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Interactions Between Children and Dogs: What You Need to Know

Interactions Between Children and Dogs: What You Need to Know

Updated On December 31st, 2024

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Reviewed By Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

Because of a child's small size and unpredictable behavior, there are several things every pet owner or parent should know about children and dogs. Children and dogs can be the best of friends if you follow a few of these simple guidelines and precautions.

Choosing the Right Dog for Your Family

Not every dog is right for children and not every child is right for a dog. If your children are under six you should invest a great deal of time and thought before choosing a new dog. Dogs that have a history of being aggressive or biting should be avoided. Large, high-energy dogs that can knock children over or dogs that bark excessively may not be the best choices, as well.

Parents with small children are usually very busy; they often do not have the free time or desire to spend hours grooming or walking a high maintenance dog. Initially, puppies require almost as much time as a child does, so ask yourself if you are ready to bring a new puppy into a home that is already busy.

If the parents are not 100% committed to caring for and training the dog, a pet is not advisable. No young child is capable of properly training or completely caring for a dog on their own, so the parent must always ultimately take full responsibility for the pet.

Bringing Home a New Dog

After you have decided that a new dog or puppy is right for your family and have one picked out, take some time to get your house puppy-proofed and acquire the necessary puppy items before bringing your puppy home.

When you bring the puppy home make sure it has several days to adjust before it is played with too much. Make up a set of house rules for the children concerning the new dog and post it on the refrigerator. Decide where the dog will sleep, which should be in a secure kennel or other quiet area that the dog can feel safe and relaxed in

Remember that your children will have to be taught how to treat the dog, so plan on spending lots of time training the dog and the children. This pet will be with you for a long time so spend the time now to avoid unwanted behavior in the future. Educate yourself by buying and reading training books and consider enrolling your puppy or new dog in an obedience class. Well-trained dogs are a joy to be around and are a requirement if children are involved.

New Babies and Dogs: How to Prepare

A common worry of new parents is how their dog will react when they bring a new baby into the house. Many parents often worry about potential health risks for their children, which we will discuss later in this article. Most dogs do fine when a baby is brought into the house as long as appropriate precautions are taken. They are going to be curious and may react to the change in routine, but with patience, they will learn to adjust to the new family member. If the parents will take extra time out of each day both before and after the baby is born to play with, exercise, and groom the dog, the transition should go smoothly.

A newborn baby interacts very little with a dog, so most problems in the household start when the baby turns into a toddler and starts invading the dog's space. A toddler is not able to understand rules and should not be expected to respect the dog's boundaries.' This is the time when the dog will be happier if he has his own space and all interactions with a toddler and dog should be closely supervised.

Remember that when the baby comes home everyone will have less free time, except the dog, so make extra time for the dog to help him adjust to the new routine.

Why Dogs Bite Children (And How to Prevent It)

When dogs bite adults it is usually out of fear and perhaps out of aggression. When dogs bite children it may also be from fear or aggression, but it can also be a "warning bite." The warning bite is usually to the face or hand as the dogs attempt to communicate that they need more space or are uncomfortable in a situation, and can be traumatic for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, children are not able to interpret the dog's language or warning signs therefore, almost all dog bites to children are a result of failure on the parents' part to recognize and prevent potential problem situations.

 Dogs are capable of learning to control their behavior and not bite, and older children can learn to respect the dog's boundaries, however, interactions together should still always be supervised.

A dog and small child should never be left alone. Even the oldest, sweetest most passive dog and the best-behaved child should not be left to interact unsupervised, as accidents can still happen.

Simple Solutions for Common Problems

The following is a list of some common dog child problems that arise and a list of possible solutions.

THE DOG KNOCKS THE CHILD DOWN.

Solutions:

·       Recognize when the behavior usually happens (when the dog is excited about going for a walk) and have the dog go into a down and stay position.

·       Put the dog in a secure location when the children are practicing their walking.

·       Teach the child to tell the dog to sit when the dog is getting too excited.

THE DOG STEALS THE CHILD'S FOOD OR BEGS AT THE TABLE.

Solutions:

·       Move the dog out of the kitchen during mealtime.

·       Have a bag of special treats that are just for the dog and discourage feeding table food.

·       Work on obedience training.

THE DOG JUMPS UP ON CHILDREN.

Solutions:

·       Never allow jumping on anyone for any reason, ever.

·       Initiate puppy training at a very young age to prevent this behavior.

THE DOG GROWLS OR SNAPS AT THE CHILDREN.

Solutions:

·       Work with a professional dog trainer to reduce any unwanted behavior.Counsel the child on their behavior.

·       Eliminate the source of conflict; move the food bowl, remove the toy, provide a crate, or quiet room so the dog has a place where he can sleep or be left alone.

THE CHILD COMES IN CONTACT WITH DOG FECES.

Solutions:

·       Accompany the dog outside and clean up after him immediately.

·       Have the dog's toilet area in a different place than the play area.

There is no greater relationship than that between a child and their dog. Follow some good common-sense precautions and choose the right dog at the right time for your child. A child and a dog both require a huge investment of your time. If you devote the time to both, your rewards will be far greater than anything money could ever buy.

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