Need help picking an LGD for our needs

[MorelCabin]

A friend of ours has a 1/2 pitbull, 1/2 boxer and he is a great dog as well. But i still watch him with the baby when he is around...just because...

As far as the rotties, the owners didn't ruin them...one of them I know personally...it attacked thier son when he was about 4 years old. This was years ago. They had had that dog before they ever had kids and it was a great dog until that dreadful moment. Alot of facial stitches. Another couple here had a new baby and the rottie literally ate it...our vet friend had to put the dog down and go in for remains. Imagine that...nope rotties are not for me after that.

 

[Farmfresh]

We also had a 1/2 boxer mix that was/IS a wonder dog.

This is Gracie. She lost a back leg under a car when my D1 discovered her as a stray. Now she is a therapy dog (owned by one of the other teachers) at our school. GREAT with the disabled children ... chickens ... not so much. :/

I also think just for the sake of living in Alaska, Bubblingbrooks needs a dog with some hair. Boxers, rotties and pits are too bald. It gets mighty cold and hard during an Alaskan winter. She needs a dog that can work in all conditions. Pyrenees or St. Bernard would also fit this bill.

 

[MsPony]

A friend of ours has a 1/2 pitbull, 1/2 boxer and he is a great dog as well. But i still watch him with the baby when he is around...just because...

As far as the rotties, the owners didn't ruin them...one of them I know personally...it attacked thier son when he was about 4 years old. This was years ago. They had had that dog before they ever had kids and it was a great dog until that dreadful moment. Alot of facial stitches. Another couple here had a new baby and the rottie literally ate it...our vet friend had to put the dog down and go in for remains. Imagine that...nope rotties are not for me after that.

I'm saying this for discussion, not argument, so please don't take it that way!!

I'd never trust a dog, ever, around a baby. They smell like baby stink, which is yummylicious to a dog, and flail around. What dog wouldn't have temptation? They are a squeak toy, prey, something to play with or kill. Just like some chickens (IE polish, poor stupid critters.)

Some dogs also don't understand the difference is children vs adult, I know my current lab is one of those. He understands when he sees a child to sit, he's too big not too (he also sits for little dogs.) But when children are playing, if they drawback a frisbee or rope, he lunges toward it just like he does with my BIL. That's very scary for a child. If he is laying down with a child, he may get silly, roll on his back and hit a child with his large paws, which hurt children. (You have to remember he's 95# lean.)

Whereas my old lab understood the differences in age. He would sit all day long playing dressup and tea with my friends and I, he would allow makeup to be put on him. He would run and tumble in "football" with my brother and his friends. Always being the one tumbled or dog piled on. If they were on the jungle gyms, hed be underneath ready to break a childs fall. It was softer to fall on him then the ground.

I recently had a family w/ lab attached come in. He reminded me so much of my old boy not just in looks, but in the way he was gentle and kind with the 4 year old girl. Sure, he did drag her to go see another dog, but it was a gentle, kind drag.

I think its really each dog, vs being each breed. I've been knocked to the ground and attacked by two labradors at once, but I still love the breed after knowing/meeting well over a 100. There are bad apples in every breed. But trusting ANY animal with a baby? Too tempting.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

A friend of ours has a 1/2 pitbull, 1/2 boxer and he is a great dog as well. But i still watch him with the baby when he is around...just because...

As far as the rotties, the owners didn't ruin them...one of them I know personally...it attacked thier son when he was about 4 years old. This was years ago. They had had that dog before they ever had kids and it was a great dog until that dreadful moment. Alot of facial stitches. Another couple here had a new baby and the rottie literally ate it...our vet friend had to put the dog down and go in for remains. Imagine that...nope rotties are not for me after that.

I'm saying this for discussion, not argument, so please don't take it that way!!

I'd never trust a dog, ever, around a baby. They smell like baby stink, which is yummylicious to a dog, and flail around. What dog wouldn't have temptation? They are a squeak toy, prey, something to play with or kill. Just like some chickens (IE polish, poor stupid critters.)

Some dogs also don't understand the difference is children vs adult, I know my current lab is one of those. He understands when he sees a child to sit, he's too big not too (he also sits for little dogs.) But when children are playing, if they drawback a frisbee or rope, he lunges toward it just like he does with my BIL. That's very scary for a child. If he is laying down with a child, he may get silly, roll on his back and hit a child with his large paws, which hurt children. (You have to remember he's 95# lean.)

Whereas my old lab understood the differences in age. He would sit all day long playing dressup and tea with my friends and I, he would allow makeup to be put on him. He would run and tumble in "football" with my brother and his friends. Always being the one tumbled or dog piled on. If they were on the jungle gyms, hed be underneath ready to break a childs fall. It was softer to fall on him then the ground.

