• Many young rescues come to us from families who purchased the puppy for a young child. A 70-pound adolescent golden retriever with no training quickly becomes an unwelcome guest when it begins knocking over the kids or playing too roughly with them.
• Others come in as strays, so we don’t know their background. Was he abandoned because he growled at a child who tried to take away his toy or chewbone? Was he an outside dog who was tormented by neighborhood kids? How will she react if a child steps on her tail or pulls her ears? Will she guard resources she deems precious – toys, food, etc. – putting tiny fingers or faces at risk? If we don’t know the answers to these questions, we will not place the dog into a home with children. This is for everyone’s safety and well-being!
• Goldens have a reputation for being very kid-friendly … and many are. But many are not. And the former owners (if we are lucky enough to speak to them) are not always forthcoming about the dog’s issues for fear that we would not accept it.
• It’s a fact: thousands of animals are euthanized every year, often for doing something that comes very naturally to them – protecting themselves. GRRMF does not want to put the safety of family members, or one of our rescue dogs, at risk for such a situation.

There are also other safety risks associated with dogs and small children:

• Children have been known to leave doors open or unlatched, presenting an opportunity for the dog to escape, where it could be hit by a car, lost or stolen.
• Kids left unsupervised around any pet can quickly make a wrong choice when it comes to interacting with it. Kids often don’t understand the “signals” a dog may be sending to “back off” – as such, the situation can quickly escalate. Just as kids can’t be expected to understand a dog’s language, dogs are not “little people.” They are driven by instincts, and they have a different language. Also, some dogs have temperaments better suited than others for tolerating boisterous and active young children.
• Often children want to take an active role in walking the dog, but a golden is too strong for a child to walk on a leash, unless an adult is assisting. This can result in injury to the child, or a dog running loose through the neighborhood, putting it at risk for being hit by a car or lost.
• Young children can play rough with dogs, pulling tails and ears, which increases the probability of a dog bite.

If you have small children, GRRMF suggests that you either postpone adding a dog to your family, or consider purchasing a puppy from a reputable breeder. GRRMF publishes a free information packet as a public service for people seeking to purchase or breed golden retrievers. If you wish to receive this information packet, please call the Puppy Packet Hotline at (407) 831-9009 and leave your name and address. The information will be mailed within 3-5 days.

We’d also strongly recommend that you fence in at least a portion of your yard, if you have not yet done so, so the dog and child will have a safe place to play. Please read our section on “Backyard Safety” for more information on recommended fence types and other safety tips.

Recommended Reading:
Child Proofing Your Dog, by Brian Kilcommons. A must-read if you have children and dogs...for the child’s safety and the dog’s! Available through Amazon.com and all major retail outlets.