rescue dogs and small children

A frightened dog is a dangerous one, is what the vet told my daughter.

It must be so tempting to rescue an animal from terrible conditions, but it must add an extra element of risk.

Surely it's better to reduce risks as much as possible for it to work.

Arry, I'm with you on the adopting dogs from abroad. We have a huge number of dogs needing rescuing in our own country. Not all charities have the same rules about children and dogs. The big charities like the RSPCA might have but I know several who take each home on its merit. Some will allow people to work for short hours or rely on people coming in to keep the dog company or walk it.

We have a 6 year old toy poodle and a 2.5 year old cocker who both love the safe space that their cages provide; they sleep in them every night and when we are both out of the house.

Introducing a puppy or a dog of any age to a household with young children requires planning so that both the animal's and the children's safety and welfare are safe guarded.

We adore our dogs, they both have the loveliest of natures but that said, I would never leave either of them alone with a young child.

I'm proud to be a volunteer home checker for overseas dog rescue charities and can honestly say that when it comes to assessing the suitability of a home with young children, I look to see if the children would be able to look after a dog if they were both left alone with each other. If the child were too young, too immature or too small, my assessment would state exactly that on my report and they would probably be turned down.
Overseas rescues are in the main, excellent for ensuring their animals are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, passported, cat, dog and child aware and a full assessment would be carried out on their behaviour prior to adoption details being released. The rescues also usually have someone on hand in the UK who can mentor or help new adopters if the need arises.
It doesn't matter where a dog comes from, rescue dogs all have the need for shelter, food and to be protected from cruelty & neglect wherever they have originated from?

New rule from government for after 1 Jan 2021 when we officially leave EU is that no more than 4 rescue dogs at a time can be bought into this country. This is to avoid the market being flooded with dogs being bought in from mainly Eastern European countries with dubious, unknown background. Charities have said that from then I will no longer be viable to run the charities which bring , mainly dogs in to this country.

I grew up with dogs and some were fully adult before we got them. A wire-haired terrier came into my life when he and I were both nearly five. We never had any disagreements.

However, my father too had grown up with dogs and he had some few sensible rules that had to be obeyed.

We children were not allowed to go near the dogs while they were eating their dinner, nor to approach the dogs if they had a bone to gnaw. If we did so, we were called away and told off.

Until I was seven, I don't remember ever being alone with the dogs -some adult member of the household was always there too.

If your daughter follows similar rules, there shouldn't be any trouble.

I don't like the thought of keeping dogs in crates or cages, even for a short length of time, but perhaps it is no worse than the playpen most of us remember from our early childhood.

If the dog should be so afraid of children that he snaps or growls then your daughter will either need to re-home it, or have it put down.

I was five, when our labrador went mad - not due to rabies, but a brain tumour. The vet was nearly certain that that was what was wrong and Daddy simply asked the vet to take the dog with him and put it down.

We were all fond of the dog, but a dog or a cat is exactly that. Neither should be kept if they are putting children at risk.

My daughter got a rescue Jack Russell and she is the dearest thing ever. When my grandson was born the dog came to stay at ours until we were sure she’s be ok. In fact she has never shown any aggression and is an adored family pet. The children need to learn how to treat an animal with respect but that’s part of the process. At six months there is a great chance for this puppy to be properly trained.

It’s not a puppy, though. It’s a dog, probably one that has been living on its wits since it was a pup. It could turn out to be a loving pet, but it’s a gamble that I wouldn’t like to take, especially with two young children in the house.

I do think that putting dogs in a cage to give a "safe" space is utter nonsense. They can have a bed wherever suits the family best. If the dog isn't left in peace maybe it is the children who should be caged!

From various news articles, it's the ones that have been used to cages that are the most dangerous. Not sure if it's because they were in the cage in the first place because they were temperamental, or the type of people who put dogs in cages aren't the sort who would have raised them as family pets. Personally I'd only ever get a dog that had been bred to mother who was a family pet, and only get a rescue dog if it had only been in the shelter a very short time and had belonged to a loving owner who just couldn't keep it any more

My great grandchildren, 7, 10, and 11, have had a rescue dog from a local charity and have had no problems whatsoever.
Many years ago I had a rescue dog and the only thing wrong with it was that I found it lively after having an old dog.

Ten weeks ago I welcomed an approximately 18 month old dog into my home. It's not been easy but she's doing well now. I got her through small dog rescue Sussex and Scotland, who bring in from Romania, I must say that they were very thorough when I applied, and I had an online interview and check, lots of questions asked. After I got my dog, I had follow up emails and phone calls from a couple of their people checking that everything was going okay. Many of their dogs are puppies, which for young families are better suited. Hope all goes well and hopefully common sense is in good supply.

Theoddbird

Whether a cat gets along with a dog depends on the animals involved. Our previous cat Biggie (Mr. Bigglesworth) tried to make friends with a dog once when our daughter's friend brought her puppy over for a couple of minutes once. (The dog appeared not to know what to make of him.) There's a Boston terrier breeder in my area who posted an adorable picture of one of her dogs snuggled up with a cat. Apparently the cat is a friend to all of the dogs they have.

As far as the little ones, again, it depends on the dog. My cousin and her husband have an 11-month-old son and two dogs and one or two cats. The pets were already there before the baby was born. They're very careful with their son around the pets. As far as I'm aware there has never been a problem.

As long as you research the breed. Pugs and French Bulldogs are perfect for kids. One thing you must realise is you NEVER leave a pet alone with children. An animal can hurt a child without meaning to! I had a cat that used to visit me, but it was a boisterous, exuberant cat that loved to play rough games that used to result in blood being drawn. He was a fun cat with a real propensity for affection but you could not have trusted him with a small child. He had no malice in him at all Everything to him was a game, but he could have hurt a child. Exercise caution.

