Best Pet Articles
Search

Dogs & Kids: Happy Together

Web Search

Dogs and kids, it's a combination that at it's best can be the stuff of childhood dreams. At it's worst, it can be a source of heartache and pain and even injury. How can you ensure that your child and Man's Best Friend have a loving and safe relationship? Mostly, it's the responsibility of the adults of the house to teach toddlers and even older children that a dog is not a toy. It's a living, breathing creature that feels pain, shame and humiliation as much as love, pride and happiness. A dog that bites a child may only be defending itself the only way it knows how. But to minimize ever having to worry about a parent's worst nightmare, family animal psychologist, Larry Lachman, M.S., offers the following advice:

SAFETY PREVENTION TIPS TO TEACH YOUR CHILD:

  • Do NOT reach for a dog's head the first time they meet a dog nor excessively rough house around their own dog's head and face.

  • Do NOT look a dog straight in the eyes, which could be seen as a threat or challenge by the dog.

  • Do NOT run up frantically to a dog, which may react fearfully and defend itself or jump and bite at the child's face.

  • Do NOT scream loudly at a dog, which could stress a dog or startle it, causing an aggressive response.

  • Do NOT bother the dog while it is eating or chewing on a chew toy, which could trigger an aggressive guarding response, especially if the child is under seven years of age, where he/she is looked at by the dog as a competing animal in the pack.

  • Do NOT hit, kick, slap, ride, or tease the dog in any manner.

  • Do NOT leave the child and dog alone until the child is older than 7, and can control its impulses.

Adults Should Take The Time...

  • To show the child HOW TO POSITIVELY interact and pet the dog under direct supervision.

  • To show the child how to be a junior dog trainer, and get the dog to sit with a treat, under parental supervision.

  • To only give the dog attention when the child is also receiving attention so the dog makes a better association with the child.

Following these tips will minimize conflict and teach your child to respect your dog and treat her as a member of the family.

About The Author

Gene R. Sower
Lucy The Wonder Dog, LLC
"For The Health & Wellness Of Your Dog"
http://www.lucythewonderdog.com

This is a Free-Reprint article. The only requirements for publishing this article are: You must leave the article and resource box unedited. You are not allowed to change our recommendations, nor are you allowed to change the context of the article.

You may not use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email). Email distribution of this article MUST be opt-in email only.

We ask that you forward a copy of the ezine or newsletter that contains the article inside to the author at: mailto:gene@lucythewonderdog.com

If you post this article on a website, you MUST set any URL's or Mailto addresses in the body of the article and most especially in the Author's Resource Box as hyperlinks. We request that you also send us a copy of the URL where you have posted this article.

If you find any of the rules to be unsavory or unacceptable, please do not publish this article. While we are happy to make the content available to you for your own use, we must insist on having our rules and *Terms of Reprint* honored in full.


MORE RESOURCES:

Pets of the Week
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 12 hours ago
Visit the Utah Animal Adoption Center, 1955 N. Redwood Road, or consult the web at www.utahanimaladoptioncenter.org. For information, call 801-355-PETS.
Pets of the Week Salt Lake Tribune
all 3 news articles


Times Online

A promise to our pets, "They will never be left behind again"
Examiner.com - 6 hours ago
"We felt it was important to honor all the pets that suffered as well as all the volunteers who came and went without any recognition," says Jeff Dorson, ...
Video: Hurricane Gustav Nears, Is New Orleans Ready? AssociatedPress
250 dogs, cats to leave New Orleans before storm St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Hurricane threatens New Orleans, three years after Katrina AFP
Environment News Service - The Associated Press
all 4,179 news articles


Various options exist when pets die
Calgary Herald,  Canada - 17 hours ago
What does a person do with a deceased pet? The first thought was to bury her in the backyard. I expect many Calgary backyards contain the remains of pet ...
Pet restrictions spark lively debate Vernon Morning Star
all 2 news articles


Bill to ban drivers from holding pets is in Gov's hands
The Salinas Californian, CA - 6 hours ago
The Assembly Thursday finished legislative work on Assembly Bill 2233 by Assemblyman Bill Maze, R-Visalia, that would prohibit motorists from holding pets ...


Where Do Pets Go while their Owners are Homeless?
WIBW, KS - 7 hours ago
A new, non-profit organization aims to ease the troubles of pets belonging to people who are temporarily homeless. Pets from the temporarily homeless will ...
Group opens door for Topekans struggling with pet ownership KTKA.com
all 3 news articles


Calling Animal Lovers! SPCA of Texas, Dallas needs donations to ...
CaymanMama.com (press release), TX - 10 hours ago
The already overcrowded shelters in Dallas and McKinney have ceased the admission of owner-surrendered pets in order to accommodate the animals who will be ...
SPCA of Texas in Dallas, McKinney help animals fleeing Hurricane ... Dallas Morning News
all 4 news articles


Animal Shelter goes to the fair
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 5 hours ago
6 and 7, is welcoming the shelter to share in presenting pets for adoption. This should be a lot of fun for animal lovers, especially for families on the ...
Shot and licensing clinic Quartzsite Times
all 2 news articles


Your pet may want to shed those kilos!
The Times, South Africa - 7 hours ago
CATS and dogs as fat as hogs are getting a chance to be South Africa’s biggest loser — in a pet-slimming competition. This year’s Hill’s Pet Slimmer of the ...


Pets for Adoption
Savannah Morning News, GA - 1 hour ago
The following pets are available from the Humane Society Chatham-Savannah. Applications are available at The Humane Society, 7215 Sallie Mood Drive. ...


Abandoned pets becoming another victim of economy in South Lyon
South Lyon Herald, MI - 19 hours ago
"It would be next to impossible to put enough work into this dog and make her a reliable pet," Ferguson said of the Humane Society, ...

Pets - Google News

home | site map | SubArticle
© 2008