rottie & kids

[donna sepulveda]

My female rottie is 1yr3mts olds,23'' and 92lbs,I do not have any children in my home or that come to visit,,,when I am out with Roxy at either Pet Smart or the large area outdoor Flea Market she is very good with strange adults & older children (5 & up)and if they ask if they (children) can pet her I tell Roxy to Sit and she does and everything is ok but when she sees a very small child(under 4) or even a baby carriage she will start to wimper & cry and want to go to it very excitedly,I tell her to Sit & Stay till they past,which she does, but continues to wimper..I never let her near a very small child or a child in a carriage even if the parents come right up to us and say to the child "look at the doggie''or "its ok we have a dog at home"which has happened more than once LOL..I dont feel she will intenionally harm a child but she get so excited and may jump up on one and there could be a problem,,Is it normal for this kind of attraction to smaller children.....Thanks

[Judi W]

I've taught my dogs to do a down for small children. That way they are not towering over the child. Takes a bit of practice, but after a while the down themselves when they see a wee one.

[Carina43]

Many Rotties seem to have a real affinity for children! If she's not used to them, the "down" is a great idea...also I'd be careful if the kids are likely to be hyper and run or shriek. If you can get her used to calm children who are used to big dogs, she'll be a bit more relaxed - most likely she just wants to play and investigate.

My Cooper is a TDI dog and does regular visits to a home for kids with various problems - he just adores small children and gets very excited when he sees them, but he's learned to be very calm and gentle around the little'uns. If they are apprehensive, I make him down and tell them to rub his tummy - little kids get a real kick out of that! If your girl is mannerly on a leash, let the kid hold the leash...that's another thing that kids seem to enjoy...the feeling that they are controlling the big dog! And it will give your dog a "job" instead of being all hyper.

I've had five Rotties and four of them have been absolutely wonderful with children - even the one dog who was very aloof with adults. The one who isn't is a rescue I've had for five months...he has a ferocious prey drive and I will not trust him with small children, though he's very good (supervised) with my s/o's older kids.