pound dog and a toddler

[Avas_Mom]

Im planning on getting a dog from the pound this saturday(hopefully she will still be there) im a bit worried though having 3 cats and a toddler, what if the dog is not use to kids? Obviously the pound doesnt have history on animals. Im only getting this dog because shes a golden retriever and ive been looking for them and cant find them anywhere. And now i came across one at a pound who needs rescued! Ive heard that golden retrievers are great family pets. Am i making a mistake though?

[heatherlynn22]

i have a 9 month old nephew and 2 dogs. (both pound rescued) when we got chester (we've had him for almost 3 years now) jon wasn't around yet...but he's an absolute peach and great with kids and lucky.....he was just the sweetest fuzz ball...both are great with him. usually if the dog has a good temperment.....then it'll be ok around kids. but like utahmomma said take your toddler with you to see how the dog reacts. as far as the cats go....who knows that's all up to the kitties. maybe they'll all get along great. the cat we had at the time...was annoyed we had another animal...especially a dog (i know HOW DARE WE! lol) but they got along great after 2 weeks of spunky being p*ss** off at us.

[Avas_Mom]

Ive had dogs before, so im not completely inexperienced. Ive never had a golden though..and shes not a puppy so she has to know some kind of commands, i hope anyway. Ive had 3 dogs before..1 we got at age 7 from a lady in the paper she was a pom mix and then we had a beagle pup my mom got rid of and then we got a puppy from the apl who was a terrier mix-best dog i ever had! she had to be put to sleep though. Anyway good idea ill def take my child along to see how they react, shes really good with our cats. She pets them she doesnt hit or pull their hair either..ill let you know what happens. Thanks to you both for the advice.

[Jaybay]

One other thought just flitted across my brain on your situation.  You might consider hiring a trainer or even better, a veterinary behaviorist to go with you to the pound for your final selection, or at least someone you trust who knows dogs very well.  If the Golden you're considering turns out to be completely inappropriate for your needs, it's better to find out before going through with the adoption.  If the shelter is well-staffed, they may even have a behaviorist on staff already to help you out, but my experience is that pounds and shelters just want to get the animals out regardless of personal circumstances and situational fitness.  OK, I'll shut up now!  :-)

[Jaybay]

Congratulations on your decision to rescue a dog!  Any being, whether dog or human, takes time to adjust to a new living situation and learn the House Rules.  utahmomma makes a great suggestion of bringing your child along for a "meet and greet" before you make your final decision.  What you want to look for is a submissive personality.  By submissive, I don't mean "fearful" but rather "open" to instruction from you, his new pack leader.  A dog who flings himself at his crate door and is terrifically excited is not going to be the dog for you.  You want a dog who is curious and interested, but not overly excited.  Conversely, a dog who is cringing in the back of its crate is probably fearful and insecure, and it sounds like you aren't familiar enough with dogs to deal effectively with either extreme.

While it's true that Goldens are generally great "people" dogs, so are many other breeds.  They all have the usual exercise requirements - some more than others.  What exactly do you want from a dog companion?  Are you prepared to do some basic obedience training with this dog?  Is he already housebroken?  Can you commit to taking him for walks every day?  You can't expect any dog to waltz into your life and be the perfectly behaved gentleman without teaching him the rules, boundaries and limitations of your household.  

You can teach your dog to respect your child (and even the cats) as being higher on the chain of pack command, but you need some tools to make that point effectively.  Ask the shelter you're working with to recommend a trainer or better yet, a behaviorist to work with you in the next few weeks to ensure a good outcome for all concerned.  Dogs are really marvelous creatures in that they need rules in their lives.  It doesn't matter if the rules are made by another dog or a human, as long as they are effectively communicated.  

Since you have a few days before the big adoption day, I recommend that you head to the library or book store and read through any of Cesar Milan's books about dog psychology.  "Cesar's Way" being one, and "Be the Pack Leader" being the most recent.  There you will find the necessary tools and information to make your dog adoption a great experience that will last a lifetime.  And of course, everyone here is ready to help as well.  Hope you get the pup you're looking for!  :-)

[utahmomma]

Take the toddler with you.  Most pounds will allow you to take the dog away from other dogs (there are large, fenced play areas at my local shelter) to get to know the dog without all the stress of all of them barking.  Bring the toddler and see how they interact.