You're right - this online community doesn't have much sway in this - but there is a real life community that needs to be considered here just as much as the OP and her child. To socialise her dog as it should be socialised, she has no choice but to expose other members of the community to a dog that is a high risk breed. That should be as much a consideration as anything else. There is no guarantee that the community at large are going to be as responsible - a rebellious child hits the dog, another dog gets free and nips at his legs -the consequences for the community if this breed snaps are, in general, a crap load worse than if a chihuahua (for instance) snaps. yes, I'd feel like crap if my chihuahuas had snapped/bitten someone - but they nip - they don't attack to kill like the breed mentioned. the local community is at a higher risk of injury if the animal snaps.
hell, i've owned small dogs that have been attacked by a dog with an owner trying to be responsible (muzzled etc) - but because the dog was too powerful for her, she could not stop him - he seen my dogs as a meal i assume - and then she blamed me! my dogs were both on leads, both harnessed and i had total control of them (including being able to pick them up out of danger when attacked) - i was to blame though, because i shouldn't have had small dogs out in public! wt??

so yes, the OP can be the only one ultimately to make the decision (unless it's a banned breed, and then the law can do it for them) - but it's not JUST them that have to live with the decision. I'm pretty sure there is a family - a whole community - in Melbourne that aren't sitting around thinking that their neighbor is the only one living with the consequences of his decision to keep the pet he kept...
Awesome post BG.

I am a little lost as to the reason for the OP's original post as the outcome seems to have been determined prior to and regardless of what any of us have had to say - which of course is your right, but it confuses me all the same why you would bother asking?


We are also making sure he is good with our little baby girl, we put her on his back to ride him all the time, and when he is freshly washed we lay her on him for a few seconds. He is always so good with her. He just lays there quite content.
And can I just say, that statement there, terrifies the beejeebers out of me - did the first time I read it and still gives me the chills now.