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Australian shepherd

Teaching children the proper way to engage with dogs.

While scrolling through my Facebook feed recently, I found a video with a dog and child that filled me with too many emotions. As a parent, I’m always moved by videos of children.

It seemed cute, almost beautiful on the surface; a dog doting on a child, moving a blanket to cover her like a good mother.

But, the comments painted a different picture. 

“Oh, a great video.” 

“That dog loves that child.” 

“Oh, cute.” 

I was terrified. To me, those comments were oblivious of the danger I saw.

It wasn’t that I expected the dog to be aggressive. It was a German Shorthaired Pointer which are very good, if a little exuberant with children. In fact, I have two Gsp’s.

But it’s more complicated than that. And for that, I must tell you two stories. 

The First Tail

The first is a story I’m reminded of constantly. As a child, we had the most tolerant dog in the world. Cookie was a cocker spaniel. There is a picture of me holding a towel drying her off. I am perhaps 5 or so and she looks downtrodden from being soaked. I’m helping. Apparently, however, I also used to torment her by sticking my fingers in her nose. 

Thankfully, she was so tolerant.

The Second Tail

The second story I think of is of my son who happened to be playing on our bed with our Vizsla, Tango, nearby. Tango hadn’t been feeling well and was trying to lay in solitude. It happened so quickly, my son got close and Tango lashed out.

Of course, we don’t blame Tango. He’d been feeling ill and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. 

That’s the thing. That feeling of dread I had watching the video of the dog and child is because I recognize that dogs aren’t human. It wasn’t an older brother or mother doting on the child, but an animal that lives by a different set of rules.

  • In escalating scale, dogs exhibit aggression by curling their lips, growling, and biting.
  • Without obedience training, dogs take what they want.
  • Dogs bite and nip for many different reasons.
  • Dogs can be excitable and will knock a child down.

When it comes to our Tango, his communication skills aren’t very strong.  At times, he escalates from lip curling to nipping without letting others know. And in that instant, we are more than thankful that all he did was scare our child with his sharp teeth because it could have been far worse. 

The Children

While we can trust our children with our dogs now, until they were old enough, there was no way we could. Why? Because children:

  • move fast. 
  • put their hands where they shouldn’t. 
  • don’t respect body bubbles.
  • Use high pitched sounds in excitement and fear. 

You don’t have to have a reactive or aggressive dog to have an incident. Many excited dogs simple don’t know how big they may be and will knock a child over. And blaming the animal for the actions of a child or a simple accident isn’t fair to the dog. 

It’s not unanimous

In speaking to my staff, my concerns weren’t unanimously shared. Sure, there was a concern, but outright dread? No. So, what should we be looking for? What is acceptable?


 

 

For me, pretending the dog with a baby was cute was dangerous. While it may not be their fault, it’s our responsibility to ensure our family members, both two and four-legged are safe. For others, having the dog play with a child is acceptable under certain circumstances.

So, what are those circumstances? What makes it okay for the dog’s behaviour. More importantly, what reduces the risk of an incident?

Training

Ensuring your dog follows your rules every time is important. Perfect recall. Absolute control. Want them to sit? Train them. Want them to return to their bed or get off yours? Show them.

Your dog should understand and completely know the house rules, especially their interrupt commands.

Pro Tip: Having your children participate in the training for commands like sit and off a great way for them to become the leader and reduce the excitement factor.

Desensitization

Remember those little hands that squeeze and poke everywhere? Desensitizing a dog to the inevitable actions of a child will help them deal with an ear pull or rough pet. You can easily do this while you’re watching television. Pull her ears, play with her feet. Make her feel comfortable with the fact that some people don’t respect her body bubble. Not only will it help around children, but with adults who rush in for a quick pet or the groomer when they’re trying to clip nails or snip tufts of hair.

Discipline the children

No, not the punishment kind. We need to train our children not to maul our pets. Teach them it isn’t okay to pull at their ears, and especially teach them it’s never okay to sit on your pets. Accidents can happen so it’s imperative you remove the chances.

Learn their body language

While it’s nice to assume every dog is the same, they aren’t. Take the time to understand the signals that your dogs are giving so that curled lips can be seen as a sign of warning as opposed to an awkward smile. Knowing what your dogs are telling you will help you help them feel more comfortable.

Watch their ears, eyes, body, and tail. Every action is telling you something, whether it’s discomfort or joy.

Get what you want

Some breeds are good with others, especially children. If you know you’re going to be starting a family then having an Australian Shepherd or Chihuahua may not be advisable. Get the dog you want, not one that’s convenient. That means waiting for the right breeder instead of adopting a random pet from a rescue. 

Pro Tip: Your new puppy is going to be around for a decade or more. Remember that when you choose what’s best for your.

Genetics

It isn’t just about the breed, however. Not all dogs are equal when it comes to breeding. You need to have an understanding of purebred and well-bred.

What’s the difference?

By having a purebred, you reduce the risk of unknowns that come from other breeds lurking in the gene pool. But that’s not enough. An ethical breeder who is mindful of their breeding animals’ behaviours plan litters for consistency. They’re doing it for the betterment of the breed. You can see how having a consistent gene pool will help you choose the best breed thus reducing the risk of a dog lashing out.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the norms, but when you’re talking about risk, can we afford to watch as a dog mauls our children? It’s heartbreaking enough to have a child injured, but if we step back and realize it isn’t always the dog’s fault then we can have a better relationship with the dog and everyone, both two and four-legged can enjoy their time together.

A lot goes into making that relationship rewarding. You need to teach your children as much as your dogs. By doing the right thing then everyone has the best chance of success. Be mindful and remember, bringing a dog into your home is a lifelong commitment. You will be training every day to ensure everyone is safe.

Want to use up some of your dog’s unwanted energy?  Check out our article here on the benefits of doggie daycare.

Do you want to take a tour? Schedule one here. In the meantime, check out our virtual tour. Just want to enjoy some cute dog photos? We’ve got that too.

LOYALIST BARKWAY

Where your dog gets the loyal treatment

9675 HWY 33, BATH, ON K0H 1G0
info@dogboardingkennels.ca
613-777-5024