New Dog???

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For some background, I have a 2.5 year old black lab (named Nox) and a 2 year old mastiff(named Thanatos).

Took my pups on our weekly trip to Petsmart to get liver treats and toys. And it was dog adoption day, they had a gorgeous rottie (with papers), 2 years old and house-trained. He got a long great with my boys and is very submissive to my mastiff.

I have about a 1/4 acre fenced back-yard for the boys to play in. Buuuuuut they are both basically in-house dogs. Meaning unless we're out on our daily walk or out playing together, they're inside with me.

My house isn't small 2500 SqFt, but it ain't huge either. Factor in a four year old daughter and everything gets smaller.

Those are the pros and cons right now. Assuming you're in a similar situation, what would you do?

 

[strongsmartsexy]

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Rotties are just 110lb lap dogs as it is. Those three dogs should get along well together.

 

[lil'tangerine]

Oooohhh! Go get that pup! I love rotties, they are sooo beautiful. Take your daughter to see him, make sure he is good with children first...

 

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My daughter was there, and both faired very well. She's used to huge dogs (Thanatos is 3 ft at the shoulders).

The rot in question was very submissive to my mastiff and gregarious with both my daughter and my lab.

Thanatos, for the record, isn't really an alpha, just big. In fact, neither of my dogs are alphas, Nox is as close to a metrosexual as a dog can get and Thanatos is a big baby.

Oooohhh! Go get that pup! I love rotties, they are sooo beautiful. Take your daughter to see him, make sure he is good with children first...

 

[strongsmartsexy]

My daughter was there, and both faired very well. She's used to huge dogs (Thanatos is 3 ft at the shoulders).

The rot in question was very submissive to my mastiff and gregarious with both my daughter and my lab.

Thanatos, for the record, isn't really an alpha, just big. In fact, neither of my dogs are alphas, Nox is as close to a metrosexual as a dog can get and Thanatos is a big baby.

You need to make sure all of your dogs know that YOU are the alpha. Let them establish pecking order below that.

 

[Code]

LOL, thats what they taught us to establish in obedience classes.
And trust me, when I say something, they both listen and obey.

Although my lab has been testing my limits lately. It's just his "teenage" phase I think.

You need to make sure all of your dogs know that YOU are the alpha. Let them establish pecking order below that.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

LOL, thats what they taught us to establish in obedience classes.
And trust me, when I say something, they both listen and obey.

Although my lab has been testing my limits lately. It's just his "teenage" phase I think.

Labs are intellgent dogs who mostly behave like 15 year old boys. Just keep that in mind.

 

[Silent Method]

I'd be a bit weary, partly because of its age. It may have some ingrained negative personality issues that may surprise you down the road.

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Rotties are just 110lb lap dogs as it is. Those three dogs should get along well together.

I agree with what the rott "tends" to be - but dogs are like people. People "tend" to be friendly to people, but occasionally they do bad things. A 110 pound dog that thinks its a lap dog sounds like a bad mix for a four year old, never mind the potential for bad or vicious behavior.

I have nothing specifically against the rott, but I wouldn’t wait around to discover it’s negative personality traits in the presence of a baby girl.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

I'd be a bit weary, partly because of its age. It may have some ingrained negative personality issues that may surprise you down the road.



I agree with what the rott "tends" to be - but dogs are like people. People "tend" to be friendly to people, but occasionally they do bad things. A 110 pound dog that thinks its a lap dog sounds like a bad mix for a four year old, never mind the potential for bad or vicious behavior.

I have nothing specifically against the rott, but I wouldn’t wait around to discover it’s negative personality traits in the presence of a baby girl.

I would be more concerned with a 4 year old around a poodle, or chihuahua, terrier or pomerainian.

 

[Silent Method]

I would be more concerned with a 4 year old around a poodle, or chihuahua, terrier or pomerainian.

The degree of concern I'd feel between breeds would be irrelevant to this situation. I simply wouldn't buy a strange 2-year-old dog given the concern for the safety of my 4-year-old daughter.