Okay - I am going to play devils advocate. Just because it is a so-called "rescue organization" does not mean it is legitimate. I have seen many rescue organizations that are actually animal hoarders in disguise. I have also seen rescue organizations that have released aggressive dogs without any thought to the consequences. I have seen so called "rescue organizations" adopt out a dog that they know has the propensity to bite without thinking about the ramifications.

Since your friends have already contacted a behaviorist - I would say they should surrender it to a QUALIFIED rescue organization. They can assess the dog and determine whether or not it can live a FULL PRODUCTIVE life in a different home. If not - they can take the appropriate steps. I think they should contact the behaviorist to suggest the best place for the dog.

Trust me when I say that there are a great many wonderful rescue organizations that will place a dog in the APPROPRIATE household. My gut feeling is that the dog is highly sensitive and needs to be in an adult only household - and there are a great many of us out there. A qualified rescue organization will find the perfect home.

My heart goes out to you - I hope your neighbors find a solution. It sounds like their hearts are in the right place, but they cannot in good conscience put their kids at risk, and they are not "dog savvy" enough to understand doggie language. My feeling is if they found the right dog, it could be a viable family member, but they probably have a dog that is a little more than they can handle. I do not feel like they shouldn’t have a dog – the fact that they contacted a behaviorist says a great deal. Maybe they just adopted the wrong dog.