Having Big Dogs With Small Children? Bad Idea?!?

Question

I am weirded out with the thought of having any kind of big dog (even a lab or retriever) with kids under 4 years of age. Is this understandible or am I off base?

Answer 1

Im sure that there are alot of people that have big dogs and tell you nothing but good stories about them.

but im with you , i have a 5 year old and i still get wierded out by the thought of having a big animal around him

after all , a dog may be mans best friend but he is just an animal and you can NEVER be too sure what they are capable of or will do.....until its too late

Answer 2

Well, my husband and I have 3 labs. Ranging in weight from 130 - 50 lbs. They are all almost 3. We have 1 daughter - just turned 6 and 2 nieces ages 4&9. When the youngest niece was 2 and one of the dogs was 6 months or so, I walked into the living room where it was just the two of them, my niece was pinching the puppy's ear so hard she was shaking. The puppy was just lying there, whimpering a little, but nothing else.



That is just one of the many examples of big dogs (or labs at least) and little kids.
It really just depneds on the breed, some dogs are better with kids then other. I am not sure if you are worried about the big dog knocking the child over or hurting it more when/if the dog bites the child, but dog bites from little/ big dogs are bad. And knocking the kid over, well, believe me kids are pretty resilient!!

Again, I think it really depends on the breed, I mean, and NO OFFENSE, I would never have a like a rottwieler around my kids, but a boxer, lab, retriever... anyday. It just depends on their personality and stuff.

Also, my husband's sisters both have small dogs, and those dogs and the kids don't get along so well! The kids throw and could have potentially hurt the dogs, and the dogs growl and snap if the kids get too close

Answer 3

Personally, I think big dogs are better with kids than small dogs...in general. A very small dog can be seriously injured by a child...and because of their size, they are more likely to feel threatened by something a child might do and respond by biting.

I've had a large dog (80 lbs.) since my son was born and that dog has put up with stuff that would injure or at least provoke biting...my dog has never done anything except growl when my son tried to bend his tail in half (my friend's miniature daushund bit a kid for the same thing a few months ago). Part of the problem is that a child can easily dominate (hold) a small dog even if the dog wants to leave...my son couldn't (and at six, still can't) physically make my big dog stay where he doesn't want to be so instead of fighting him, my dog can just walk (or run) away when my son starts scaring or hurting him!

One problem with large dogs is that they will knock your kids down by virtue of their sheer size...but training can fix most of that problem (teaching the dog AND the child appropriate manners).

...and speaking of manners, you should never leave a kid under four years alone with any dog (big or small) until you know the dog's temperment AND you know that the child understands what he should and shouldn't do around animals. ...and of course, ANY animal that bites any person for nearly any reason should not be allowed around a young child! Some dogs may bite when someone hurts them and I don't think that makes the dog unredeemable but you have to remember that a young child doesn't understand what can and can't hurt a dog (or a person...ask any father who has had his privates stomped on by his toddler!).

Answer 4

Well that depends i find that Boxers have teh perfect temperment for children my son jus turned 1 and i had my 1st Boxer when i was a junior in High School and she has always been very good with him i got my male Boxer when my son was 10 months old and they have been great for each other they let my son do anything to them and don't mind but honestly it doesn't matter what kind of dog so much as how it is raised. If raised properly any dog can be a big sucess with children even a pit. Also getttin a puppy while the child is young help build a bond which will leave the dog once its an adult to guard the child with its life and at all cost, which with this day and age its a plus!

Answer 5

I'd rather see a big dog with a small child than a small dog with one. Small dogs, especially the very small ones such as Yorkies and Chihuahuas, are too fragile for small kids. At the vet hospital where I work we have been treating a 1-1/2 pound Yorkie puppy whose head was accidentally stepped on by a 6-year-old.

Big dogs and big puppies are much more up to the accidental tripping over and falling upon, and the boisterous affection, of little kids.

Answer 6

Any dog, of any size, can be a problem with children if not properly trained and supervised. And that goes for the child as well as the dog. Small children need to be taught to respect animals and be gentle with them. Dogs need to be properly socialized with children. For a kid to grow up with a dog for a best friend is one of life's great joys. But only with parents who are mature and responsible enough to do the right thing. And never, NEVER, leave a small child alone and unattended with any dog. Even the most gentle can be dangerous in the wrong situation.

Answer 7

I wouldn't put a small child with an exceptionally small dog either. They bite worse than some of the big ones. I do see your point. A bite from a lab is a much bigger problem than a bite from a chihuahua. But chis bite a lot more often than goldens. The best answer is to never leave a small child and dog unattended alone.

Answer 8

No way! We have had a fairly large chocolate lab since our daughter was born, and they are best friends. I don't think twice about leaving them in a room together, the baby used to crawl over the dog and fall asleep curled up next to her. Now she is older she loves to throw balls for her, feed her biscuits and is trying to teach her to sit.

You need to make sure your dog is reasonably well trained and won't jump up on the kids (you can't avoid this with puppies I'm afraid) and the kids will need to learn what is acceptable and what isn't. Pet dogs are a great way for children to learn to interact with dogs. Our 2 yo daughter now knows that if a dog isn't wagging its tail, she shouldn't go near it, and that she should put her hand out for the dog to sniff when she meets it.

Think about the breed you choose - labs and goldies have soft mouths and will need a LOT of provocation to even consider getting aggressive (our daughter had some ear-pulling incidents as a bub and the dog would just get up and leave if she was sick of it)

I know there are heaps of pro-pitbull types on this site, who will tell you that their dogs are perfectly safe, but consider - these dogs are bred with the intention of killing other dogs as efficiently as possible. They have massively strong jaws, are impervious to pain, and will hold on until the death. Dogs such as labs and goldies are bred to bring back birds in their mouths without damaging the meat, then to let go when instructed by their owners. I know which one I'd rather my child played with!

Keep in mind big dogs require more exercise. An up side to this is, your kids and the dog can run around in the backyard for hours, and everyone will be tired out and happy!

Answer 9

I understand your concern. But so long as the owners are good parents and have taught both their dog and children well, I don't see the problem.

I was around big dogs all the time when I was little. Yeah, I ended up on my butt sometimes, but it was never the dog being hurtful on purpose. I learned and was never hurt.

I feel that all kids should be exposed, in a control situation, to all different animals of all different shapes and sizes to learn about them and how to treat them with the proper respect.

Answer 10

labs and goldens are some of the best dogs you can have with kids. Small dogs tend to be hurt more easily (making them bite or scratch). Small dogs also have alot of energy which can be difficult with kids around. I would say a lab or retriever is a much better dog to have around kids then a chihuahua, yorkie, maltese, etc. Medium dogs are good with kids too.

Answer 11

It's understandable but you also have to understand that dogs have no sense of big and small. Just because a chihuahua is small doesn't mean it can't intimidate or dominate a great dane. You just have to teach your dog to be careful. We have small kids at our house all the time and I have a 1 year old Bull Mastiff that is very careful with children, and to tell you the truth, most dogs are careful of children. I wouldn't worry about it.