There are certain breeds that tend to do better with children than others. No dog or breed of dog is completely trustworthy with children. Most dogs wont bite unprovoked. There is generally some trigger: something as obvious as a child poking, prodding, or hitting the dog, or as subtle as a dog feeling possessive when a child come too close to his food bowl or toy. All of these are avoidable situations, but teaching a child to be gentle and respectful of dogs and training a dog to be tolerant of children and to accept people handling his possessions take time and patience.
While most any dog can make a great pet, a few breeds have tendencies you should be aware of. Some dogs have stronger predatory instincts than others such as the northern breeds and terriers. Akitas, Dobermans, mastiffs, pit bull-types, and other powerful dogs can be wonderful protectors of children, but their strength can be dangerous if not properly trained and socialized. American pit bull terriers are often thought of dangerous to children, but in reality bull types often make the best childrens companions. The bully breeds are sometimes called nanny dogs or nursemaid dogs because of their fondness for children. Like every breed, Labs, goldens, and bully breeds all need proper socialization and training to grow up to be friendly to children. Dogs of any breed should never be left alone with small children. Keep sleeping infants secure and our of your dogs reach.
