[mandiah89]

So while I was out with Penny for her walk today, was stopped by a lady who wanted to pet her, she said she apparently loves the breed but as she has kids she would never own one because they are not to be trusted with children, and anyone who has a GSD with their child or lets them be around other peoples children are very irresponsible... I had to try to contain myself as I know this is totally untrue, but I just politely said to each their own and continued on our walk...

Here is a Picture of Diesel with my cousin pretty much bear hugging her around the neck and Diesel totally didnt care, the kids could grab her and fall on her, poke and prod her and hug and lay on her and she was the most gentle dog ever. Even while the kids were running around with her toys and trying to throw them for her she never once got over excitted and never even took food out of their hands even though they would be on the floor with her and she never gave it a second look... this is how a GSD should be Also im going to include a picture of my 5 month old GSD pup with my 10 month old nephew...

 

[JackandMattie]

No child should have to grow up without a GSD, I say!

Adorable pics!

 

[martemchik]

Although I trust my GSD with kids...I wouldn't ever leave him unsupervised with children. But that's not because he's a GSD, but because he's a dog. You never know when a child is going to take something too far, or grab the wrong body part, or scream for no reason at all. As much as I trust my dog...I don't know what some of his reactions might be in those types of situations.

The situation you described with your dog...wouldn't happen with mine. He would get excited if kids were running around and throwing toys around. He has way too much natural prey drive for me to teach him not to react in those types of situations. He likes to play and will play with little children. I've taught him to be gentler, but I would still always watch him to make sure he doesn't take it to the next level.

 

[mandiah89]

Although I trust my GSD with kids...I wouldn't ever leave him unsupervised with children. But that's not because he's a GSD, but because he's a dog. You never know when a child is going to take something too far, or grab the wrong body part, or scream for no reason at all. As much as I trust my dog...I don't know what some of his reactions might be in those types of situations.

Oh totally! But that goes for every breed of dog no matter what... I would never leave a child unattended with a dog, but there is no reason why they cant be best friends and be fine with each other with the proper supervision.

 

[Courtney]

Hogwash

Children have been bitten by all breeds of dogs. Perhaps some breeds do better with small children over other breeds? I don't know.

We don't have small children but have neighborhood kids, and friends with small children and Rusty is good around them. He gets really wiggly when he see's them. He actually acts like a mother hen with the kids next door. He gets upset if they wander too far into the woods, or if the little girl goes too far down the road on her bike.

I do think some small kids act awful around dogs, I can see why some kids end up with a bite.

I would never leave me boy unsupervised with any children. When kids are around him they are instructed by me how to act around him.

Last year my husbands buddy brought his little boy over (maybe 2-3?) and he accidently fell on Rusty when he was laying down. Rusty yelped, jumped up and started licking the little kid. I was very pleased with his response.

When I'm out with my boy I very seldom will stop for kids to pet him. When I see them I usually will turn or fast walk by them. I don't have patience with most and don't want to be bothered. lol

 

[selzer]

Although I trust my GSD with kids...I wouldn't ever leave him unsupervised with children. But that's not because he's a GSD, but because he's a dog. You never know when a child is going to take something too far, or grab the wrong body part, or scream for no reason at all. As much as I trust my dog...I don't know what some of his reactions might be in those types of situations.

I am guessing you don't have children.

A dog that is raised in a family with children should be able to go anywhere in the house where the kids are, or not. And you can be in the kitchen cooking, or in the living room watching TV, or in the basement doing a load of laundry.

It's those of us who do not have kids, who need to supervise our dogs around them, because our dogs are just not used to these kids that don't live with them.

Yes, babies are another story. YOU need to be supervising babies pretty closely except when they are napping. And dogs and babies should really not be left alone together.

But children, I think by the time you have had a dog for 2 or 3 years, you should really know whether or not it is likely to eat your kid.

Cujo was 2 when my sister adopted her two babies who were 9 months old and 1 year old when she brought them home. I was terrified that Cujo would eat the babies. I put him on lead or made him stay right next to me when the kids were over. They only visited 4 - 6 times a year. We had an x-pen set up for the children and their stuff in the living room. It was scary. But Mom said, "He is not going to bite anyone." She was right.

As the babies turned into little girls, I started to relax a little. I would hear about how visits went -- my sister would spend the night with her girls. I saw them covering him up with their blankets and watched him walk through the house with little Analisa following with her hand on his butt, and him pausing and watching for her.

