Snips and snails, and puppy dog tales

I have been reflecting a lot recently on the relationship between children and dogs. Dogs were a very important aspect of my own childhood, in part because my grandfather was a vet and there wasn't much I liked better than "helping" in the clinic on weekends and school holidays, and in part because my parents breed boxer's and my siblings and I were the official "puppy socialization" team.

Although not all working group breeds are good with children, in their native Germany, our own breed  is known as the kinderkeeper. The ability to shift from all around farm/guard duty to gentle affectionate playmate is a hallmark of both sexes. This doesn't mean that the temperament of our breed is "soft" rather it reflects the versatility of these intelligent and sensitive animals.

Our family made the decision to acquire our first standard when our son was less than a year old and just learning to walk. Naturally, there were some difficult moments teaching both boys how to respect and care for each other. Standard schnauzer puppies do not always realize their own strength, and for that matter, neither do little boys. However, having two rambunctious boys developing at about the same rate has provided endless hours of comic relief at our house and I just can't say enough about the companionship of a four legged friend for  all the middle of the night calls, tantrums and other mischief toddlers get into.

For us, having a dog has RELIEVED parenting stress, making it easier for us to meet the emotional needs of child and puppy alike.  However, this may not be true for many other families.  Puppies require a lot of work (especially standard schnauzer puppies), socialization, housebreaking, crate training, obedience, etc.

Although it makes me sad that many breeders will not place a puppy in a home with small children, I understand that their reluctance is based on bad experiences in the past with just such placements.

Please be honest with yourself and your prospective breeder, not just about whether this is the right breed for you but also whether or not this is the right time in your life to make this commitment. Dogs are not disposable (or interchangeable).  They are sentient beings with a personality and life all their own and they are such phenomenally loyal partners that they deserve no less than a lifetime commitment from us.