This is a disaster waiting to happen.

[u/GhostofTinky]

The dog isn’t allowed to be around a toddler because he growls at her. I don’t get it. A family dog is supposed to get along with the whole family. Why are the parents concerned about why the dog “doesn’t like her”? What about the child’s safety?

[u/Designer_Study_8219]

My parent's ignored that our 'family dog' growled at me often and would stare me down, chase me atop things, etc. Then one day, with no growling or warning, he attacked me and I ended up in the hospital. Don't play with this kinda stuff. And then the dog had to be put down. We were both failed.

Edit: Wow, I didn't expect this comment to blow up. To answer some questions. We raised the dog from a puppy, he was about 2 years old. I was 8. He was a German Shepard. I still love dogs and do not blame him for it or have any leftover trauma. He was very well trained, just disliked little kids. The injury was to the top and back of my head, healed up great. He was held to see if he had rabies then put down. We never had another aggressive dog.

[u/MaybeItsTheTism → u/Designer_Study_8219]

My kids’ grandmother on their dad’s side ended up with a large dog that was usually fine but snapped at my daughter unexpectedly. I told her that the dog cannot be around my kids and she tried explaining to me that he might have just became territorial because she was near his food. I was like lady I don’t give two goddamns why you think it happened but it’s your job to make 100% sure it never happens again. She took that as a challenge and after another close call the dog now wears a muzzle when my kids are over.

I knew a family that took in a pair of very large dogs that were given up because they had been abused, neglected, and were known to have behavioral problems. 10 yr old boy went to pet the dog while it was sleeping and the thing bit his face and nearly took his lip off, lots of stitches.

Baffling

[u/Designer_Study_8219 → u/MaybeItsTheTism]

My cousin adopted an aggressive dog once, and worked hard to rehabilitate the dog. The dog was never aggressive with her and she lived alone. Progress was not linear. The dog was doing really well for a while then out of the blue bit my arm when my cousin opened the door when I was visiting. It was winter so the dog didn't do any damage, but after that, she put the dog up and quit trying to make it work with company.

[u/Rysigler → u/Designer_Study_8219]

It took me way too long to figure out why winter made a difference. Thankfully I finally crossed the finish line 😂.

It is so unfortunate that sometimes you get a dog that just can't cope with other people. Training that aggression out is so hard and requires multiple people to take a chance on a dog that may do long term damage to them.

I thankfully had the opposite situation while doing pest control. A German Shepard on my route absolutely tried to shred anyone that wasn't family. She was barely a year old, and had tried to get the gardeners, mail carriers, pretty much anyone. She got out while I was there knocking on the door. I didn't know she was aggressive.

I sat down because she seemed a bit scared and just didn't make eye contact. Held still and spoke in a soft, but excited voice indicating I was excited to meet the dog. Owner came whipping out of the house worried I was being assaulted, but by then I was petting the dog. Ever since then that dog had to come out and say hi or she would lose it following me around to every door and window whining.

I got damn lucky that day, but I had a good track record with most dogs on my route. It was the little ones that were the most problematic. Got attacked by 2 chihuahuas and a tiny little terrier. The terrier couldn't get past my boot. I just stuck my toes in the air and pivoted my foot on my heel. It was honestly hilarious.

[u/__wildwing__ → u/Rysigler]

In high school, I was visiting a friend at their apartment. Another tenant had their German shepherd chained by the front door. Long chain, but you could get to the door and the dog couldn’t. Never met a pooch I didn’t want to snuggle. So I walked up to him stretched at the end of his lead, talked calmly, let him sniff me. Then walked in a straight line to the door. He walked next to me while I scritched his ears. My friend was standing in the doorway, jaw on the floor.

That I smelled like a farm probably made me pretty interesting too.

[u/Designer_Study_8219 → u/Rysigler]

Yeah some dogs can't be trained out of it.

Wow, you got very lucky. It is wild the owner let the dog out knowing all of that. People get big breeds then don't manage them, the same way people don't manage small dogs. The difference is, big dogs can easily do a lot of damage.

[u/Agile_Half3831 → u/Designer_Study_8219]

I’m sorry I’m a bit slow haha, So how did it being winter help? Is it because you were wearing a puffy jacket because of the cold?

[u/Designer_Study_8219 → u/Agile_Half3831]

Haha no worries. Yes, I had on a very thick and puffy jacket and sweater for the cold so the dog's teeth did not make it through that to break skin. I had a bruise the next day but that was it. If I had no worn a jacket, I think it would have broken the skin.