Decoding Your Dog by American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

Author:American College of Veterinary Behaviorists [Behaviorists, American College of Veterinary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

What Did We Say?

Socialize your dog to young children during the first six months and beyond of the dog’s life.

Recognize the subtle signs of fear and anxiety in dogs, and do not force them to be around children if they act anxious or afraid of them.

Teach children that they should never approach an unfamiliar dog and that they should never stare directly at dogs or attempt to hug or kiss them. Teach children to always ask a responsible adult, preferably a parent or guardian, before interacting with any dog other than their own.

As children mature, you can teach them to recognize the body language of fear and aggression in dogs and to avoid dogs demonstrating those visual cues. (See more about how to recognize these signs in chapters 1 and 10.)

Be empathetic with the dog who is not very comfortable with children. Don’t force interactions when the dog shows signs of wanting to avoid the child.

Teach children how to interact appropriately with dogs. Rough behavior and interactions with the dog should never be okay.

Never leave a dog and a child under the age of eight together unsupervised, especially if the dog is unfamiliar to the child or has shown any signs of discomfort around children in the past.

Always provide the dog with a safe place to escape the chaos of life with small children. Teach children to leave their dog alone when she is eating, sleeping, or resting in her own bed, her crate, or her safe refuge.

Confine the dog while children are eating so that she does not learn to lick or snap at children for food.

Keep the dog’s association with the child pleasant by giving her extra attention and treats in the presence of the child.

Understand that some dogs may never be able to safely interact with children.

Be prepared to keep the dogs and kids completely separated until the children are old enough to be empathetic and interact appropriately with the dog.

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