We recently found an american bulldog. checked by a vet he is approx. 8-10 months, very well taken care of. He is very friendly, playful and partially trained. Until we find him a good home I am afraid of exposing him to my grandchildren and my 15 yr old small dog who is the alpha. Should I be concerned?
2007-01-21 08:15:04 · 6 answers · asked by Melvin M 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
First off the pup is going to be playful which may bother your older dog. When the pup gets playful try putting him in his crate or in a separate room with the door closed. You don't say how old your grandchildren are but if they are 2 or more everything should be fine. Put everyone and the pup in the backyard to play. They will all have a good time. Puppies should never be left with small children without supervision and it does not matter what breed they are. Bulldogs are not an overly aggressive breed but all dogs have teeth. Did you contact your local animal control about finding the lost dog. If he is well taken care of that indicates lost dog not just a left dog. I would also contact any humane organizations in your area. Did your vet check to see if the pup had been micro chipped? If not this needs to be done as the microchip will tell you who the owner is and how they can be contacted. Needless to say all these things should be done before you find the pup a new home. Thank you for taking this puppy in and making him secure until his owner can be found or a new home can be found for him.
2007-01-21 08:31:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My american bulldog just turned 7 months old and I have never had any reason for concern with her around my granddaughter (who is 7)...although I never leave them unsupervised. I have found that my pup LOVES children, but, as with any large dog, she doesn't always realize her size and thinks she is a lap dog. The supervision is to make sure she doesn't inadvertantly push my granddaughter over. She also has a lot of force in her tail and has been known to leave small bruises in her happiness. As long as she shows no signs of abuse or aggression, I don't think you'll have any problems with supervised visits with your grandchildren.
As far as with your smaller dog...they should be introduced slowly and cautiously. I wouldn't worry about aggression from the bulldog towards the smaller dog, however, older dogs tend to be less patient with puppies than younger dogs. I have a 2 year old cairn terrier (who has become best friends with my american bulldog) and also a 14 year old American Hound Mutt....who barely tolerates the puppies antics. Usually a growl and a quick snap from the older dog will put the puppy back in it's place. I have found that by providing a quiet place for my older dog that in not accessible to the pup has made for a peaceful household.
American Bulldogs are not normally an agressive dog and they make a wonderful addition to most families. You'll find they are very intelligent animals and easily trained. They love children and enjoy having a playmate. However, as I stated, they tend to not realize their size. I don't think you need to be worried, but as you don't know the complete history of the dog, use caution during the introduction.
Good luck...
2007-01-21 08:42:37 · answer #2 · answered by motomouth_1965 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends entirely on the dog and on the grandchildren. Don't be afraid for no good reason. Introduce the dog to the kids but don't leave them unsupervised. He'll show signs immediately if kids make him nervous. You should be more worried about your small dog, particularly if he's an aggressive type who doesn't know how small he is. Try introducing them in adjoining rooms with a baby gate up so they can see, and most importantly to a dog, get each other's scent. If both are calm, try them together in a room supervised.
2007-01-21 08:23:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Amen to getting a burgular alarm. Contrary to belief Pit bulls are gentle unless they are FORCED to fight or genetically aggressive from their parents being forced to fight. What happens when your dog gets lose and kills a stranger? Not a smart idea, or a humane one. add: I understand your fear believe me. but it really is unfair and mean to a dog to teach them to be vicious even to strangers. plus you can get any dog and they may not have a mean bone in their body, even a german shepherd even a pit, etc.etc. it's just not fair to force a dog to be a guard dog, nor IMHO is it moral. there are too many dangers and not enough proven benefits. get an alarm system, that would ward off robbers more, who can just shoot a dog. You would feel terrible if a dog you trained to attack strangers were to maul a child to death. Add2: Ok. how about if you got a terrier dog. Dont train them to be mean. but terriers are very good at barking and even though most are small they were bred to have loud barks, you would think it's a big vicious dog and the burgular might go away. and that way the dog would be working on instinct, you dont have to train him to be mean at all. And also form a neighborhood watch, that will help more than a dog.
2016-05-24 07:49:57 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American Bulldogs are not aggressive by nature. However, they don't generally look out for others in their path either. They sit where they want , will bump you with their butts to show they like you, can get pushy, and their gas can be horrible. That said, they are very loving dogs. I have never known one to bite.
2007-01-21 08:26:34 · answer #5 · answered by bluegirl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is still a pup, u can train it easily, get the pup some stuff animals,
have u reported this missing animal
http://www.doggiedetective.com
2007-01-21 08:19:30 · answer #6 · answered by sunflare63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