Dogs and Kids, Kids and Dogs....Sort of Like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Right??
Most of us grew up with a dog. Dogs can boost a child's self-image, teach them responsibility and help them to learn empathy. The flip side is that dogs and kids are not always the best mix. Adults must be willing to teach the dog and the child acceptable behavior in order to make their interactions fun as well as safe.
When a parent says, "My kids are good with dogs," what does that mean? Should the family dog be required to have the kids climb on her? Pull her tail?? Put fingers in her ears?? Or, should the child know and understand how to handle a dog and just how to treat it with respect? While it is important to have a tolerant dog, it is often more important to have dog savvy children.
Children under the age of 6 or 7 should never be left alone with a dog, especially a dog it does not know extremely well. Young children just do not understand that hugging the dog around the neck or staring at a dog can feel threatening to the dog or that those hard pats just might not feel good to the dog. Always remember that if a dog bites, the dog is the one who gets blamed and is then in danger of euthanasia, no matter whose 'fault' it was.
Children often have a more difficult time than adults establishing and holding their position in the pack. A dog is often eye level with a toddler, and this can be frightening to both him and the child, he may view the child as a littermate or he may feel he has the right to discipline the child when he tries to take his food or toy, or plays too rough. Training both the dog and the child is essential to a cohesive pack.
Dogs are pack animals, meaning they live in a group with a strict social structure. When a dog joins your household, he needs to learn his position within your family "pack". He is always testing to see if he can move up in rank. For safety and comfort, everyone in the family needs to be higher in the pack order than the dog.
Establish rules of the house, and enforce them consistently. Your dog will only be confused if your child lets him on the couch or allows him to share a bowl of popcorn, but you scold him for the same behavior. You can prevent discipline problems by letting your child and your dog know what behavior is acceptable, and what is not.
A dog's temperament is first inherited, and then modified by events in his life. A responsible breeder wisely puts emphasis on good temperament when selecting breeding stock. A responsible rescuer ensures that the dog he places into a home is appropriate for that home. A dog's basic temperament, instincts and training have the biggest effects on how that dog reacts to the world around him and his levels of tolerance.
Very few bites happen without provocation -- but the provocation may exist only in the dog's mind! We need to realize that dogs are not little people in furry costumes. They don't think in the same way that we do. They look at the world around them with a different perspective. Most of their actions are instinctive. A dog will react to situations according to what his instincts tell him unless these instincts are overridden by the consistent training and socialization he needs to receive from his owner throughout his life.
It is most important to understand that any dog will bite under the right circumstances. A dog is a dog, an animal whose behavior isn't the same as humans and can't always be predicted no matter how friendly or reliable he appears to be.
When children and dogs play together, put the dog in his crate for a short while if he starts to get out of control. Protect the dog from kids who do not treat him gently or follow your rules. He should be allowed some time out to rest BEFORE he has had enough. Make sure that children understand that the crate is his private area. Do not allow children to play in or on your dog's crate, and never allow a child to crawl into the crate with the dog. This could cause the dog to feel trapped, and snap out of fear. Teach children to always speak to a sleeping dog before touching him. He might bite to defend himself before he realizes who you are.
Things to teach your children about handling dogs include:
- Always ask a dog's owner to pet the dog.
There may be a very good reason why a dog should not be touched. He may be "on duty" as a handicapped person's assistance dog, or he may be injured, ill, or afraid of children.
- Approach a dog from the front or side.
Hold hands low and speak softly. Surprising a dog from behind, forcing him into a corner, waving hands in the air or screaming may overexcite him, causing him to snap in fear or even in play.
- Let a dog eat in peace.
If there's one place a dog may get defensive, it's at the food dish. Your dog shouldn't growl when you get near his dish, but you shouldn't interfere with his eating.
- Be careful with special toys.
Some dogs have powerful feelings for their balls or chew toys. Never take a bone or toy from a dog's mouth unless you have trained him to drop it and give it to you first.
