To have four large dogs in the home with my family?

[fallingdownasteepsteadyslope]

We have 5 children. Wasn't particularly planned as we have two sets of twins. Our oldest two are 9, the middle child is 7 and the youngest two are 4. We have four large dogs (three are what we consider giant breed).
Our 7yr old has made friends with a new girl in the class. We invited her over for a playdate but new girl's mother is refusing to let her come due to our 'big beastly dogs'. She's seen all of them as we take them on dog walks. She then said I was irresponsible to 'have so many dogs and so many children because one of the children will get bit eventually'. It set me off thinking, if you saw me in the street, would you think I was ridiculously irresponsible and 'a inadequate mother'? BTW, this mother has four dogs of her own, three cockerpoos and a cav.

I'd turn around a say well actually smaller dogs are much more likely to bite as their owners do not see it necessary to stop aggressive and territorial behaviour such as jumping up, barking and snapping because they think it's cute and harmless.

Larger dogs are usually more disciplined because if they acted the way little dogs did they'd be chaos.

Oh and to stick her nose out and piss off judgemental ass hat.

At least your dogs are proper breeds.

Lots of prejudice about large dogs - reveals peoples ignorance. The most gentle, loving dog I ever owned was my beautiful Bernese Mountain dog - another giant breed.

I'm also at this woman's cheek when she has four dogs of her own. You've got to laugh really

Yanbu, wth shouldn't op have them?
She has the room and the money!
I suppose when she found out she was expecting she should have just gotten rid of them
The woman has four dogs of her own, if one of them decided to turn on her kid then there would be no stopping it either
I've been bitten several times in my life, twice as a child, all by small dogs! Never by the rottie or staffie that everybody hates.
I'd love to come to yours op!

She was rude, but I agree with her 100%. And unless you have a 20 room farmhouse - style home, with a couple of acres of land, then you shouldn't have 4 huge dogs IMO. I find it terrifying that some posters are calling them 'gentle giants' and are saying 'your house sounds awesome can I come?' and that they would totally allow their tiny child in a strange house with 4 big dogs. I think some people are allowing their love for animals, to colour their reasoning. As I said, no way in hell would I allow my infant child to go a house with 4 big dogs, no matter how 'soft' and 'gentle' they are.
Why shouldn't she? So should the op dump her dogs on already overstretched rescues just because she has kids?
Possibly people on here aren't judging the dogs by their size?
As i said i've only been biten by tiny dogs.

Good on you .

Can someone tell me what the monthly cost of multiple dogs is, say vet, walkers, whatever. In comparison to childcare?

OK I will be reported I suppose but it is a genuine question.

YANBU! Your home sounds lovely and your children are very lucky to be growing up in a home surrounded by dogs. I had three children and dogs at least one big dog as they were growing up. Mine are all grown up now and all have dogs of their own. She is being very silly as she has 4 dogs.

Havana I don't see why you would be reported.

My mam runs 5 (three large) between vet bills, flea tick and worming and food (she doesn't need a walker) I'd estimate £250 a month. (Going off my one, north east area)

It's her money, she's happy and the dogs are happy and well looked after.

I have a small dog and she isn't any more likely to bite than a large dog, as I have trained her exactly the same as I would have trained a large dog

OP your house sounds amazing, I would love to have four big pooches to cuddle up with! Maybe it works both ways and you don't want your child going to the house of someone so judgemental!

AIBU? To keep returning to this thread hoping it'll turn into sharing pictures of huge dogs?!

Wolfie your hound would win the "big" part

Havanaclub - often (not always) people with multiple dogs, especially those in large houses in the country, frankly don't need to worry about the cost ....if that helps explain it?

Haha! Weighed today. Just over 45 kilos. Not 7 months yet!

So much ignorance - here (as usual) and from her, if they're all well looked after it's absolutely fine. I had 4 dogs until very recently, 2 large, 1 medium and 1 small - the small one was the one to watch out for.

I see the 'just coz a dog is big that doesn't mean it will hurt you' and 'small dogs attack more' and 'my huge dogs are old softies who wouldn't hurt a fly' brigade are out in force.

There is nothing 'ignorant' about not wanting your small infant in a strange house with 4 big dogs, so quit the 'you know sod-all about dogs' garble.

People who assume their doggies couldn't possibly harm a hair on a child's head are the ignorant ones.

The phrase 'living in cloud cuckoo land' springs to mind. You are delusional if you think your mutts couldn't possibly ever turn on anyone.

And yes I do have dogs myself, so as I said, quit the you know sod-all about dogs bullshit.

Spot the poster who is being deliberately goady!

I love dogs , I have two. But I've also been bitten ( more of attacked ) as a child by one. Well cared for dogs with responsible owners I do trust, but that's if I know them. If I didn't know the dogs I would be cautious and not let my dd go. I would be completely polite about it though. It's up to the parent whether they feel comfortable.

I also used to live on an estate where my next door neighbours, with an average-sized garden had 7 labs.

Now that isn't right.

And they weren't trained and they barked. A lot.

I'm sorry but I wouldn't let my small child go to your house. Just because you trust the dogs doesn't me she should. And I'm sorry but you don't know what your dogs will do - every person who ever owned a dog that attached someone says 'they would never hurt a fly' (speaking as a victim of a horrendous dog attack by a usually angelic dog)

*mean

*attacked! Ah spellcheck!

Otterhound swings it. It's [b]NEVER[/b] unreasonable to have an otterhound

Ehem. Wrong forum, wrong code... I mean:

It's never unreasonable to have an otterhound.

45kg bloody hell, I remember the puppy photos and the huge paws.

Its entirely up to you how many dogs you have. Just as its up to other parents to let their child come to your house.

Personally I wouldn't. She shouldn't have said beastly though.