Me and my ex have an 8 year old daughter together. We have had our moments but get along very well now, I'd say we are friends, we confide in each other and I can rely on him and he me.
We have been in talks for the past few months about getting a dog that we will share. He recently lost his dog - a Rottweiler - she was lovely and very well trained and whilst I would look after her on occasion, he bought it with his ex girlfriend so it was not a shared dog with me.
The kind of dog I would like is a cockapoo or Labrador. However, he called me this morning and said he had found an English bull terrier pup for sale and was going to get it next week. He asked if I'd be okay to help out with it - no financial responsibility but watching/training/walking it whilst he is at work (I am a student and work at night, he works during the day). I said I'd have a think.
My concern is number one, having read up on these types of dogs, they aren't for novice owners. So although my ex did own one previous dog I don't think he realised how difficult these types are to train, also I have absolutely no experience of dogs or training them. Secondly, and this may be a stereotype, but I've read these dogs can be quite aggressive. My ex claims this is all in the way they are raised. However, after speaking to a vet (my aunt) she says there is something in their brains that can make them turn without warning no matter how well trained or raised the dog is.
I know I am absolutely within my rights to say I don't feel comfortable helping out with the dog. But then the worry comes with when my daughter is at his house, what if it attacks her? She is with him 50 percent of the time and it has really worried me.
I wish he could just be into the stereotypical 'family dogs' but he's not and he is adamant he is not changing his mind and going ahead with it.
AIBU to have these reservations? Am I buying into the stereotype? Is there just as much risk with a Labrador?
If not, what do I do?