I've seen a 3 y/o have total control of a pit bull.
I've seen adults struggle to contain terriers.
The whole problem is improperly trained dogs.
You shouldn't leave a kid who doesn't know how to interact with dogs alone regardless of how behaved the dog (of any breed). Just like you shouldn't leave cats with young children. As neither are trained.
The attraction to these larger breeds is the same that makes people choose small breeds, or cats, fish, horses, or any other pet . Unless you are choosing it to be a working dog, it's a companion and there is no accounting for taste.
Treat the animal (train if possible) well and it shouldn't be an issue unless you choose an exotic pet that doesn't have a history of being tamed or domesticated (like tigers, or komodo dragons and such)
A 3 year old can control a large dog if the dog wants to be controlled. If the dog wants to go do something else, that kid is going to have no chance to keep it in place.
I don't think big dogs are any meaner or more violent than other dogs, and they can be just as sweet, but there's a big difference between a poorly-raised pit and a poorly-raised dachshund when it comes to how much damage they are capable of, and how easy they are to stop.
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I've seen a 3 y/o have total control of a pit bull. I've seen adults struggle to contain terriers. The whole problem is improperly trained dogs.
You shouldn't leave a kid who doesn't know how to interact with dogs alone regardless of how behaved the dog (of any breed). Just like you shouldn't leave cats with young children. As neither are trained.
The attraction to these larger breeds is the same that makes people choose small breeds, or cats, fish, horses, or any other pet . Unless you are choosing it to be a working dog, it's a companion and there is no accounting for taste.
Treat the animal (train if possible) well and it shouldn't be an issue unless you choose an exotic pet that doesn't have a history of being tamed or domesticated (like tigers, or komodo dragons and such)
A 3 year old can control a large dog if the dog wants to be controlled. If the dog wants to go do something else, that kid is going to have no chance to keep it in place.
I don't think big dogs are any meaner or more violent than other dogs, and they can be just as sweet, but there's a big difference between a poorly-raised pit and a poorly-raised dachshund when it comes to how much damage they are capable of, and how easy they are to stop.