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Children&Dogs
              
When greeting
dogs, (all dogs), be mindful that first and foremost dogs will be
dogs. With desensitization, socialization and positive, integrated
lifestyle training, dogs make wonderful family (and child)
companions. However, they are still dogs, and dogs can and may
bite! Most dogs perceive children under 12 as litter-mates, not
human leaders of the pack that should be respected and/or treated
gently. Many dogs will defend what they believe is their territory
(backyards, houses). Dogs will respond to wiggly arms and excited
giggles, as if responding to their own species and vocalizations
(puppy-to-puppy and dog-to-dog). When greeting dogs, all humans
should:
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WAIT:
Wait, stand still with arms by your side. If a dog exits a
yard or races at you barking, fold your arms, put them behind your
back, turn sideways and stand still. Do no run, giggle, scream
or jump and down. A big adult may be able to scare a dog
enough to back off, but this is TOO DANGEROUS for children.
-
ASK:
Ask for permission to pet (or touch a dog).
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INVITE:
This is the sniff test. Invite the dog to join you ... not the
other way around. In dog-to-dog language or human-to-dog body
language, it is considered poor manners to greet head-on. When
meeting a dog for the first time, allow them to approach. Turn
sideways and let them sniff your hand, when YOU feel it is safe.
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TOUCH:
After you take a deep breath, wait, ask for permission to pet the
dog, invite the dog to come forward for a sniff (a closed hand or an
open hand with a healthy treat works well), then it is okay to
touch.
By following
a few simple steps, you can child-proof your dog and dog-proof your child.
Approximately 154,000 children (USA) go to the emergency room every year
for dog-related injuries. The good
news is this number is less than accidents with toys, playgrounds or sports.
Nevertheless, one bite is one too many.
Most dog
bites are a result of human error AND it can be prevented.
Here are a few more great tips to make it safer for you, children and
dogs.
1. SUPERVISE
Please, do
not leave young kids and dogs unsupervised, particularly those under the age of
12. Dogs, especially puppies, see
toddlers and kids as littermates, not pack leaders.
Dogs are a different species. They
communicate, play and rough-house in different ways than humans.
In idealistic and perfect (Disney) world, we want children and dogs to
get along and have the ultimate respect for one another.
In the “real” world this is impossible and unfair to both species.
Case Example:
Recently, a distraught mother called to
say that her dog snapped at her 4 year old.
She wanted to know if the dog should be put to sleep.
It turns out, after assessment, that the child was chasing the dog with a
plastic bat. The dog didn’t need
to be put to sleep. The dog needed
a bodyguard!
If you can’t supervise, then
separate the children and dogs. Use
a baby-gate or crate. Schedule
small play sessions where you can supervise safe interactions between the child
and dog.
On another occasion, a Mom learned
this lesson when her daughter invited a friend over to play.
Mom left the room for 5-minutes to return and observe her daughter’s
friend roughly sticking her fingers into the dog’s eyes.
Luckily, the dog tolerated this, but ...
should
we expect our pets to put up with abusive behavior?
You know the answer to this.
Absolutely not! Children need to be taught to respect other species and other
cultures. These valuable life
sessions will follow them into adolescence and adulthood, in careers,
relationships and through life’s journey.
2.
ANTICIPATE
Avoid
risky situations. If your dog is
shy, put him/her in a quiet part of the house before your 8-year old’s
birthday party. If your child is
excited about a new toy (one that the dog doesn’t realize is not his yet)
consider crating your dog until you have time to teach the difference.
If you have any feelings of doubt, listen to the inner voice that is
saying “caution”. Act first so
you don’t have to react later.
3.
FOLLOW-THROUGH
Often
I hear “I can’t stop my child from bothering the dog.”
My answer with compassion is “bull”.
If your child were harassing an infant, you would stop it immediately.
Following through with both species is critical as a parent and role
model. “Enough” or “Stop
it,” means just that.
Fair
boundaries and guidelines are essential. Otherwise,
keep them apart and schedule small, supervised play sessions.
The dog is not the child’s toy and vice versa. Children and dogs can make great companions but they need
supervision. Both respond well to
focusing on and rewarding good behavior.
4.
EDUCATE
Dogs
know and are good at being like dogs! To
understand our world and culture, we need to teach them.
Want your dog to be comfortable with kids near its food bowl?
Walk up and drop a delicious treat in its bowl while the dog is eating,
then walk away.
Do
this when NO CHILD is around to imitate you.
If the dog wags its tail, great! If
it freezes, growls or starts to aggressively gobble the food, don’t push it.
Instead, contact a local trainer or behaviorist for advice.
The same guidelines apply for sleeping dogs and dog beds. If you are not sure (adopted dogs), have the dog assessed.
Most dogs need to learn to accept children and adults near their
resources (coveted objects). Some never will, so management is key.
3.
RESPECT
& ROLE MODEL
Going
to have a toddler in your life? Prepare
your dog now. Without children
around, use some treats and practice handling your dog.
Drop some treats into the dog’s bowl.
Crawl into your dog’s crate. Touch
their beds. Observe reactions.
Desensitize
them to being touched. Gently tug
the dog’s tail. Massage your dog
from head to toe, touching each body-part slowly and gently.
Teach
“take-it / leave-it”. “Drop-it”
is another of my favorites for families with kids. This teaches the dog to drop something and keeps the wiggly
hands away from the dog’s mouth. Integrate
Object Exchange daily: “here,
take this treat and give me the ball.”
Preparing
your dog and children for safe and respectful interactions will keep them safe
and you sane.
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