Hi Mamas, We are thinking of adopting a german short haired pointer. He is 2 years and 3 months old, pedigreed, neutered, shots up to date. However, I am curious about what your thoughts are on this if you have OWNED this breed... either A) adopted this breed before OR B) owned this breed from the time it was a puppy. I have 2 boys, one 2 1/4 old and one 5 year old. the 5 year old is nervous with animals and the 2 1/2 year old is a big time animal lover. We live on acreage, so I know we have the room for it. But I'm wondering how it will do with my kids...
My siter has two of those cuties. If they can deal with my six year old nephew they can handle ANYTHING! :)
Fun dogs but like to get out and run around it's awesome you have room for running.
They are actually a very kid friendly breed of dog, in general. I really like the breed, actually. I haven't owned one, but I have worked with plenty :) It's a breed I'd feel very comfortable having in my house. They love being a family dog and are usually very happy with it. The problem is, they are VERY high energy. A yard or acreage isn't enough. They crave active exercise. A hike, a LONG walk every day, a long jog with the family, the exercise has to be Vigorous. Running around land is never going to satisfy this dog. When they are bored and under-exercised, they are destructive and very unhappy. An unhappy, bored, destructive dog is never a good thing around children. If you can't dedicate time EVERY day to give to dog very active, vigorous exercise and walks, this will not be the dog for you. If you can dedicate exercise, then the dog could fit in nicely. They are easy to groom, just a quick brush every week.
In general, I would say keep a very close eye on children who are nervous around animals. Even awesome pets are leery of people who are afraid of them. It can be a really bad mix.
ETA: Do you have a fence on your acreage? They have a very strong hunting drive.
My parents had male & female GSHP's raised from puppies. They were VERY loving dogs and would crawl in anyone's lap at any time. They needed lots of running so acreage is a plus. i would think that they would be great with children but as with ANY breed, make sure that you have time to spend with & train the dog. Consistent training and exercise will be key. My motto is always: a well exercised dog is a well behaved dog. Best of luck with your decision!
My daughter is skittish around dogs and it makes her nervous. She has always been this way. She is just AFRAID of dogs. Whether or not they are on a leash. And whether or not she has met the dog before.
Why?
Well she does not like, dogs that are all hyper and noisy and boisterous.
Whether they are big or small dogs.
So, if we ever got a dog... it would DEFINITELY be, where SHE had an active part and opinion, in what dog we got.
The personality of the dog, is key.
There are some dogs that she will go near. But those are dogs that are calm. And those are the dogs that she is not afraid of.
My son on the other hand, is not afraid of dogs.
You NEED, to let your 5 year old.... be a part of deciding, if this dog is okay.
Sure, a child may get used to a dog/pet in time. But you can't predict that.
My daughter, is, always afraid for example, of a dog that my Aunty has.
Even if for years, she has gone to this Aunty's home.
But initially, wouldn't you want to choose a pet, that your son is not afraid of????
For example: has your 5 year old, actually "met" this dog that you have in mind???? If not, then he needs to. And then gauge... carefully, how your son reacts.
AND, you'd need to make sure that this breed, is good with children.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2008121712361...
They are very good dogs. I would say they are kind of like a lab. My mom has 2 labs (2 females) and also had a german shorthaired (male) with them. They were all great with everyone. They need lots of exercise, room to run and play. Be careful though, as with any large breed, do not let them play right after eating. If they run to much after eating it can turn their stomach and can be fatal. Allow at least 30 minutes after eating before a good playtime :-) Good luck! They are great dogs!
We have a 10 year old GSHP that we got as a puppy before we had kids. Our kids are now 7 and 4. Until recently out dog wasn't too interested in the kids (she was very loyal to her master-daddy). Now that the kids want to play with her and throw a ball for her she is starting to bring her ball to the kids. But she is getting older and calmer. I will tell you that this breed is VERY energetic. That energy can cause them to be wild at times but if you take the time to train them then the energy can be focused into ay and fun. They are extremely smart dogs that train easily. Message me if you have any other questions.
M.
We had O. growing up.
And an old boss of mine had O. that was GREAT with his kids.
my aunt has one and hes sooo loving! very good natured and wonderful family dog
