We all have them, friends and family who let their babies/children climb all over and essentially harass their dogs. Some think it's cute, some think it's perfectly normal, and some think their dogs actually enjoy it. They don't. And what might not bother them today might become a huge issue as they age.
Teaching your little one how to respect a dog's space is going to prevent them from a dog bite plain and simple. I don't care how tolerant (and tolerance is not enjoyment) your dog is, what happens when your baby comes over to say my house and attempts to treat them like one of their own? My dogs would surely correct your baby and rightfully so. Said correction would come in the form of an open mouth full of teeth attached to a 125 and 90 pound dog. You would freak out and blame my dogs wouldn't you? But aren't you really the problem here? Didn't you inadvertenly teach your child this was appropriate behavior? To keep your child safe around ALL animals, you must raise them to respect them all. Anything less and you will have failed to teach your child potentially lifesaving skills.
Things you should not allow your child to do (no matter how cute that photo op is):
Hug a dog around it's neck
Use a dog as a pillow
Pull on ears, paws, or tails
Touch a dog's food or water dish while they are eating
Remove a toy or bone from a dog
Lay on top of a dog
Attempt to ride a dog
Never touch a dog while sleeping
Do not lay on dog beds and or dog crates
Do not put your face in a dog's face
Do not chase a dog
Do not tease a dog with food or toys
Do not eat snacks while walking (at my house, you might lose a finger if it's something Mack wants)
These are just some of the no nonsense what ought to be common sense rules I use to keep Becks safe as well as my dogs.
ps- when most kids come to my house, my dogs go to their safe space with a yummy treat. Cranky seniors do not like "those" kids. It's a win win situation and they appreciate me looking out for their best interests very much.
pps- you should all read this and share it far and wide
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/5388/fatal-dog-attacks-why-lessons-are-not-being-learned/
i agree 180%
ReplyDeletevery nice!!! I have a post as well on this topic! I have written a blog post on it with some great dog and baby tips! great blog!!--Kelly http://candidk9.blogspot.com/2010/03/dog-and-baby.html
ReplyDeleteGreat article - and scarey photo!! When Henry was on his way I used a book called Tell Your Dog You're Pregnant: An essential guide for dog owners who are expecting a baby. It was really helpful and came with a CD of sounds. Silty took some time to get used to the sounds but the book helped on how to do it. Maybe that will help someone else!
ReplyDeleteThis is an other post, but obviously still a popular topic. I agree that children should be taught to respect animals. The list of no-nos is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI would like to mention, however, that responsible owners will raise pets that tolerate any of those behaviors. We made sure our pitty would accept being poked or squished, having food taken away, sharing toys and beds, and generally being subservient in every way.
A safe and peaceful household is predicated on properly training all the babies--furry and human.
I agree 180% with the above post, looking forward. its good to teach your child what is good behavior for other dogs but my dog is taught to never freak out from intrusive attention. this list makes it seem like your baby is the only that has to follow rules. and that its the persons fault instead of the dog when the dog takes off your finger trying to get your food. WHAT?! what kind of dog are some people raising? my dog isn't even allowed to look at us when we eat. and my kid can wave a hunk of meat in front of her and knows whats ours is ours unless we put something in her dish. this post is disheartening
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