When the new babies came, Andrea and Gwennie, Cujo was already a trained baby-dog. The older girls could go upstairs or anywhere with the dog, and they really did not have to have a strangle hold on the dog or kids. But we were still careful with the babies.

Not having Cujo is hard on the kids. Andrea asked her mom why Cujo went to heaven the other day. Andrea is three now, and Gwennie is two.

I have started taking a couple dogs over with me when I babysit Analisa and Elena. We took Heidi to the park last weekend. Heidi did not grow up with kids. But she and the kids had a blast. I of course supervised her. If the kids had her since a puppy, then I wouldn't really have to. I wouldn't let a couple of six year olds take a 70+ pound dog to the park on their own, but I wouldn't be concerned with them being in another area of the house with the dog or in the yard.

 

[fuzzybunny]

Well the lady may have had a bad experience with GSDs and children so now she has a bias. I agree with Selzer as well. Growing up, our dogs were family dogs and we were left alone with the dogs all the time while my parents did their thing. I don't see anything wrong with it. My mom would be in the kitchen cooking a meal and my brother and I would be in the basement hanging out or playing games and the dog would be with us.

 

[martemchik]

Yeah...your own kids are one thing...strange kids, or even your kids friends are another thing. I've read too many stories of GSDs getting protective when 6 year old boys are wrestling and having fun, or some disagreement breaks out and the GSD decides to break it up by mouthing or even biting the other kid. The dog is in fact protecting its own pack...but I only wish the parents of the other kid would be so understanding.

I don't disagree that GSDs can be around kids...I just think its naive to believe that ALL dogs or ALL GSDs for that matter can handle being around children. Also, maybe the lady just can't imagine raising a GSD and a child at the same time...supervising the dog and also raising the kids. People do it...but what if she just doesn't want to put up with it?

I find it interesting that I've read threads where people will state how they will put up their dog if their kid is having a party of some sort in the back yard...just too much risk for your dog to be trusted in a situation with 10+ running/screaming children.

My dog has been around plenty of kids, and I can tell you the same stories you all have mentioned...but if you're going to jump on a random person that said "It's irresponsible to have a GSD around children." I think its irresponsible to think that nothing can happen. What if in all those happy ending stories the opposite happened? Wouldn't be so great huh. Like a baby/kid falling on the dog...great reaction out of that one...there are plenty out there that would've reacted differently.

 

[fuzzybunny]

I agree I wouldn't allow my dog around strange children. Just too many unknown variables there. I would allow the dog around my own children though assuming the dog never displayed aggression.

 

[lily's master]

Last year my kids and I were at the park playing with Lily and an elderly gentleman took it upon himself to tell my 14 yr old that I was a horrible mom for having a GSD around three little kids and that he was going to call DFS and report me before my dog turned on one of the kids and killed them. I would have loved to have a discussion with him about how it was really none of his business. He left before my daughter got back and told me what he said. Made me angry that he felt he needed to say that to her and not me, and that people just want to lump all dogs in a breed as the same. My dog was raised from a pup with kids and she is fine with them, I try to teach them the correct way to play with a dog and how to treat them. I have never gotten a comment like that when we were out with my husbands beagle, nobody says that shes gonna turn on my kids. Everyone sees her and walks up to pet her and she IS the dog that we have to watch because she will bite. You never hear about anyone getting bitten by a beagle so it must automaticly be ok .

 

[Galathiel]

You should know your dogs. However, I've never had a dog that was raised with kids (mine or my family's) that wasn't trustworthy with them. In fact, the GSD I had when my son was 4-5ish dogged (ha) his every step outdoors as we lived in the country. In fact, they had wandered around the side of the house when we heard the uproarious barking of Sable. They had come upon a 5 ft long cottonmouth and she kept my son back and the snake cornered until my dad got there.

