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and yet al the bad stories you've heard of gsd's ive heard (and seen) of labs (and a little less frequently, goldens)
like veyrhtin gelse, go to a shelter and adopt a young adult dog whos temperament is testable OR doyour homework ad find a GOOD RESPONSIBLE BREEDER breeing healthy STABLE dogs...
these temperament issues are due to bad breeding of bybs and mis thanks to popularity add in a lck of knowledge ad training "because all GSDS ae super smart theyl train themselves" or "all labs are GREAT with kids we don't ever have to worry" and you've got a recipie for distaster, it doens tmatter HAT the breed.
labs and golden retrievers. they are goofy until about 2-3 years old but thats why you love the. great family dogs who are very smart and easy to train. once mature they are great for children.
The best dogs we had when our big kids were small was a Brittany/springer spaniel mix, a GSD, and a female golden retriever. The best dog we had for our now 11 year old was a whippet/lab mix. He passed away last November. But he was an AWESOME dog. I would get a dog from a rescue shelter.
Pit Bull rescue.... but they do require a strick, loving owner dedicated to time and training. My family loves the pit bull breed, and will probably never have any other breed. Our long time trainer does schutzhund, obedience, and agility, which we used to do schutzhund with our Dobermans and our German Shepherds. Now we are all about Pit bulls and do just obedience. They are uber affectionate, and having an uber obedient dog is the greatest feeling in the world.
The mutts I have owned have all been great with kids. I also think the Silken Windhounds are fantastic with kids. They tend to be very gentle, love to cuddle and just have a fantastic temperament. Dazzle lets toddlers grab his long fur and pull them selves up and he just stands there grinning. He has never growled, curled his lip or snapped at any human. Little kids that come to the dog park LOVE him and they hug and kiss him and he is so good with all of them. One mom says when her toddler sees a car like mine she starts calling out " Dazzle" as they enter the dog park shes yelling out "Dazzle" and he gets a goofy grin and trots over to her. so sweet!
Much like Pit Bulls used to be considered 'Nanny Dogs' here in the US (like the dog from the Little Rascals), Akita's were the 'Nanny Dogs' in Japan. Our Akita rescue adapts very very well to the rough and tumble play my husband likes, the jogs my teen daughter takes with her, and the quirky/odd way my son with autism relates to her. She even likes to spend hours guarding my daughter's hamster. Akitas are very intelligent, very energetic, very very independent dogs.
Any dog you want to raise alongside young children should be adopted young, preferably as a puppy, needs to be closely supervised around those young children, and needs firm training. There is no such thing as a dog who 'trains him/herself', that's a recipe for disaster.
The medium-sized Norweigan Elkhound is a superior family dog. It has a 100% thick wool coat, that hardly sheds at all, that kids just love to pet and snuggle againest, and are very playful, yet gentle. If your family likes to hunt, the Elkhound is very sturdy and can endure running longer distances than most. They were bred to hunt Moose, and they can keep a 1200 pound Moose at bay by their stamina, agility, and bark for days. My Thor stood his ground and protected me when we were attacked by a mean Pit who escaped from his yard while we were walking by. *getting weepy* and his skin and fur were so thick, and he was so agile, when the Pit's teeth grabbed his neck, it had trouble holding it, and he did'nt even bleed, stood his ground protecting me,was'nt afraid. until the fight was broken up. Then, a stray German Shepard attacked him over a bone he was eating in front of the house, and the same thing happened where he stood his ground and never even suffered a scratch. Yet, he never was mean to anyone, and always was good natured. Good Luck trying to find one though, I had to travel to another state, but he was worth it!
Last edited by glenninindy; 10-03-2013 at 10:50 AM..
I don't think you can say that any particular breed is great for families. Everyone always says labs are great, or goldens are great, but big happy licking dogs are not always the best if you have a toddler because of their exuberance. Go through a rescue and choose a dog that has been in a foster home. The foster family can tell you if the dog gets along well with kids and other animals.
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. I also think the Silken Windhounds are fantastic with kids. They tend to be very gentle, love to cuddle and just have a fantastic temperament. Dazzle lets toddlers grab his long fur and pull them selves up and he just stands there grinning. He has never growled, curled his lip or snapped at any human. Little kids that come to the dog park LOVE him and they hug and kiss him and he is so good with all of them. One mom says when her toddler sees a car like mine she starts calling out " Dazzle" as they enter the dog park shes yelling out "Dazzle" and he gets a goofy grin and trots over to her. so sweet!