- Be careful with wrestling or tug-of-war games.
Dogs may get too enthusiastic in these sorts of games and forget you're not a dog. You may consider other games such as fetch, Frisbee or hide and seek as outlets for your dog's energy.
- Respect a dog's space.
Dogs naturally defend their territories. Sticking your hand inside a strange dog's pen or in a car window where a dog is sitting may put him in a defensive situation and he might bite to protect his territory.
- Leave fighting dogs alone.
Do not try to break up a dogfight! Most fights end quickly, but it's a good idea to remain quiet and get an adult who can stop the fight with a garden hose or lemon juice in a squirt bottle. Trying to separate or yelling at fighting dogs makes them more excited, and they might turn on you.
Observe dog body language.Dogs normally resort to biting only when they think you haven't listened to their warnings. Watch out for a dog that is barking, growling, or showing his teeth. Beware if his ears are back, legs, stiff, tail up, or hair standing up on his back. Slowly walk away and say "No" firmly, arms by your side. Do not scream, stare into his eyes, or run away. If you run, he will chase you and may attack.
- Never approach a loose dog.
Even if he seems friendly. Dogs that are confined in yards, and especially dogs on chains, should be avoided. Many are very serious about protecting their space.
- Be a tree when a dog approaches.
Stand straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible thing to do around a dog, because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs just sniff and leave. Teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly out of the area.
- "Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked.
This strategy may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting with flesh.
- Act like a log if knocked down.
Face down, legs together, curled into a ball with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal. Help your child understand this will help them to prevent serious injury.
- Be aware of your role as a dog owner in preventing attacks.
Socialize and train your dog from the day you get him. Neuter him to help avoid dominance challenges that can be especially dangerous to children. And keep him where unsupervised children can't get to him. At the end of a chain is no place for a dog.
Things you will want to consider before acquiring a family dog:
- Take your time when looking for a dog.
Do your homework. Learn the differences in the various breeds and choose one best suited to your lifestyle and experience. A border collie may not be the best dog for your family.
- Be honest with yourself.
How much time and work are you willing to put into a dog? If you don't have time to train the dog properly, don't get one.
- It's unrealistic to expect any child to take on the responsibility of caring for a dog.
(no matter what he promises you). Not only do dogs need the basics like food, water and shelter, they also need to be played with, exercised and trained consistently. Teaching a dog the rules of the house and helping him become a good companion dog is too daunting a job for a child. While teenagers may be up to the task physically, they may not be willing to spend an adequate amount of time with the dog, as they would usually rather be with their friends or working than feeding the dog. If you're adopting a dog for your children you must be prepared to be your dog's primary caretaker.
- Acquire your dog from a reputable, responsible person.
Do your research to be sure they put priority on good temperament and health and consistently produces dogs that excel in those areas. Choose a shelter, rescuer or breeder who's experienced and willing to guide and advise you about care and training throughout the dog's life.
- Train and socialize your dog properly!
Get help if you run into problems. Don't fool yourself into thinking the dog will outgrow an issue or that the problem will go away on its own.
- Teach your children how to behave correctly.
Refer to previous list and work with your children before you bring the dog into the home. The best behaviors are taught when a child is very young, do not wait to teach them to respect animals and treat them well.
- Don't take chances with their safety!
If your children are too young to understand, it will be up to you to physically supervise them and protect them from potential harm. If you can't be right there to take care of a problem or if you can't control your dog or your child -- put the dog away.
- Remember that what your dog tolerates from your own children may not be tolerated from someone else's.
You need to take extra safety precautions when other children visit and make sure that the children obey your ground rules.
- Consider waiting to acquire a dog until your children are of school age and mature enough to understand behavior and how theirs can affect your new dog.
Information for this article compiled from the following websites:
- http://www.familydoctor.org/
- http://www.hsus.org/
- http://www.mo.essortment.com/
- http://www.petco.com/
- http://www.veternarypartner.com/
