vets in Dundrum who reckon he's in good health (apart from needing a little bit of feeding up).

Anyway, PM me if you'd like to come meet him and see what you think - I'd hang on to him for a little while longer if you think he'd be a keeper.

Cheers,

Gil

Khannie

Thanks Gil. Probably would have taken you up on it, despite knowing that I should wait. Lovely looking dog.

Just phoned my better half there so the wisdom of:

me wrote:

I think the best time to get a dog is probably after we're finished having children and they've passed infancy. That way we wouldn't be introducing babies to the dog, but rather a dog to children.

is going to prevail.

I feel better knowing that you have a house for him though. Thanks for the offer though.

Nala

Khannie wrote:

I suppose the thing is that even with the best will in the world, there is /some/ chance that your child will get mauled by the family pet. That's something that is making me reconsider.

You can't assume that a dog is going to be vicious just because of its breed. It depends on HOW THEY WERE BROUGHT UP.

I've had cocker spaniels snap at me and at babies, yet I've petted Alsatians who didn't know me and they haven't so much as batted an eyelid.

My cat was attacked (and died because of her injuries) by a retriever who ran into our garden. Retrievers in general are a very gentle breed, but the owner kept the dog on a chain in the garden so it probably hadn't been socialised properly. Any dog can be vicious.

Khannie wrote:

I'm certainly willing to put the time into training a pup and wouldn't mind the initial toilet training stage or anything like that but I think the best time to get a dog is probably after we're finished having children and they've passed infancy. That way we wouldn't be introducing babies to the dog, but rather a dog to children.

but this bit is good.

Wibbs

Interesting question. Having had 2 German sheperds(among other breeds) over the years, I tend to agree on others posts regarding their child friendly attitude. As has been pointed out all breeds can be dangerous or safe depending on the individual dog. Some are worse(as that link pointed out), but GS are not one of them IMHO. In fact, I seem to recall a study that found that people were far more likely to be bitten by so called lap dogs and other small breeds, but as the damage was potentially much less, these cases were less likely to be reported.

GS and similar breeds can be more "wolf like"* in their behaviour. IE they have a strong pack instinct and once dominance is established socialisation problems are lessoned. They should regard the children as higher menbers of the pack heirarchy and act accordingly.

I would say that this lack of dominance in the owners is 90% of the difficulty with "problem" dogs. Regardless of how cute they may look, a dog is essentially a domesticated wolf, with all the complex social interactions of same. If people think a dog is a furry human problems can be the result, as the dog may get confused. You often see people hugging dogs and the dog may be busy licking it's lips repeatedly. This is a stress response in the animal, yet people think they love it.

I would go far as to say that any dog is capable of attacking a child. This is even more the case where the child isn't known to the dog. Childrens movements and sounds can trigger a prey attack response in borderline animals. As such I wouldn't let a large dog of any breed run loose with kids it didn't know. In the cases I've seen where a large powerful dog was safe around kids it was down to the owners. They were naturally dominant and the dog was happier knowing it's place.

*As an aside, I knew a chap in the states who used to rescue wolves and wolf dog hybrids and had a lot of experience both with (wild)wolves and the domesticated dog. His experience was that a pure wolf was significantly more nervous and submissive than the domesticated dog. This made them "safer" to be around as they understood and responded better if he acted correctly with them. He reckoned that his kids(who knew the ropes) were probably safer around the wolves than with domesticated dogs they didn't know. In fact he found that in the case of wolfdog hybrids, the higher the percentage of dog, the more likely one would find aggressive tendencies. Dogs have been bred over generations to be more aggressive than their wild cousins, as this was more advantageous in an animal designed as a protector of house and stock. In fact having a wolf as a watchdog would be about as much use as a chocolate fireguard, as their response to a threat is of the "get the F*** out of dodge" variety.

tj-music.com

It is very true to say that the majority of dogs simply mirror their environment. I always wonder why stupid eejits mostly seem to choose mastinos or pitbulls and don´t teach them useful tricks but are eager to find out how big the dog will get and how proud they are that their "little pet" can work through a big bone in no time.

It is not always the case but I noticed that there is a tendency of having more dangerous or more aggressive breads in people with a "less developed" intelligence.

In the majority of cases the owner is as guilty as the dog if not solely responsible for the actions.

fenris

We have a German Shepherd and a black lab, the GSD is the one that I trust more with out little chap (19 months old). We did a lot of work with the dogs before the baby came home, the mainpoints being:

1. screw up the dogs routine a bit
- feed later or earlier, in different places etc.
- if you are getting up late at night give the dog a rub or wake them up and let them go asleep again
- if they are asleep or lounging about in front of the fire move them out of the room for no aparent reason
Sounds cruel but these are the type of things that wil happen, this is to get the dogs used to the typical disruption caused by a baby, started before then baby arrives so that it is not the babies fault, try and simulate baby event effects on the dogs routine, eg getting turfed out fron in front of the fire because you need that space to change a nappy, its going to happen anyway, so start it early so that the dogs dont associate all the ills in the world with the babies arrival.

