Are German Shepherd - Australian Dingo puppies good around very young children?
I know they are sometimes used as guard dogs but is it possible to train them to be more socializable and friendly?
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2 Answers
I wouldn't risk it, but as always, there's no simple yes or no.
Every dog has their own personality, just like humans. Your dog could be very playful or very lazy, regardless of breed. But in general the breed does have a certain influence.
German shepherds are a working breed. If they don't have anything to do (read: if you don't do enough training, playing and walks with them), they get bored. Bored dogs often have bad manners and destroy things out of boredom.
Australian dingos, on the other hand are wild dogs! They have the instincts of wild predators. They may not be as feral as wolves, but they certainly are not as docile as dogs. I would never let a dog like that (even if it's not pure bred) close to a child without a muzzle or a supervisor with a leash in hand.
Especially small children are loud and uncoordinated in their movements, which may trigger some prey instinct of the dingo. Typical children's games like running or jumping around can also trigger the prey drive. Even if the dog just wants to play, it may hurt the child by jumping at it and pushing it to the ground or by unintentionally biting it. And keep in mind that puppies only need a year to grow up, your child will still be a child by then.
If you're thinking about getting a puppy, please reconsider your choice of breed. If you already have the puppy, be sure to teach it not to be rough with your child. There are basket muzzles that are intended to be worn all day by dogs in a kennel. Get your puppy used to wearing one of those.
Grew up with a german shepherd-dingo cross from an early age. He was my best friend. The protective trait was prominent, nobody could raise their hand to me or similar. Can't speak for other mixes, but this was a good mix, specifically when the dog was well-trained, supervised and grown as a companion animal to a small boy. He did follow his own path on those terms however, meaning 'stay' didn't have much meaning for him if I was going somewhere. He would seek to track me and make sure I was safe, which wasn't the best if we were out shopping and he turned up outside the shop. I suspect given the wild nature of the dingo and active life needed by shepherd, if you have more of a 'chaotic family'kind of situation, that may not be so great. But if I could have another shepherd-dingo cross I would.
