WWYD? Re this dog

[ApplyYourself]

My step daughter bought a puppy at the weekend. 8 weeks old, she is a novice dog owner. She also has a baby, just walking. Small 2 bed home, just her and the baby.

Anyway - this dog is a ( deep breath ) rottweiler, Great Dane, mastiff mix. And I'm concerned. I don't buy into scare stories but am pretty sure that these are guard type dogs that need stacks of exercise and a firm experienced owner. She's never had a dog before and tells me that it will be the babies protector and she's ' done a list of pros and cons '

She's quite young (23 ) and I'm worried. Should I be? Or just keep my beak out ?

My worry, incidentally , is that these types of dogs with babies do not mix. Maybe you'll tell me I'm wrong?

[DeepRedBetty]

Agree it doesn't matter what the breed is or the size of the house, what matters is how committed she's going to be with working to train it to be the dog she wants and how willing she is to spend the time and money on puppy classes etc.

[EauRouge]

Don't puppies do a lot of mouthing and chewing? I know they are cute but I would always go for an adult dog over a puppy for that reason. Also when the child is learning to walk the dog will be knocking it over all the time. It doesn't sound like a good combination to me but I don't see what you can do really apart from help her to rehome it when she inevitably realises it was a bad idea :(

[catlady1]

Hmm. I do think it might worry me a bit, but I don't like to think of all dogs of certain breeds being a certain way. But I suppose just the size that your DD's dog is likely to grow to could be an issue when her baby starts toddling around, especially if the dog is a bit boisterous. Having the dog from a puppy might work out quite well as long as she is proactive in training it - it will be used to her baby from the start, rather than if she'd got an adult dog that might have had bad experiences with children in the past.

My mum has a rottweiler, she's had it since my brother was about three years old and before that she had a german shepherd. Neither got walked very often at all, probably once a week at most and not very far, unless my dad takes her out for a run somewhere. Obviously that's not ideal for any dog but my point is, both were well-behaved and soft as anything.

[ApplyYourself]

I don't see how she will be able to walk it as much as it will need. I'm guessing that it will need around 90 mins plus when grown... She just cannot do this.

She bought it for a few hundred quid from someone in a town near her. Apparently they own both parents ( rotti and GD - not sure where the mastiff comes into it !! ) but I raised eyebrows at this.

Yes , I'm concerned that she will nip upstairs and leave the baby with it , believing it to be ok or trusting the dog or whatever . You shouldn't leave any dog with a young child but you really shouldn't leave this type of dog with a baby should you ?

Everything I've read says that these are dogs for people without young children who know what they're doing. She's not even insured it yet - although is going to this week I think.

God and the food bill!

She got it because her boyfriend of a few months wanted it. He doesn't live with her but is round most days and apparently he is going to walk it when he comes back from work. If they split up, he's apparently going to have it at his one bed flat.

I feel uneasy and worried for the baby. And poor dog - I sense a re homing coming on at some point soon

[shockers]

I am a dog owner and I know what a lot of work goes into training a dog and making sure it knows it's place in 'the pack'. I would be worried, in fact if she won't listen to you, I'd speak to her HV.

[ApplyYourself]

I am considering speaking to her HV .. But then I wonder if this is the right thing to do? If she had bought, say, a spaniel or a lab I'd just eye roll but let her get on with it. So I'm uneasy because its a rottie crossed with a mastiff etc.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

From what gather Rotties are big softies, not sure about Great Danes, although I am sure I will find out one day, my dad and dd2 love them. Someone will end up fostering/adopting one at some point in the future

I would say the breed is irrelevant, I had a JRT puppy and a newborn when I was 21 and I am sure we've all heard what small terriers can be capable of

The difference being I was from a family of responsible dog owners, I had contributed to the raising and training of two large breed puppies by then and I had support on hand to tell me where I was going right/wrong.

What sounds 'not right' is the situation rather than the breed and the reasons the dog has been bought.

I'm not sure what you could do, knowing young adults if you tell her to get rid of the dog, she will only become more determined to keep it, the HV can't do much other than offer advise on how keep dog/baby apart, nor can SS/RSPCA/any other organisation.

Could you research local training classes for her and offer to babysit while she goes? Or pass her onto the DH section on MN if we promise to play nicely? Providing she is responsible with this dog and trains him well, provides the right exercise and supervises well with the baby, which lots of dog owners manage to do, then there is no reason why this will end badly.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

We had a rottie as a foster not long ago, ive never known such a lovely natured dog, very sweet.
BUT.......I would not leave an unknown puppy of any breed with a child. Never.

It is very possible that she will be a good owner, that she will exercise the dog. go to puppy classes, make sure the house is secure and the dog and baby are not left alone.

Like d0oin said, can you help her with that rather than telling her the dog is a mistake?
Find a local puppy class, go on walks with her, help her work out the practicalities?

[DeepRedBetty]

I promise to be nice if she goes on to The Doghouse.

[tabulahrasa]

I've got a Rottweiler puppy...he adores children, but, he is massively enthusiastic and huge - he isn't great round young children just because normal puppy bouncing and playing is done by a puppy already bigger than a lot of adult dogs. At 8 months old he's about 38kg.

He'd also make a rubbish guard dog, he hides behind me if something gives him a fright, which do far includes, hoovers, torches, dogs bigger than toy size and mobile phones ringing, lol.

They aren't really a guarding breed though - not exactly, they were originally bred to herd cows.

The exercise isn't an immediate issue because large breed puppies shouldn't be overexercised, it's really bad for them...but it will become one, a bored Rottweiler would be a bit of a nightmare, they're clever and will look for their own entairtainment. They are as well though massively trainable because of that, mine picks up new commands in about half an hour.

I don't know as much about great Danes, but they are supposed to be gentle giants.

A puppy is also a puppy... So I wouldn't worry that it might attack, I would however worry about the size of it.

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

oh dear - it is a penis extension for the bf.

Danes and Rotties are large, heavy dogs - that alone is a bad combination with a toddler, nothing to do with temperament. They are softies. Big.Drooling.Softies.

Im not sure what you can do, find out about rehoming for her because I can almost guarantee that this poor pup wont be socialised properly and end up getting rehomed. Iron Mountain are fab with large mastiff breeds.

You could also look for puppy socialisation classes usually at local vets or village halls.

[TataClaire]

Unfortunately sounds like a recipe for disaster as the baby will obviously come first leaving the dogs needs second which could lead to frustration and anything from there on! Depends on the dog's upbringing and whether it's an energetic sort that needs stimulation, I have known rottie mixes and some great danes that have kids climbing all over them and they just sleep and drool all day long and have a little stroll and then go back to sleep...who knows!