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Children and Dogs
It is good to introduce puppies to kids and teach puppies how to play with kids. Kids move erratically and dogs not introduced to children early in their life do not learn to enjoy kids and often are fearful of children. Dogs and kids can make good companions.
Kids need to learn to be gentle and kind and should never be allowed to tease a dog. Any form of roughhousing should be discouraged. Roughhousing or games that encourage grabbing, biting and "mouthy" actions by your puppy or dog should be avoided.
Good Games
Kids need to learn how to play with puppies. Fetch, catch, retrieve, hide and seek and soccer are good games children can play with dogs.
Bad Games
Never let children play games such as “Keep Away”, “Tug of War” or “Chase” with puppies. “Keep Away” encourages a dog to snatch or grab with its teeth. “Tug of War” is a game where the winner is the Top Dog and encourages a dominance behavior in a dog. It is not good for your dog to believe they are higher in the pack hierarchy than any family member. These games are aggressive games and your dog’s teeth may connect with a hand. “Chase” may bring out the predator instincts in a dog and even nipping at one’s feet can cause an accident.
Never leave kids with dogs unsupervised,
even with the most child-acclimated dog.
Food, Toys and Doghouses
Dogs learn as puppies to protect their food, toys and favorite spot. Puppies struggle and fight over the stick and we think this behavior is cute. Then we wonder why the child or adult gets nipped when reaching into a food bowl. Aggression by a puppy or dog over food, toys and their kennel is a natural Possession aggression.
It is important to train our puppies and dogs not to be Possession aggressive, but it must be done carefully. It is important to train children not to grab a rawhide or toy, never to crawl in your dog’s doghouse or kennel and never reach into a food bowl. It is important so no one is accidentally hurt. I have seen children and dogs playing in kennels and I have seen a child sleeping in a dog kennel with the dog laying outside in a very protective posture. Unless trained, not all dogs find it acceptable to share their space with anyone, whether it is another dog, a cat or a child.
Approaching a Dog and Petting
Children need to learn how to approach a dog and how to pet a dog. Kids should approach a dog calmly and with confidence. They should offer an outstretched closed hand for the dog to smell. The dog’s response or wagging tail will tell you if the dog wants to be petted. If the dog tries to retreat or politely ignores the child, then do not approach the dog. Children and adults do not naturally understand dog communications. Teach your children to understand the dog communications; a growl, a wagging tail, a soft eyed approach, a play bow.
Hugging and other No’s
Kids need to be taught not to charge a dog, not to look directly into the eyes of a dog or stare and not to hug a dog or lean over the shoulders of a dog. These are natural aggressive behaviors to a dog and a dog may react with a growl or bite. Puppies should be taught to accept these human behaviors, so as to avoid an accident. This is usually learned in Puppy Class.
Treats
Kids should only offer a dog a treat in an open palm (not between the fingers) and should not jerk away as the dog approaches for the treat. A fearful child that jerks away causes the dog to lunge forward for the treat.
Children’s Toys
Put them away, put them out of reach and do not punish the puppy or dog that thinks Barbie© is a good chew toy. Thousand of Legos© have been consumed by dogs, even the best trained dogs. Dogs do not understand why children can play with these and they can not. In fact, part of the appeal is that the children found them fun, so they must be good toys.
If you discover Barbie as a chew toy, interrupt with a loud noise and replace Barbie with a rawhide bone or other acceptable or better chew toy. Punishment is usually counter-productive and may encourage a possession aggressive response now or in the future. Always replace with a better chew toy or you are punishing the dog for the natural behavior of chewing. Your dog will believe he must protect its toys more or it must hide to chew on it.
Puppy Class and Obedience Class
The best way to develop a good relationship between dogs and kids is to take a puppy to Puppy Class. You will learn a lot about raising a puppy. The second is Obedience Class, particularly if class includes a section on kids.
Aggressive Behaviors
If your dog growls or nips at kids, you need help from a Professional Trainer or Animal Behaviorist.
Warning Signs
If you see any of these warning signs, you need help from a Professional Trainer or Animal Behaviorist.
- Refusing to lie down on command
- Bumping you or your children
- Mounts you or your children
- Refusing to move or get off the furniture
- Stops eating or chewing as you approach
- Hides under the furniture
- Growls for any reason, other than play
Quick rules
- Don't pet a dog if the owner is not around.
- Don't pet any dog on a chain, behind a fence or in a car.
- Don't grab at, hit or chase a dog.
- Don't move quickly near a dog.
- Don't scream or yell near a dog.
- Don't stare at a dog.
- Don't pet a dog who is backing away or looks frightened.
- Don't pet a growling or barking dog.
- Don't hug a dog or try to kiss its face.
- Don't bend over or step over a dog.
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