[gracieanna]

I wouldn't get a dog who behaved that way at one year old. At least, not unless I was willing and able to put a lot of re-training effort into him/her. And it isn't just the time and effort, it's knowing what to do!

I am so sorry to hear your son is ill. If I had a child fighting cancer, I might choose a dog that would be less challenging since I would already have my hands full! Also, a dog that is already afraid of people wouldn't be ideal for small children while being "retrained" -- retraining often only goes so far. Some dogs have early experiences that are never completely forgotten.