[Darseeuh]

My daughter was about a year & a half when we got our Male Rottweiler Pookie. My parents were extremely upset about it, same type things about them being vicious, ect. My father went so far as to come & visit & tell us that if the dog ever scratched "his" grandaughter that he would come & kill the dog. Was I ever upset but as I am not one to be told what to do I had a few choice words with him. As if I would ever endanger my child ever, especially after I had such a hard time getting her here(2 months flat on my back in hospital, and she still came 3 months early!!) Anyway I have a very open & close relationship with my parents and they realized that they had just better deal with it or not come around. Around a year later both of my parents will defend Pookie to anyone who says anything bad about him. My mother even has little treats for him at her house & will cook extra food for him when we come over for meals. My advise is just to do what you want and as long as you raise a well mannered dog what can anyone say? Nothing, unless they choose to be ignorant, which unfortunately many people do. As far as Dogs with kids the dog must be trained and socialized but just as important is teaching the kids how to treat animals as well.