Adult dogs from places in eastern Europe are mostly strays who have learned to be independent and have developed their intelligence to an inconvenient degree.This makes them very difficult to recall but they have been socialised in many situations involving humans.

janipans. I can understand your concerns, but why does your daughter have to go to Macedonia to adopt a dog? There are plenty in this country who need a good home>

Lolo81

Depending on how your DD is going about getting this dog, she will probably have to jump through more hoops to get the dog home doing it this way than she would by just going and buying a puppy.
As far as I am aware most rehoming services match the dog with a forever home, which means that a home with young children would not be suitable for a dog with aggression issues. All that is to say she may actually be safer doing it this way than by buying an unknown quantity from a breeder. Adult dogs are generally less bouncy and less likely to mouth than a puppy, both of which are far less dangerous for children.
Above all else you have to trust your DD, is she a good mum, wife, daughter, employee, person? If yes to any or all of these questions then trust her: adding a dog to the family could be a wonderful experience for your GC. I was raised around dogs and loved all of them, was taught how to interact and had responsibilities towards helping keep them healthy. These are all good things.
Now this bit might be a wee bit stern; this isn’t your concern and you shouldn’t voice it - DD is an adult and just because she’s making choices that you wouldn’t doesn’t make her a careless parent.
Maybe do some research into the breeds she is looking at to try and reassure yourself, it’s natural to worry - but please don’t catastrophise - it’s a dog, not a bomb!!

Totally agree with every word.

having had experiences and know others who have experiences too, i have known of dogs who have suddenly turned, its usually been, pit bulls, dobermen and others, the ones i have known have turned for no reason , i was also told by a vet that in no way should you leave a baby alone in a room with a dog as the dogs do not like a babys cry, its too high pitched, im sure that dog owners take lots of care with dogs and children and there are undoubtedly lots of very loving gentle dogs so please dont take one out without going into it very carefully and getting all the info you can

I've had rescue dogs from this country & also abroad - they are usually more grateful than the UK dogs, perhaps because the levels of cruelty abroad wouldn't be tolerated in this country & most of them have suffered unimaginably. The last dog I adopted from Blind Dog Rescue UK was a little Poodle, found sitting in the middle of the road the night before the dog catchers could legally " rake up " a dog & chuck it in a lorry. He adapted to English commands very quickly, never left my side for the 3 years I had him, & I miss him dreadfully. I then got a poodle from the Blue Cross ( unlike most foreign charities they don't take much care in matching a dog to the most suitable home ). After 12 years being spoilt by an elderly couple she has only now, aged 14, accepted she can't have it all her way. I think it can be more rewarding to rescue a dog from abroad - well done to your daughter. It's just a question of educating the children alongside the dog then all will be well.

I think it can be more rewarding to rescue a dog from abroad

Not so rewarding for the dogs who are being killed in this country because homes can't be found for them.

Dogs in this country need homes! I don’t understand it, there should be a law against rehoming a dog from abroad when there are hundreds of dogs here to choose from.

I suppose you have to trust your daughter and the rescue she's involved with janipans.
I rescued and fostered for 30 years. I still volunteer for a specific breed rescue charity (British). My current dogs were not rescues. One came as a ten month old having been loved and cared for. She's now two, the other is a puppy who arrived last week, from a reputable breeder recommended by a friend involved with the breed. I did not feel able to rescue as usual because we have grandchildren under age five who (pre lockdown) were here regularly. The children aren't growing up with dogs and it seemed unwise to bring in an adult dog with an unknown history. I crate train -used well, its a Boone. Used badly, its awful.

The dog training group I'm part of has had a number of young dogs who came into the UK via rescues from Romania, Spain, Eastern Europe. All the dogs had complex behavioural/emotional problems. A couple responded well to good care and training, sadly several ended up with the Dogs Trust.
Our small group raised money for our local dog shelter and the trainer went with that and other donations last week. They report having an increasing number of dogs who were placed by Eastern European charities. Also, that some unscrupulous people in those countries are actually breeding pups who can be 'rescued' here. The street dogs have never lived in homes, they have scavenged and hunted for food, often in packs. They are likely to find adjusting to living inside difficult. Our local shelter reports that some unscrupulous people in Eastern Europe are breeding puppies to be 'rescued' in Britain. It's a trade that needs stopping. We have so many dogs in rescue. Post lock down we will have many many more.

As a puppy my dog was in a cage when I couldn't keep an eye on him because puppies often chew. It is too easy for puppies to swallow something that will block their intestines or chew through electrical wires. It meant I could have him in the bedroom next to my bed for the first couple of nights without him messing on the floor overnight. I could hear him if he moved about and could whip him outside to do his business. When he was first home and insecure, a blanket over the cage made him feel safe. During the day when he needed to sleep because he was getting over tired, he could go into his cage (willingly) so I could shut the door, pop the blanket over and he would have a nap. As soon as he woke, he could come out. He could have his raw food on a wipeable tray which meant he wasn't spreading it around the house. By the time he outgrew the first cage, he had grown up enough to no longer need it and now he as a lovely basket in the hall with his own sofa in the lounge.
Give a dog high value treats and they won't worry if it is a cage if it is used appropriately for short periods of time.

Dogs and kids - dangerous in my opinion, since the family’s placid and good natured springer suddenly attacked my grandson with no warning or provocation and ripped right through his cheek. My grandson would be dead now if the family hadn’t been with him. He has had numerous plastic surgeries.

My nephew has a rescue dog from Romania.She is lovely and gentle,but at first was scared of him.She is brilliant with their children.Before they had her she had every test imaginable had all the injections necessary and arrived with her pet passport,try not to worry too much.I know that's easily said and much harder to do