Is a rescue dog that is very good with children likely just empathetic, or were they likely raised with children?

It stands to reason that if she’s good with kids she may have been raised with kids or at least properly socialized with them.

It’s my experience though that just like some people like kids and are better with them than some other people, some dogs are better with kids than others. Just like some dogs like chewy treats and others like crunchy treats. Everyone has their own preferences. Your dog might just happen to like children while other dogs may not.

Empathy is a human emotion that dogs do not posses, dogs are animals, and can and do act as such at any given moment.

"Can you explain their up bringing?" No way anyone can say anything about this individual dog as we know nothing about it or viewed how it behaves or reacts to different stimuli, or anything about it's background. Ask the rescue, or for a more in depth info seek the advice of a professional behaviorist, not strangers/children on YA.

Spaying/neutering has no bearing on genetics, genetics can't be changed, nor does it have anything to do with proper or lack of proper upbringing. Hopefully the rescue did have her spayed before allowing her to be adopted, most reputable shelters/rescues do so.

Might have know it was you Sandra D. Obviously you're not as knowledgeable as you thought you were, eh? For if you were you'd know the answer, as well as to where to seek the correct advice, and that would not be on this site (YA) that contains mostly children/strangers, with a smattering of a few knowledgeable dog owners......

As the dog is a rescue one you will "never know" her full history and how she was socialised as a pup.

Also her basic temperament has a lot to do with how she reacts in all situations including her good tolerance of human children.

Its not that unusual for a dog to like playing with small children, and I must add that a lot of dog owners who have owned dogs like this, who have after years of the dog being excellent with young kids have suddenly bitten them for no apparent reason.

Then the dogs owner will be very surprised and say " But he /she (the dog) has NEVER done that before."

Remember its not always a dogs fault that it snaps.

Children can be very sneaky and very cruel and thoughtless at times and it only takes a moment when the child's parent or whoever is supervising to turn their back for a second and the child provokes the dog dangerously and the dog retaliates.

A dog can take so much and if any provocation is carried out on it too much, even the most submissive and gentle dog can turn and snap.

As V2 points out.....Its` DOG , never forget that, and "no dog is foolproof."

Why not just accept the dog is amiable and good with kids and do as you have been by supervising them together and STOP wondering just WHY the dog is like it is, because no-one on here can tell you that for sure.

They can only advise you to be cautious and aware all the time.

Why is it SO important that you need to know WHY the dog is good with kids anyway?

It just IS. no matter why.

This is why many dog owners prefer to get a Puppy as then when it displays behaviors that they want an explanation about, its a lot easier to analyse it all. Jmo.

I'm not sure why you keep asking this ..... it's quite possible she's been around kids before - SO WHAT?! My hounds, who didn't live with children but the bitches did have a litter or two, still weren't comfortable around little kids and I made darned sure that if we ever did have 'smalls' visiting, my hounds were nowhere they could be unhappy and over-react. And if, as she ages, she starts having some problems that cause pain, she may well not be reliable with small children, as she appears to be now.

For the record, and I feel it's worth re-answering ..... (with one amendment).

"Please don't ever put your kids, or their friends, in a situation where the unexpected might happen. Yes, right now your dog is good with kids, but that may not always be the case - if she happened to be experiencing some pain, she could so easily react. Watching some of the so-called cute vids. showing dogs with babies makes my blood run cold. It's NOT CUTE. It's courting a disaster. Right now you have a good dog - and that could be she's had experience around small kids before (many dogs hate the fast movement/high pitched voices of kids) but that does NOT mean it can't change, in a second.

You have a DOG. Never forget that. "

There is no way to tell. My last dog was not raised with children. I didn't even know any children while I had that dog. She was, however, properly trained how to behave with people and she liked all people, of any age. The basic concept is the same, regardless of the size of the people.