This guest blog written about dog’s and children is from Lisa Sinnott. Lisa is the founder of Albany Pet Services, a Princes Trust supported and award winning business she set up 3 years ago. She has a professional dog walking diploma, canine coaching diploma and has been on dog body language courses. She provides one to one dog walking that is suitable for all dogs but particularly reactive and elderly dogs. She also provides dog and puppy training services. She was a finalist in the young entrepreneur category in the Best Business Women 2019 Awards.
Dogs can be wonderful members of the family and I’ve seen first hand the fantastic relationships my clients children have with their dogs and the benefits the bring to their lives.
However it’s imperative that dogs are set up for success and they’re not put into situations they can’t cope with. This blog is about how to keep your dog and your children safe.
How to prepare if you are expecting a baby
If you’re expecting a baby here are some things you can do to help your dog and you prepare for their arrival:
Install baby gates for your dog – you’ll probably have a lot of visitors coming in and out so having baby gates will mean you can have your dog securely in another room without the risk of them jumping up or running out
Check out You Tube for crying baby sounds so your dog (and you!) starts to get used to the sound of a crying baby
Once your baby has been born, bring home a blanket or clothing that your baby has been wearing so your dog can smell your baby’s scent before the baby comes home.
What to do if you have children already
This is guide on how to keep dogs and children safe.
As well as your child’s, be your dog’s guardian too. Don’t allow you’re child to climb all over your dog and pull their ears, tail etc. – this can be painful for the dog and they may react. Teach children about consent petting (petting for 3 strokes then moving their hand away and if the dog wants more they will initiate contact). Also about respecting a dog’s boundaries – when they’re asleep leave them asleep, and if they’re eating then don’t bother them either.
Give your dog a choice. This is a really important one, I think that sometimes we focus on what a dog does for us and not what we can do for our dog (they give us so much joy.. we owe it to them right!) allow them to have undisturbed resting areas, teach them drop and leave it so they have more control over their choices, if they haven’t learnt this yet or you don’t have time at the moment always swap the item you want back with something your dog would value more – a tasty treat perhaps – don’t snatch it out of their mouths as this could result in possessive related reactivity/aggression.
Contrary to common belief dogs don’t like being hugged and kissed (no tongues pur – lease!) While it may be a way that we as humans show love, in the dog world it isn’t – it can be seen as invasive and scary. Even if your friends dogs tolerate it, it doesn’t mean that they like it, so stand up for your doggo, don’t let your children or your friends children pest them.
Don’t leave your child alone with the dog – but not only this – make sure you’re watching their interactions. Teach your child the importance of dog body language and respecting a dog’s personal space. Check out these body language guide’s here and here for guidance.
Unfortunately the majority of dog bites happen to children under 7. Child-initiated interactions with the dog trigger up to 86 % of injuries at home. Recently, it was found that young children do not discriminate a dog’s body signals, but look mainly at the dog’s face (Lakestani, et al., 2006). It may explain why a dog snarling and bearing their teeth may be misinterpreted as a smile. We must educate children about this to keep children and dog’s safe.
Body language signs that suggest a dog is uncomfortable are:
- Lip licking
- Moving away
- Head turns
- Tail tucked under their body
- Growling
- Snapping
Here’s a very informative video, I encourage you to share it with your children. It is upsetting at the end so watch it first to check it out before sharing.
Never punish a growl – if you’re dog is growling their letting you know they’re uncomfortable with the situation they’re in. Punishing and ignoring a growl is like taking the batteries out of a smoke alarm – the dog may think that this is not enough and may move straight to a bite. If you’re dog is growling get in touch with a certified clinical animal behaviourist for help.
You can learn more about safe interactions between dogs and children here:
https://www.thefamilydog.com/families
https://www.thebluedog.org/en/
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/education
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/factsheets-downloads/bds%20parents%20leaflet.pdf
If you would like more information about Lisa’s pet care services, please see her website.
If you help more help and advice on preparing for the arrival of your baby, please have a look at my antenatal classes.
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