I recently had a family w/ lab attached come in. He reminded me so much of my old boy not just in looks, but in the way he was gentle and kind with the 4 year old girl. Sure, he did drag her to go see another dog, but it was a gentle, kind drag.

I think its really each dog, vs being each breed. I've been knocked to the ground and attacked by two labradors at once, but I still love the breed after knowing/meeting well over a 100. There are bad apples in every breed. But trusting ANY animal with a baby? Too tempting.

I agree, 100%.

 

[pinkfox]

i 100% agree also, leaving any young child alone with a dog of any breed and any size is a potential tragedy...

as for the rotty that bit the child, in all honesty, yes it is in part the owners fault...and in part the breeders fault

the breeders fault because any dog that would randomly snap is question the breeders program...part of breeding responisbly includes evalutation of correct temperment and rotwilers are supposed to be incredibly steadfast stable dogs due to origionally being used as herding dogs, they had to be able to think, reason and respond...
and the owners fault because id have to wonder how well socilized wiht children that dog was...did the dog get socilized around kids as a puppy, was the dog introduced to kids...was the dog introduced to the childs belongings...
and where were the parents when the child got bitten?!

i again 100% agree, dogs and kids in general must be supervised 100%

the same goes for the one whos dog almost ate the baby...whaere were the parents, why was the dog allowed unsupervised with the baby for long enough for this to even be a consderation, was the dog ever introduced to the babies items socilized to children and babies...

its 50% breeding and 50% socilization and training!

breed has nothing to do with anything...
rotties are SUPPOSED to be good family dogs, PITS (and bully breeds in general) are SUPPOSED to be excelent wiht people, ect...

again you had bad experiences and for that im very sorry, but your still painting an entire bred with a broad brush based on the situations YOU were in which sound like the direct result of bad breeding and a combinaton of lack of traning/socilization and supervision on the owners part.

children are wild, they smell yummy, they make high pitched sounds, they run around and flail there TOYS to a dog...an exciting self propelled toy...
so ANY dog thats not been socilized with children shouldnt be trusted with kids...and even those highly socilized with kids shouldnt be unsupervised around kids because accidents happen in a mear split second.

i knwo of 8 kids who were mauled by labs...but i know as a whole labs are NOT agressive and that all 8 cases were a combination of bad breeding and bad judgment on the owners part...
it doesnt mean labs are baby killers..

i know 4 kids who have been bitten by goldens...one golden actualy killed a baby locally...yup, all are visious kid eating monsters...

i even know someone who left her baby on the floor with their doxie and the dog bit the babies finger off...yup all doxies want to eat children....

see how silly that sounds?

it just doesnt "seem as silly" when its a rot because they are big black and tan dogs with a bad rep...
same with pits and staffies (the staffordshire bull terrier is known as the nanny dog in the uk due to their affinity to children) but they already have such a bad rap due to bad breeders and idiots that its easy to just add nastyness to the cycle.

 

[Wifezilla]

There are dogs I wont own based on past bad experiences. Sure, not ALL chows are bad, but the scars of the people I know who got bit by them are still there and I know how those dogs were raised. Too many other nice dogs out there for me to want to even risk it.

I also have a rule to never own a dog that can fit my head in it's mouth. Call me silly...

 

[big brown horse]

Oh, if you decide to do a large breed, try to find one on the small side. It will save you a ton of money on any vetting, and they will live longer. Same personality (usually) though in a smaller package.

Our two current St. Bernards are under 95 lbs. Oh, they don't drool either. (Three out of four were "dry mouthed".)

Also you probably do want a dog with a good fur coat, but keep in mind that if it is too long, snow balls will accumulate, everywhere, in between their toes, under their bellies, behind their legs. Not that you are going to get a St., but here is a story about the breed... Years ago, they tried to 'save' the Saints from near extinction by breeding them with longer haired Newfoundlands...thus came the larger "long haired" St.s. They didn't take into consideration "the snow ball effect" and it almost made the breed worthless rescuers in the snow. The short haired (original) St. has a short, thick double coat..perfect for snow. Oh and they have webbed feet--built in snow shoes.

And in case you are ever on Jeopardy, they were trained to find you in the snow then lay on you to keep you warm. Because they did this job alone, they can be very independent and head strong.

I find that the St.s that resemble Newfies (larger, longer haired with big block heads) are more cuddly. The St.s that resemble the original (more houndish looking) are very independent, almost aloof. I've had two of each.

Good luck on your search!!

 

[pinkfox]

i mean have no problem with people having preferences, id persnally never own a lab or golden or pretty much any of the terrier group lol...

it just kills me though when the reason is based on bad experices that are a direct result of bad breeding and lack of proper upbringing...
it makes me sad to see that...

 

[MsPony]

BBH- you have always made me want a saint

 

[Wifezilla]

Ok. Enough input and opinions. GO BUY A PUPPY and then post lots of pictures