SusieT
Well-Known Member
People above say parents know how much work the two year old is. Yes.
Have they thought about when their very active 3/4year old is running around and being knocked over by a dog? Will they be happy with that?
Will they be happy if child having bad night and dog also having diarrhoea?
What if child wont stay away from dog and dog doesn't like this?
Just worth running those scenarios past them - it can work but one reason rescues and some breeders won't rehome to people with small children is that children ( not wrongly) must always come first. Often the idea of a dog is different to seeing your child being unintentionally knocked over, or fingers nipped from stealing food, or stepping in dog poo when you've had a bad night with a grumpy three year old. :Make sure they think properly.
A puppy has the benefits of less risk of injury to child and puppy socialised well with child but you need very dedicated people who don't mind working on both puppy and child.
But, an adult who knows commands would be ideal - unfortunately most rescue dogs are there because idiot owners have messed them up - so they have flaws that mean they can be tricky with young children.
If I had to recommend- a stocky lab or retriever pup would be my go to from health tested parents with good temperaments.
Robust enough to stand children, good family pets with high trainability and if show stock often less mad for exercise. Staffie pup would be fine too ( and no issue with them getting one from resuce if pup though there is still an argument to get one from parents with excellent temperaments as pups in rescue can come from questionable genetic backgrounds)
Have they thought about when their very active 3/4year old is running around and being knocked over by a dog? Will they be happy with that?
Will they be happy if child having bad night and dog also having diarrhoea?
What if child wont stay away from dog and dog doesn't like this?
Just worth running those scenarios past them - it can work but one reason rescues and some breeders won't rehome to people with small children is that children ( not wrongly) must always come first. Often the idea of a dog is different to seeing your child being unintentionally knocked over, or fingers nipped from stealing food, or stepping in dog poo when you've had a bad night with a grumpy three year old. :Make sure they think properly.
A puppy has the benefits of less risk of injury to child and puppy socialised well with child but you need very dedicated people who don't mind working on both puppy and child.
But, an adult who knows commands would be ideal - unfortunately most rescue dogs are there because idiot owners have messed them up - so they have flaws that mean they can be tricky with young children.
If I had to recommend- a stocky lab or retriever pup would be my go to from health tested parents with good temperaments.
Robust enough to stand children, good family pets with high trainability and if show stock often less mad for exercise. Staffie pup would be fine too ( and no issue with them getting one from resuce if pup though there is still an argument to get one from parents with excellent temperaments as pups in rescue can come from questionable genetic backgrounds)
