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I don't have any human children. I'd trust any of my dogs alone with children that aren't toddlers. But I wouldn't trust human children to be alone with my dogs within a confined setting. I feel that if the kids were annoying, my dogs would just run away from them.
I agree. I trust my dogs...I just don't trust little human ones. I like to be present so that I can make sure children are taught the correct way to approach and handle pets. Our dogs are certified pet therapy dogs. Part of the rules with TDI (Therapy Dog International) is that when volunteering with your dogs under their certification, is that you do not have your dogs around toddlers.
I would trust all 3 of my dogs, pittie, GSP, GSD mix, with children as long as I was there to make sure the kids were behaving appropriately and the dog didn't become overexcited. If I knew the children were about 10 y/o or so and knew they had always behaved right with the dogs, I wouldn't have to be right there.
Personally,I don't thnk it wise to leave ANY child under school age alone w/ ANY dog. I've read stories of tiny Pomeranians or Dachunds killing infants. I have 3 dogs & 3 kids,a 13 year old,6 year old,& 19 month old. Dogs are a 7 month old Labradoodle,2 year old Toy Rat Terrier, and GSD/Rottie/Lab/Greyhound pup. Only Doodle I trust w/ the baby,but still I'd never leave him alone in a room w/ him while I went outside to check the mailbox or anything. The other 2,no way,not even for a minute. No problem w/ the older kids. Better safe than sorry.
I DO trust my dog with children, but I also know that sometimes I have to protect my dog FROM children. He's friendly and gentle with them and very tolerant, but if they are too graspy/clingy with him and just won't leave him alone, then I speak up and ask the child to let him be. If they don't do as I ask, then I will remove my dog from the space. He has the right to be "unbothered" by kids, just as the kids have the right to be "unbothered" by him. All living creatures have the right to "personal space" and dogs are no different.
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