Children meeting dog - how important?

[anchovies]

Just wondering how important it is for our children to meet the dog we are hoping to give a home? The rescue centre is 4 hours away but has 4 dogs that they feel may be suitable (all good with children.) Is this crazy, do we need to find a closer centre or can just dh and I go to meet the dogs?

honest answer? if you're chosing between 4 then I wouldn't take the kids. they will be swayed by less important factors (ie cuteness). without the kids you can make a calm wholly rational decision and chose the right dog for your family.

I would say very important. I would want to see the dogs reaction to the children if I had a choice.

I am thinking that I perhaps need to find somewhere a bit closer so we can go twice, once without the children and then again with them then?

The place we were going to was Lizzies barn in south wales. Has anyone got a dog from there before? They look and sound very good and am I right in thinking if a young dog has come from a home with small children it is more than likely going to be fine? Don't know if anyone can recommend somewhere closer to Manchester where they homecheck etc?

that sounds sensible. minimu's right about the reaction thing - but I do also think you need to resist (or avoid) child pressure based on cuteness.