Family with young kids...is a chow right for us?

Savvy747 · Post by **Savvy747** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:47 pm

I would like advice. My husband and I are researching for the right puppy to include in our family. We have a 1.5 yr old, a three yr old, and a 6 yr old. We have and older Great Pyrenees female that is aloof but protective. Not loving to the kids but tolerant and attentive. This is all my kids have ever known. They are not impressed with friends' bouncy active dogs and pups, but they love the idea of having a pup to spend time with. My children are very docile with animals and don't really need "playfulness" as much as companionship. That's why we are considering a chow. I've owned one as an older kid and loved her - but I was older. I'm wondering if it is wise to bring a male chow into this picture (Opposite *Censored Word* of my pyr). Can a puppy grow up loving my kids or will it simply grow away from them as he matures? Any advice would be great. Oh, I stay at home with my kids so there is almost always someone home. Thank you!

maikinda · Post by **maikinda** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:50 pm

With 3 young children you can expect to have a lot of children in and out of your home over the next 10 years. Even if your children have been taught to respect the dog, the other children may have no idea how to treat an animal. I'm not sure a Chow is the best choice. There is also the fact that Chows have a reputation, even if it is not deserved. No matter what happens it will be the dogs fault. Any dog can bite, but I would look for a breed less protective. A lot of the sporting breeds make great pets. You could check and see if there are any dog shows that are going to be held close. It would be a great chance to see different breeds and talk to breeders.

Laura

Constantina · Post by **Constantina** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 8:03 pm

I personally feel your kids are too young. My Chow Chow is very submissive but as a puppy she was quite the play biter. Younger children or anyone not comfortable with dogs WILL freak out and will make the Chow more excitable and end up biting hard out of nervous excitement. Wait till your Youngest is about ten years old when you get one. She bit my shrieking mother in law more than once as the woman kept shrilly shouting and would taunt the dog by hugging to hard or poking her butt for fun. Other kids who visit yours could easily do this and your Chow would be blamed.
A great Pyrenees or Kuvasz is a gorgeous dog BTW

Rory's Dad · Post by **Rory's Dad** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 8:57 pm

Most of the stories you hear about chows gone bad involve a single person who owns a chow and then introduces a family at a later date. Not very often will you see an established family with issues introducing a pup into the family.

Simply put, the dog is introduced into a structure that he/she can understand. With a chow, structure is a must. If you can implement a pack order then he/she will fall into place. You should have a strong leader. Someone who sets the rules and implements order. A provider of resources (food) and regimen is needed.

Young children could be a concern because they are at face level with any dog. Any dog breed could thrash about as a reaction or simply turn with his mouth open and accidentally catch a child of that age, but that concern certainly shouldnt be breed specific.

My children were each given their own Chow pup at 5 years of age. The intent was that they would learn to provide for their dogs, train them (to some degree), and develop some responsibility. Ultimately they really ended up with a furball companion that their parents took care of, but they did get lifelone companions and protectors.

I have 2 children, now 22 and 17. Both of their dogs have now passed on...Kodi was put down at 12 years of age due to severe arthritis to the hips, and Tedi developed a brain tumor at 9 years of age. My daughter witnessed Tedi experience seizures and after he was gone, she asked me 'who is going to make sure i am safe now?'. Funny, but it was actually Kodi who saved her from wandering off when she was a toddler.

Mom and Dad now have 2 chows that are as great as could be. They are not charged with protecting the kids and live a life of leisure. We show them when we can and are trying to show them off as much as possible. They are celebrities where ever they go and eat it up.

If you have the right personalities at home, i wouldn't hesitate to bring a Chow into a home with children.

cinziao · Post by **cinziao** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:00 am

My chow is great with my daughter but my daughter was trained to be respectful of all dogs. They play together all the time. All kids are not as respectful so when my daughter has friends over (and I am unable to keep a watchful eye) she gets gated upstairs… for both their protection.
I would look into reputable breeders who breed for temperament and also temperament test a puppy at 6 and 8 weeks.
I adopted at a shelter… which can be a risk with children. It was a solid year of training but now I have a wonderful chow and a happy family. Good Luck!

Tippsy'smom · Post by **Tippsy'smom** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 9:39 am

I was 2 when my parents brought my first chow into our family. He was fantastic with my younger brother and I. Unfortunately he passed away when he was 2 y/o due to a heatstroke but my parents never had a problem with him and us and our friends.

