Cockers And Children

[jools]

QUOTE
We to, could have opted to get a rescue dog, however after much evaluating, we decided that having children in the house we wanted a puppy who had already been socialized with children, and chose a breed renowned for being excellent with young children, therefore ensuring peace of mind and lowering the risk of conflict between kids and pup.

REPLY
I use the term "rescue" because we rescued a puppy from awful conditions. Millie was only 8-10 weeks old when we got her. She came from a puppy farm. We did not know this at the time, it did not have PUPPY FARM written outside, it was just a house, not uncommon.

QUOTE
Your dog will be around for many years, and I hope that given time you will learn to trust your dog and children together as it is a match made in heaven  

REPLY
My kids are around my dogs ALL the time. They play together from morning until night. If I have to leave the room, I take either dogs or child with me. I do not do this as much if it's just my 11 year old with the dogs. She has had a huge part in training the dogs.

[Gilly]

Buttons gets left with my children all the time   When she was a puppy I used to put her in the playpen if I went out of the room but that was only for the first few months.

If anything happened to my kids it would be my responsibility   I couldn't imagine going out of the room and not being able to leave her with them   They adore her as much as I do and they have been brought up to love and respect animals.
Buttons is a part of this family 110%, my oldest daughter calls her "my sister"  

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

Got to agree with you Gilly    my children have been brought up with dogs, and have been taught to respect and care for them, from a very early age.
Ive never had a problem leaving them alone together, apart from when they were toddlers, just in case a toy was flung  or food was involved  

Having said that!! if any of them had a suspect temperament then i definatly wouldn't have left them alone together.

We had our GSD before the children came along, he was a big softie    when i came home with my first born, i gave the baby to my MIl next door and went in to see him first on my own. My hubby then carried the baby in to see him, he had a few sniffs, a lick oh his hand, and that was it! he loved my son from day one, and they were the best friends ever  

[Magic Star]

Buttons gets left with my children all the time  When she was a puppy I used to put her in the playpen if I went out of the room but that was only for the first few months.

If anything happened to my kids it would be my responsibility  I couldn't imagine going out of the room and not being able to leave her with them  They adore her as much as I do and they have been brought up to love and respect animals.
Buttons is a part of this family 110%, my oldest daughter calls her "my sister" 

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I agree Gilly and I leave mine alone with Indie all the time too,I do trust her 100% with them as I trust my children 100% with Indie, the only thing I won't do, is leave her alone with other peoples kids, not because I don't trust her, but because I don't trust them.

[Mike]

Well I dont have kids, but I think I'd agree with Gilly too   Obviously depending on the dog and children in question, but if I felt I could, then i would be happy to leave them alone in a room together while I busied myself with other things (though I'd never leave them alone unattended in the house together, of course). And I can understand the earlier comment too, about '110%' - I never really understand why anyone uses a term like that, isn't 100% enough?    

[Gilly]

We had a dog before our first child was born and we did the same Barb   he accepted her from day one and although he was 7 and had never been brought up with kids I trusted him 110%.
I did put him upstairs when friends kids came visiting for his sanity  as these non-doggy kids had no idea how to interact with a dog  

I do think it depends on the dogs personality. Buttons has been wonderful, even with her babies from day 1, although the girls were not allowed to touch them  
Now the puppies are bigger the girls are getting more involved, helping with feeding/cleaning etc  

[Magic Star]

Now the puppies are bigger the girls are getting more involved, helping with feeding/cleaning etc 

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I think thats great Gilly, as its also getting the pups used to little people and will help  make them into very well balanced little dogs   I sometimes feel a lack of trust and lack of interaction with children and dogs from an early age can cause issues.  I feel very lucky to have well bahaved kids and a well behaved dog

[Em - Oscar's mum]

Well I discovered a few weeks ago now that I am pregnant with my first child but obviously kept it quiet for a few weeks for obvious reasons and I believe that when the baby is born Oscar will be wonderful with him/her.  He just has that sort of temperment, (sorry about the spelling) and knowing him will become protective of the baby very quickly.

Although I think my hands are going to be full.......

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

Awww congratulations Em!!  

[Magic Star]

Congratulations Em!  

[Mike]

Congratulations Em - another COL baby! - and I'm sure you're absolutely right about Oscar

[Elisa]

Congratulations!!    

[CarolineandWill]

Congratualtions  

[Gilly]

Congratulations!!!

When I had my first baby I invested in one of those baby carrier's that strap on to your front as I found it much easier to walk the dog with one of those rather than trying to push a pram and control a lead I'm sure Oscar will be fine  

[Em - Oscar's mum]

Thanks everyone and thanks for the advice Gilly.  I think hubby was thinking about one of them anyway, it must be so much easier than a lead and a pram.