2. handle the dogs a lot, especially paws, ears and tail - all the bits a toddler and friends wil grab, get the dogs used to a bit of mauling so that the first reaction is not to try and nudge you away as visiting parents will think your dog tried to eat little Timmy.

3. Take food and toys away from the dogs and then give it back with a little bit extra when the dog doesnt react or try to grab or guard the food/ toy.

4. get the dogs used to getting up and walking away whenever they are being hassled by kids - our dogs get up and go to the nearest adult whenever a sprog gets too much, the dog gets buckets of praise even if the sprog gets knocked flat on its well padded arse. this means that teh dogs first resort is get away from the torment instead of trying to sort it in the traditional doggy manner and ending up being put down for objecting to lego being poked in its ears.

5. never leave kids and dogs together a nip or a scratch for a kid usually means a dead dog.

6. Dogs can get very protective of babies once they realise what they are, we made a point of handing out baby to visitors in front of the dogs for the first while, you dont need auntie mary geting a bit removed when trying to peep in at the sleeping baby while you are putting the kettle on!

7. have somewhere safe for the dogs to go that is out of bounds to kids, this lets the dogs have a safe place and not feel cornered. You need to protect your dogs from children as much as the other way around.

Worked for us so far, most of this came from a book called "dogs and children" it has gone walkies or been "tidyed" at the moment so I dont know who wrote it!

hunny

Hi Khannie,

I recently got a Bassett Hound and they have a great temperment and they are great with kids. People seem to think that they are a small dog but they are quite a big dog just low to the ground!! The only downside is they tend to slobber a bit.

shinners007

boxer dogs are ideal they look scary yet wouldnt harm a fly
i have kids aged 7 and 4 and they love max and gypsy our two boxers.
i also breed ikc boxer pups so pm if interested im in limerick
:rolleyes:

GristlyEnd

Have you considered a Pyrenean Mountain Dog? it is a very friendly breed but you do need the space for them and it must be well fenced. They do require a fair bit of maintance as there hair is almost wool like and it helps to brush them daily. They also need a 60-90 mins walk every day but it's as good for you as it is for him.

My Pyr (Meeko) is 15 months old, absolutely huge but I have loved every day of having him. Pic below isn't him but it gives you and idea of there size. They are great with children, especially newborns.

Apple Gal

I had a collie/sheep dog kinda thing and he was big but when I was born he used to babysit me all the time,he wouldn't let any strangers near me and he used to sleep beside me if I was in a chair or anything and he used to bark when I cried! He really was a very sweet dog!

Soupi

ApeXaviour wrote:

Do not get Pit bulls imo they have aggressiveness bred into them, dobermans to a lesser extent.

i hate when people sterotype Pit Bulls and bull terriers because of dog fighting decades ago. my boyfriend wants to get a Pit Bull and like every other ignorant person i aid no but i went onto the internet and researched them and found that they are brilliant with children, people and other animals and they are extremely intelligent dogs. the reason they were fought in the first place was because of how intelligent and obedient they are. it's a bit like why alsations are used as police dogs and labs/retrievers are used as guide dogs.

in my opinion bigger dogs are alot better than little yappy dogs. the only small dogs i would trust are from the bull terrier family, a boston terrier would be the best small dog for a family with small kids as they are so friendly and affectionate.

the post that Fenris put up was brilliant. when ever we get a puppy in the family we do all that with them, take their food away put them out every now and again and teach them to walk away from people or children that are tormenting them. we can all take food literally out of our dogs mouth and they always give it to us because they know that we're the boss and they always obey.

anyway good luck in the puppy search and when you do get one your life won't be the same and it's always for the best. a dog will give you uncondional love once you raise it right.

ApeXaviour

Soupi wrote:

i hate when people sterotype Pit Bulls and bull terriers because of dog fighting decades ago. my boyfriend wants to get a Pit Bull and like every other ignorant person i aid no but i went onto the internet and researched them and found that they are brilliant with children, people and other animals

That last bit is simply not true. Pretty much every pit-bull is dog-aggressive, probably more than any other breed. Do you, with all your research deny this? "The breed is [also] known for its high prey drive, and so due caution should be exercised when cats, rabbits, domestic fowl, and other such animals are present." - Pro - Pit Bull website

So not exactly brilliant with other animals then?

Granted pit-bulls are usually non-aggressive toward people. However there are the minority of them with defective temperments. This latter point has resulted in their bad reputation, not the dog fighting.
"Of the 199 dog-attack fatalities in the USA between 1979 and 1996, dogs identified as pit bulls were responsible for 60 attacks—just under a third. The next most-dangerous group was Rottweilers, responsible for 29 attacks" - Wiki entry on pit-bulls, corroborated up by cdc

Soupi wrote:

the reason they were fought in the first place was because of how intelligent and obedient they are.

I very much doubt that's the case. I'd say it had a lot more to do with their strength, stature and dog-aggressive tendancies.

They are, without a doubt, the most dangerous breed of dog. A person IMHO would be extremely foolish to bring one into a home with children...

Dave!

What about a Saint Bernard?

Cutie18Ireland

we have a pom and hes great with kids... just likes to fight sometimes too lol he's a little hyper! best to have them grow up with the kids though so they are used to them like