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by phoebe on 30 April 2009 - 19:04
I think adopting an adult dog is almost always better then a pup for a family with very young kids. We did this several times when our kids were small, and only got a pup when the youngest was 11 years old. However, I would caution the family about the source.
About 12 years ago we adopted a young adult GSD or GSD/lab from a shelter some years ago. Unfortunately, they had not evaluated her temperament, and she was not appropriate for a family with young kids. We kept her, and learned a lot from the experience. The dog was overly protective and could not be trusted about the kids friends. She did keep them safe, but not always in a useful way. Our previous rescues had been milder dogs, terrier and hound mixes. It was a big adjustment. We loved her intelligence, but she was a handful for GSD novices. A reputable breed specific rescue is one thing, the local county shelter where we got our dog is quite another. A good rescue will work hard to match the dog with the home. And as others have stated, breeders also do rescue and rehoming, and they can be the best judges of temperament. Our pup (now 5 yo) is German high line, and he is a fine family companion, but I may well go for a working line dog next time, primarily for health reasons.
Phoebe
About 12 years ago we adopted a young adult GSD or GSD/lab from a shelter some years ago. Unfortunately, they had not evaluated her temperament, and she was not appropriate for a family with young kids. We kept her, and learned a lot from the experience. The dog was overly protective and could not be trusted about the kids friends. She did keep them safe, but not always in a useful way. Our previous rescues had been milder dogs, terrier and hound mixes. It was a big adjustment. We loved her intelligence, but she was a handful for GSD novices. A reputable breed specific rescue is one thing, the local county shelter where we got our dog is quite another. A good rescue will work hard to match the dog with the home. And as others have stated, breeders also do rescue and rehoming, and they can be the best judges of temperament. Our pup (now 5 yo) is German high line, and he is a fine family companion, but I may well go for a working line dog next time, primarily for health reasons.
Phoebe
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