 

[AngelaA6]

I don't trust the kids that would be around my dog sadly so he is under very close supervision when around them (at family gatherings that take all day so I have to bring him). I don't want him biting them because they did something stupid and have my pup pay the price. I have a niece that's timid around pups and I'm afraid that if he tries to lick her she'll try to hit him and I don't want him nipping her because of it so I don't let them get close enough for any of that to happen. I'll retrieve the toy from Gunther's mouth and hand it to my niece and let her throw it. She's only three and I hope she grows out of this fear of dogs. She's never had one even bite her and a stray cat is the only thing that has ever hurt her. I don't think it's wrong to be wary of what our dogs are capable of doing but I'm all for raising a kid and a pup at the same time

 

[Stevenzachsmom]

Know your dog - whatever the breed. I adopted a 2 year old shelter GSD. I had three kids 10, 6 and 2. I monitored them very closely, for a while. Before long, I was insisting that the dog be with them at all times. They were going out in the yard. I'd say, "Take the dog with you." As they got old enough to stay home alone (8 years old in MD), I would say, "Keep that dog with you." My dog adored the kids more than life itself. I knew she would never hurt them. She was equally trustworthy with their friends. She believed all friends had visited just to see her. And...."Annie" NEVER missed a party. God I miss that girl.

 

[Saphire]

Seems people have forgotten about training children to behave and treat animals/pets properly.
I had several dogs when my children were born. I taught my kids to respect and interact properly with dogs. I have heard so many parents say "my kids can do anything to our dog....pull ears and tails..ride their backs...bite". What happens when your children think its ok to treat someone elses dog that way? Is it the dogs fault when it reacts poorly to some kid climbing on its back and bouncing up and down? I have seen and heard this from parents more times than I care to admit. I've never had to worry about my kids interaction with our dogs as they learned how to behave wih dogs at a very young age.
No dog should have to learn abuse from children as a means of child proofing a dog.

Always been a sore spot for me..

 

[AngelaA6]

Seems people have forgotten about training children to behave and treat animals/pets properly.
I had several dogs when my children were born. I taught my kids to respect and interact properly with dogs. I have heard so many parents say "my kids can do anything to our dog....pull ears and tails..ride their backs...bite". What happens when your children think its ok to treat someone elses dog that way? Is it the dogs fault when it reacts poorly to some kid climbing on its back and bouncing up and down? I have seen and heard this from parents more times than I care to admit. I've never had to worry about my kids interaction with our dogs as they learned how to behave wih dogs at a very young age.
No dog should have to learn abuse from children as a means of child proofing a dog.

Always been a sore spot for me..

Same for me which is why I try to show my niece the proper way to treat dogs but when I have only 10 minutes with her before she runs off distracted it's a little difficult. Her mom doesn't understand fully on how to respect animals either -.-' and she wants to get a puppy. I'm afraid for their future pup . At least I taught my niece "gentle" when petting because she had a tendency to pull the fur

 

[llombardo]

I agree with Selzer. I trust my dogs with anyone that is in my home whether they are newborn or adult. The dogs sleep with my nieces and nephew, play with them, and watch over them. If a dog was not trustworthy I don't know if I could have it in my home. They are taught early on to be good with kids and I have never had any problems.

 

[Saphire]

I don't believe any dog who has been part of my family would ever hurt a child but I have never allowed a child to mistreat them in any way. I can honestly say I don't know for fact how any of my dogs would react to a child jumping on them or chewing on an ear etc. as I do not allow it.

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[atourya]

Know your dog - whatever the breed. I adopted a 2 year old shelter GSD. I had three kids 10, 6 and 2. I monitored them very closely, for a while. Before long, I was insisting that the dog be with them at all times. They were going out in the yard. I'd say, "Take the dog with you." As they got old enough to stay home alone (8 years old in MD), I would say, "Keep that dog with you." My dog adored the kids more than life itself. I knew she would never hurt them. She was equally trustworthy with their friends. She believed all friends had visited just to see her. And...."Annie" NEVER missed a party. God I miss that girl.

I love this post. I actually brought Cosette in to become a companion to children as my wife and I start laying down roots. She's a rambunctious puppy still, but around kids she is extremely calm and patient. I have a feeling that a lot of these issues come up when there isn't a dominant leader in the dog's home. My Belgian Shepherd is the same way with kids, and he wasn't raised with them.

 

[MichaelE]

So while I was out with Penny for her walk today, was stopped by a lady who wanted to pet her, she said she apparently loves the breed but as she has kids she would never own one because they are not to be trusted with children, and anyone who has a GSD with their child or lets them be around other peoples children are very irresponsible... I had to try to contain myself as I know this is totally untrue, but I just politely said to each their own and continued on our walk...

...

The ignorant strike again...

I can't believe the crap that spews out of some people's mouths.

 

[Cheyanna]

Children should not be allowed around GSDs. I trust Fiona, but not kids. Kids are sometimes dumb and do dumb things, so I supervise the children.


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