CAPITAL HUMANE SOCIETY
2320
Children And
Dogs: Important Information For Parents
Copyright
Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the
Living
with a pet can be beneficial to children. Pets can enhance a child’s
self-esteem, teach them responsibility and help them to learn empathy. However,
children and dogs are not always going to automatically start off with a wonderful
relationship. Parents must be willing to teach the dog and the child acceptable
limits of behavior in order to make their interactions pleasant and safe.
Selecting
A Dog
What
age is best? Many people have a "warm fuzzy" image of a puppy and a
child growing up together. If you have a young child and are thinking of
adopting a puppy (less than one year old) there are a few things you need to consider.
·
Time and energy: Puppies
require a lot of time, patience, training and supervision. They also require
socialization in order to become well-adjusted adult dogs. This means they need
to be taken places and exposed to new things and new people. If you have a
young child who already requires a lot of care and time, will you have enough
time to care for a puppy, as well?
·
Safety: Puppies,
because they’re babies, are somewhat fragile creatures. A puppy may become
frightened, or even injured, by a well-meaning, curious child who wants to
constantly pick him up, hug him or explore his body by pulling on his tail or
ears.
·
Rough play: Puppies
have sharp teeth and claws with which they may inadvertently injure a small
child. Puppies also tend to jump up on small children and knock them down. All
interactions between your child and puppy will need to be closely supervised in
order to minimize the chances of either being injured.
·
Advantages of getting
an adult dog: Adult dogs require less time and
attention once they’ve adjusted to your family and household routine, although
you’ll still need to spend time helping your new dog with the transtion to his new home. You can better gauge how hardy
and tolerant an adult dog will be of childish enthusiasm and you can work with
your local animal shelter to adopt a dog with a history of getting along well
with children. As a general rule, if your child is under six years old, it’s
best to adopt a dog that’s over two years old. Although puppies can be a lot of
fun, and it’s exciting and rewarding to help them grow into wonderful
companions, they do require significantly more time to train and supervise than
an adult dog. What breed is best? Although some general statements can be made
about specific dog breeds, the characteristics of an individual dog are just as
important as a dog’s breed.
·
Size: Small
breeds of dogs, such as toy or miniature poodles, chihuahuas
or cocker spaniels, may not be good choices for a young child. These small
breed dogs are more easily injured than larger dogs and may be more easily
frightened by a lot of activity, loud noises and by being picked up and fondled
frequently. Frightened dogs tend to snap or bite in order to protect
themselves. Larger dogs may be better able to tolerate the activity, noise and
rough play that is an inevitable part of living with
children.
·
Breed type:
Some of the sporting breeds, such as labradors
and golden retrievers, make good pets for families with children. Breeds that
have been selected for protective behavior, such as chows and rottweilers, may not be as good for families with children.
It’s sometimes difficult for this type of dog to comfortably tolerate the many comings
and goings of children and their friends, who may be perceived as territorial
intruders. Herding breeds are inclined to “herd” children, chasing and nipping
at their heels.
Who
Will Care For The Dog?
It’s
unrealistic to expect a child, regardless of age, to have sole responsibility
for caring for a dog. Not only do dogs need basic things like food, water and
shelter, they also need to be played with, exercised and trained on a consistent
basis. Teaching a dog the rules of the house and helping him become a good
companion is too overwhelming a task for a young child. While responsible
teenagers may be up to the task, they may not be willing to spend an adequate
amount of time with the dog, as their desire to be with their friends usually
takes over at this age. If you’re adopting a dog "for the kids," you
must be prepared and willing to be the dog's primary caretaker.
Starting
Off Right
Following
are some guidelines to help you start off on the right foot. Remember, small
children should never be left alone with a dog or puppy without adult
supervision.
Holding:
·
It's safest for both your child and
puppy if your child is sitting down whenever he wants to hold the puppy.
Puppies are squirmy and wiggly and may easily fall out of a young child's arms
and be injured. If held insecurely, a puppy may become frightened and snap or
scratch in response. After your child is sitting, you can place the puppy in his
arms.
·
Have your child offer the puppy a chew
toy while he pets the puppy. When puppies are teething, they tend to chew on
everything, including hands and arms, so having a chew toy handy will divert
the puppy’s teeth away from your child. An added benefit is that the puppy will
come to associate pleasant consequences (getting a treat) with being held by
your child.
·
For larger dogs, have your child sit in
your lap and let the dog approach both of you. This way you can control your
child and not allow him to get "carried away" with pats that are too
rough. You are also there to teach your new dog to treat your child gently.*
Petting
and giving affection: Children often want to hug dogs around
the neck. Your dog may view this as a threatening gesture, rather than an
affectionate one, and may react with a growl, snap or bite. You should teach your
child to pet your dog from underneath the dog’s chin, rather than hugging him
or reaching over his head. You should also teach your child to avoid staring
at, or looking directly into, your dog’s eyes.
Giving Treats: Children
tend to become somewhat fearful and anxious when a dog tries to take a treat
from their hand. This causes them to jerk their hand
away at the last second. The dog may then jump up or lunge to get the treat
which may result in the child being knocked down. Have your child place the
treat in an open palm, rather than holding it in his fingers. You may want to
place a hand underneath your child's hand to help guide him.
Supervising
Play: Children move with quick, jerky
movements, have high-pitched voices and often run, rather than walk. All of these
behaviors somewhat resemble the behavior of prey animals. Almost all of a dog’s
play behaviors are based on predatory behavior. Consequently, your dog may
respond to your child’s behavior by chasing him, nipping at his heels, jumping
up at him or even trying to knock him down. At first, your child may need to
play quietly around your new dog until he becomes more comfortable and calm and
your child has gained more control over the dog. Your dog must also learn that
certain behaviors on his part are unacceptable, but he must also be taught what
behaviors are the right ones. Our handout: “Dealing with Normal Puppy Behavior:
Nipping and Rough Play” outlines procedures for discouraging rough play and
encouraging appropriate play. However, most children under the age of ten are
not capable of carrying out these procedures, so it’s helpful to teach your dog
a “leave it” command that you can use when play gets too rough. Taking an obedience
class together is a good way to teach your dog to respond to commands. An
approach that is not helpful is to punish your dog for his behavior. If he
learns that being around children always results in "bad things"
happening to him, he may become defensive in their presence.
Possessions: Your
dog won’t know the difference between his toys and your child’s toys until you
teach him.
·
Your child must take responsibility for
keeping his playthings out of your dog’s reach. "
If, and only if, you catch your dog chewing on something he
shouldn't, interrupt the behavior with a loud noise, then give him an
acceptable chew toy and praise him lavishly when he takes the toy in his mouth.
·
Don't give your dog objects to play with
such as old socks, old shoes or old children's toys that closely resemble items
that are off-limits. They can't tell the difference!
·
Dogs can be possessive about their food,
toys and space. Although it’s normal for a dog to growl or snap to protect
these items, it’s not acceptable. At the same time, children need to learn to
respect their dog as a living creature who is not to be teased or purposefully
hurt and who needs time to himself .
If your dog is growling or snapping at your child
for any reason, the situation needs IMMEDIATE attention. Punishing
your dog is likely to make matters worse. You may call
our Dog Behavior Helpline at (402) 441-4488 for more info.