We got my second chow when I was 9. She was fantastic with my brother and I and our friends coming and going. And in her later years, I babysat one of my best friends' daughters (who was 1-2 years old throughout the time I babysat her before Tippsy passed away). And the last time I babysat Kherri before Tippsy passed away, Tipps was so sick with cancer, but she still let Kherri love all over her.

Through my experiences, if I ever have kids, they will definitely be raised with a chow or 2.

Savvy747 · Post by **Savvy747** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 2:18 pm

I'm sorry about Tippsy. That's so sweet. She looks like Agnes, the chow we adopted when I was a kid. We also lost her early to an autoimmune disease. Are chows likely to have these diseases? It seems I've seen this a lot online in doing my research.

Tippsy'smom · Post by **Tippsy'smom** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:39 pm

Savvy747 wrote:I'm sorry about Tippsy. That's so sweet. She looks like Agnes, the chow we adopted when I was a kid. We also lost her early to an autoimmune disease. Are chows likely to have these diseases? It seems I've seen this a lot online in doing my research.

Thanks. I miss my girl more than I could even try to put into words... Any breed has their health issues. Tippsy was completely healthy up until she was diagnosed with cancer at 10 and a half... Whether you get a chow, or another breed, it's a crapshoot on what their true health will be. Even with all the health testing responsible breeders do these days. I'm sure you can google what the most common health issues are in chows.

To me, despite the health issues of chows, I will always have one.

CocoLeBear · Post by **CocoLeBear** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 7:16 pm

I would highly recommend a chow under certain circumstances... I adopted my Coco from the Philadelphia SPCA a year ago. She is the most docile/friendly chow anyone has ever met. Sure, she goes crazy when the mailman puts the mail through the mail slot, but I never worry about her with kids (and we are talking her loving kids who come up and give her a big bear hug--she loves it!) or people--loves them and has never, ever growled or snapped (... At people. She doesn't get along with a lot of dogs-- that is my trade off).

For your situation, I'd recommend a grown dog who is a known quantity. I'd recommend adopting through a rescue who will be open and honest about the dogs temperament and limitations. Finally, check the dog out well yourself--see how it reacts to new and different stimuli. Also, dog trainers do adoption consults--this might be a reasonable idea if you'd like to try to adopt a chow.

Good luck!

Pinoy51 · Post by **Pinoy51** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:47 pm

You already got a lot of feedback, I just like to emphasize one more time, that Chow have strong personalities and so do some kids. So there is some portential for misfortune build in.
I always! superwise my Chows around kids specially visiting kids and ask strangers during a walk not to try to touch them.
Actually Simba gets quite irritated by kids playing around him, as he is "law and order" type of Chow and self proclaimed securiy guard of the house.
Nala is way more playful, I trust her with Children for sure.
Sally I still have to see after she is recovered. So it is really important to get feedback about the puppy or the grown up Chow and specially with visiting kids ensure that Chow and Kids are getting along.
Not always an easy task but for sure rewarding if everyone gets along as Chows are GREAT companions.

TsundereBeats · Post by **TsundereBeats** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:17 pm

I got my Mochi when he is about a month old and since then I let my dog mingle with other people.. But he had a habit of play biting around that time.. which disappeared when he reached 3 or 4 months.. I noticed that he's fond of kids. It doesn't matter whether it's a new kid or my nieces and nephews who visit me a lot.. He's 10 mos. old now and he really likes my 7-year-old niece who just lives nearby.. Last christmas, my 2-year-old nephew threw his present at my dog and Mochi just avoided him. He enjoys receiving affection from other people but we have a neighbor who he ignores no matter how hard she tries. He's very tolerant with me and my family.

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Chico · Post by **Chico** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:35 pm

What kids wouldn't want to grow up with their very own lion or bear??

So long as the pup is aware of the pecking order, and with proper training, there's nothing more sinister about a chow then any other breed. When we picked up our girl, at first I was going to get another pup but she kept trying to get away from me so we got our Chico, best decision ever. She's docile, but protective. Very well socialised, she was at a party the other night with about 100 people and I looked over and there were about 15 kids chasing after her. I could see she was getting over it but all she did was try to get away from the kids , mind you the kids were alone with her so my husband or I weren't there to tell her off. I went in she came and sat at my feet and I told the kids that she was tired. Mind you, Chico's only 10 months old. We've had her near very young kids from the first week we brought her home. she's protective and loyal and loving (I could go on all day)

So long as you train it, it will be a welcome addition to your family, take the time to choose the right one (personality wise) and it will all work out.

Good luck!!

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