Dogs And Kids
Dogs
and kids
can live together harmoniously,
if the situation
is properly understood
and carefully
handled.Friendships between
dogs and kids
are both wonderful and character building for
the children.
Most
dog bites inflicted on kids
are by the family pet, or a neighbours dog.
It is not that the dog is aggressive,
it is just
that Mums and Dads do
not understand that children, and particularly babies, act very differently
to adults, and it is this unusual behaviour that upsets
the dogs.
My
own children were brought
up with German Shepherds, supposedly well know
as aggressive dogs. The
dogs were fairly anti-social
to strangers but
to the family
they were totally trust worthy. I like
to think that it
was because I taught the kids
to behave properly around and towards the dogs.
When dogs and kids are
living together it is the kids that need to
be taught to treat
all dogs
with the greatest respect, and to understand that dogs are not toys. As soon as babies are crawling they need to be told to be kind to the family dog. Puppies are never too young to learn, neither are babies.
If you have just
acquired a new puppy do not
let it chew
you or play nip, good training for
when it is
a fully grown dog.
Dogs protect all things that they care
about, whether that be the house,
their diner, the
car, their bed, kids
have to understand to
leave dogs alone at certain times or certain places.
Some dogs are,
by nature,
herding dogs,
so these may chase
a child if it runs away. This could excite the
dog to attack.
Some dogs would get defensive if they are cornered or have
some one standing over
them. Kids
should be taught to not scream, cuddle the
dog tightly or pinch them. It should be remembered that as
a dog gets older it could become less
tolerant, so the family dog that has
always been so good with the kids suddenly nips a child. Old dog get deaf so cannot hear a child approaching, so may nip
out of surprise. It is not the dogs fault!
Kids need to be told to never approach a strange dog, without
asking permission. If the dog is out without its owner
leave it alone.
To always approach in a steady quiet manor.
No teasing, yelling,
hugging, pinching, pulling or chasing.
Always leave mothers with young alone.
Never try to stop a dogfight!
If you are approached by a strange dog, stand still; let the dog sniff you, no wriggling fingers, put them in
your pocket if you have one.
Do not stare at the dog, and never run away.
If the dog is barking or growling, slowly
walk away, keeping the dog in view.
Be sure your kids understand the
difference between your own dog and a strange dog.
It is
wise to never leave a baby or very young children alone together, no matter how well you think you know the dog.
This all sounds a little forbidding but dogs and kids
really can have lots of fun together.
Valerie Dancer