Adopting a senior GD with young children

[Stompintania]

I am looking for a senior Great Dane to adopt (over 4 years old at a minimum, but hopefully 6 years old) for various reasons. I do not want to go through the puppy stage again, and would prefer to know the temperament and attributes of the dog ahead of time.

My question is, how thoroughly do you feel Rescue organizations vet the dogs surrendered to them? We have 3 young children (ages 8, 4 and 4) and my largest concern will be ensuring the dog we adopt is child safe. We currently have a 10 year old shih tzu, and so the new dog would also have to be dog safe, but obviously my first priority is the safety of my children.

My dillemma is that we currently live in an area where there aren't any Dane rescue organizations, and the group that will adopt into our area (from a distance) does not get that many dogs. I am hesitant to adopt a dog that I have not had a chance to meet AT ALL prior to picking him up.

Is anyone very familiar with how thoroughly foster homes / rescue organizations are able to vet the dogs that come into their care?

[themamabeth]

We looked into adopting a Dane to avoid the puppy stage.

No one would adopt to our family because we have kids under the age of 8.

The impression I got from the rescues we looked into were that the dogs were quite well vetted-any reputable organization wants the placement to be final and they will do their best to make sure that happens.

One of the suggestions I got here for the future was to establish a relationship with a rescue and offer to foster, and that might encourage them to be willing to stretch rules and adopt to you if your family doesn't fit into their normal age guidelines.

[mnmouse]

The rescue I'm with won't adopt out to anyone with kids younger than 8.

NO dog is child safe.

Great danes are SO much bigger than little children, and their faces are at the same height. Rescue dogs have been through a lot of distressing events--some take it in stride, some need a lot of time to recover emotionally.

Personally, I wouldn't bring a rescue dog over 50# into my house if my children were young. Don't get me wrong, I really push people to rescue--all of my pets are rescues--but I firmly believe that it's risky placing a large or giant breed dog in a household with small children.

[zoocrew]

The rescue I'm with will adopt out to homes with small children. We take it on a case by case basis, both with the dog and family. We do adopt out seniors and special needs dogs to outside our normal adoption area.............but not sure how far you want to go, as I see you are in Canada.................lol.

[tditto]

First, I think it's great that you want to rescue an older dog! We have a 3 year old dane from our local rescue. The rescue did a good job of getting him checked out with a vet, but more importantly for us was the information from his foster home. He had been with the foster family for about a month before us, so we knew what we were getting. My children are also young, so this was a concern. Does the rescue you are interested in foster their dogs?

[Stompintania]

There is a 6 year old male Great Dane currently with the Upper Midwest Great Dane rescue that I am thinking about. I would be willing to travel to him to transport him back home. Just waiting to have a chance to speak to the foster family