Thinking of purchasing a Bulldog for my family
I am thinking of purchasing a Bulldog for my family but would like to know the compatibility of such a dog with my two young boys, ages 1 and 2½ years old.
It is not the breed of dog, but the individual personalities involved (both canine and human) that make dogs more or less compatible in a given family. Statistics show more than 40,000 facial bites per year reported involving children under the age of 4 occurring in their own homes. These bites are the result of unrealistic expectations from human adults. Children behave in ways that trigger defensive responses from dogs. Dogs, on the other hand, often dominate individuals they perceive as lower in social rank than themselves; young children frequently fall into this category. When a supposed subordinate crosses certain lines, such as touching the dominant canine while it is resting or touching the dog's possessions, many dogs will respond in normal but undesirable canine fashion by growling and then snapping or biting. Dogs do not differentiate human from canine young, and human children do not recognize canine warnings. When children do back off from dominating dogs, matters are only made worse; the bullying dog is reinforced by the child's retreat and the stage is set for the next round. In any case there should be no time when children under the age of 5 spend one minute alone with a dog of any breed without an adult present and supervising. Dogs and children both need to be taught boundaries regarding social interaction with each other. Dogs will behave reflexively, without thought, when provoked; children frequently provoke dogs, both intentionally and unintentionally. Very young children have no concept of cause-and-effect, and warnings do not prevent accidents, only supervision and separation do. Consider your timing more than the breed of dog very carefully. If you truly feel you have the time and ability to juggle and see to everyone's needs, then seek information on how to select the most suitable individual dog. Dogs each have their own unique personalities, even within a given breed. It is important to know which personality traits will fit best with your family and how to identify them in a given puppy. There are many books available that explain how to select a dog for suitability.
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