boxer probs - aggression round kids??

[boxer luva]

hello everyone,
I've always loved Boxer dogs, although will willingly admit to not knowing really that much about the breed specifically. I've got a partner (pre-husband, really) who has a couple of the dogs, and we are thinking about moving in together pretty soon which I'm really excited about; but I have twins, 2 and a half years old, and I'm a bit worried about whether they'd be OK around the dogs (and vice versa).
It hardly seems reasonable to ask Dave to give up his beloved dogs, which I think are about as important to him as Eva and Charles are to me; but they're pretty big dogs and I don't want to run the risk of anyone getting hurt.
Please help!!! If anyone has any suggestions i would love to hear them!

[boxer luva]

not really sure i made myself clear enough after reading back - what I'm asking is, does anyone know whether Boxers tend to have a predisposition towards biting children? Are they usually pretty good dogs or can they suddenly just snap like some breeds seem to be able to? Is there any way I can get them used to each other without blood being shed? Should I even be worried???

[Angie]

Hi Boxer Luva,
Boxers are big, powerful dogs. They have a reputation for being excellent with children, which is generally pretty well-earned, but a dog is still a dog and it doesn't pay to generalize when there are children involved.
Territoriality plays a big part. If/when you do move in together, will you move into your house or into Dave's house? If you move into Dave's, with the children, then you may actually have a real problem - no dog likes others to encroach on "his" property, especially if the dogs are adults (as these are) and have grown up relativlely unchallenged when it comes to personal territory.
In addition to this, young children closely resemble prey to a lot of dogs - they're small, they move quickly, they make loud and squeaky or high-pitched noises, they're unpredictable.
I don't want to alarm you by telling you this, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
I would suggest evaluating the dogs, and Dave's behavior with them, pretty closely. How well trained and socialized are they? How do they behave when friends come to visit? Are they OK with other dogs in the park, both familiar and strange? How about unfamiliar people - do they growl and bark, or wait for the people to make the first move? How do they behave around you - do they recognize that you're dominant over them, or do they sometimes act threateningly or strangely towards you (walking through doors in front of you, lying in your path, refusing to obey you, etc).
Have a look at how they behave in all these situations and tell us what you think about their behaviors and personalities. Ask Dave, too, for an honest and unbiased opinion - if the situations were reversed, would he feel safe with his kids around those dogs?