Is a German Shepherd a safe dog for babies?

I have 15 month old twin brothers who pull my cat's tail and 'pat' him by slapping him. Would it be safe to get a German Shepherd with these little rascals? If not will it be safer as a cross breed, maybe with a Labrador? We're getting the Shepherd as a pup so he'll grow up along side them, but as he gets older will he chase the twins as if they were rats or cats and end up biting them?

i suggest that don't get a shepherd. you never know what will happen beforehand. as for things unpredictable, do not risk.

So long as the animal grows up with the child and isn't roughed around too badly, it will learn to love and protect him. It takes a lot of care an monitoring but it is doable. If you have any doubts I would recommend going with the crossbreed. Make sure to research the breeds carefully before purchasing.

It depends on the personality of the dog.

Safe for babies to do WHAT with?Any dog needs to be supervised around kids...Safer "crossbreed"? You mean a MUTT? Mutts are unpredictable. You dont cross a GSD and a Lab and get instant LASSIE...get realHow the dog gets along with other members of the household...depends on the training provided, socialization...supervision...and how well (or badly) that dog was bred and its genetic makeup

NO DOG is going to be safe with small children who are left unattended or allowed to tease, hit, slap and pull on them. Nor should any dog or cat be asked to live in an environment like that and put up with it. Raising a pup/dog with small children is a big responsibility, one that requires constant vigilance and supervision. Failure to do that is just begging for an accident to happen. Wait until these kids are older and start teaching them the proper way to behave around animals NOW, because they're going to come into contact with other pets that aren't in your home as well, sooner or later.

Yes!!! Big dogs are the best and most loyal pets! When I was a baby I had a rottweiler, he was fun and sweet and caring! My best friend!!! I'm now 13 and I have a Rottweiler and a German shepard. Just make sure that you teach your dog real well that teething or mouthing is not good, if you do not teach them that then, they will think it is okay. They are gentle giants!!!

German Shepherds can actually be very safe and loyal, but you should leave young children alone with them anyways, not until they can know the dog well enough.

You will not be better off with a mutt of any sort; you need to be able to predict the dog's adult personality and behavior. You can't do that with a crossbreed. Purebreds were developed precisely for that kind of predictability.Your family would be much better off getting an adult dog that already had documented history of loving children and tolerating their bad behavior. A Newfoundland, Leonberger or a Golden Retriever would be a better choice, since they are utterly sweet-tempered, they adore children, and they are too big for the kids to actually cause them pain, therefore the dog won't be tempted to bite them.There are individual dogs in any breed that are great with kids, but there are few that will tolerate mistreatment at the hands of a toddler. Best to start out with one. Contact breeders of the breed of your choice and explain the twins and see what they've got. My brother did this; he called a local Labrador breeder (his boys were older than yours), and found that they had had one of their pups returned as an adult when her owner had to enter a nursing home. He got a trained, housebroken and spayed six year old Lab female who adored children and was as placid as the day is long... for free. Sandy was a great dog and she lived for nine years taking care of my brother's kids. The baby learned to pull herself up by grabbing Sandy's tail, and learned to walk holding onto her collar.

A German Shepherd is a great family dog, no doubt at all about that, But with any dog breed they need to be supervised with children always.If you read all you can about GSDs, talk to reputable breeders, and take your puppy or dog to good training classes that employ positive techniques, you will end up with one of the best dogs you can ever imagine. They are intelligent, loyal, energetic and loving, if treated properly. Want to see more yourself instead of reading a bunch of text?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFf0IClzVNs That youtube link is to Dogs101: German Shepherds.It will tell you a lot about German Shepherds.Best of luck.

Yes,if you rasie the gsd around people it can be great with kids

Teach your children how to pet and interact with animals safely and nicely... before you get a dog.Although Shepherds are great- they are still dogs. The stories you hear of children being brutally killed and mauled by dogs is often because of their own wrongdoing and lack of parent interventioGerman Shepherds make wonderful pets. But... get a good one. That means you will be spending $800+If you want a "cheaper" initial cost, try a Humane Society.

When I was growing up my parents and my grand parents drank lot of alcohol.They had 5 German Shepherd and 30 huskies on their little farm. I was 3 years old and I lived with this dogs when my parents got little drunk. The Germans Shepherd stayed around me and when my parents came to close me drunk they would growl.They protected me and I never ever gotten bitten.Now I have to little sisters 7-8 years old and I teach them how to treat a dog and how to behave around dogs. Germans shepherd need lot of activity because they are working dogs:) They are lovely dogs but remember to go to the vet and get x-ray on their hips, I notice that they got hip problems when they get older.Only my experience, I can't talk for other people.Good luck:)

German Shepherds who grow up with children will be the most loyal protective and loving animal you will ever meet, he/she will never let any harm come to your children while its around, they are insanely protective when called upon and would sacrifice themselves without a seconds hesitation for their owner. no question they would be great with your kids but make sure you buy a puppy and dont adopt an adult, i have nothing against adoption but if your children are rough its a 50/50 shot that an adult shepherd would be aggresive towards them but you wont have this problem with a puppy

Labradors are known to be one of the best pet when with kids but it still comes down to the training given to a dog. A German shepherd is not a bad choice either as long as you personally give it its basic and obedience training. A trained dog would obey all your house rules with or without supervision and obey your orders obediently. I recommend that you watch my 4 minute dog choosing video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pxui6GMCfo which will help you decide on which dog breed best suits your lifestyle and preference.Make sure that you personally provide training for your dog to build trust and confidence to your dog and also equip you with better understanding for your dog and its needs.

German Shepherds are great family dogs, and if they grow up with your kids there won't be a problem. be careful though, german shephards tend to get extremely protective. mine starts growling when anyone starts raising their voice to me