How to Help Children Get Along Well with Dogs
Dogs are very popular household pets and are especially good friends to children. You should start teaching your children how to safely approach dogs and interact with them from a young age. At the same time, you must also take extra care in training your family dog, as its natural instincts or unintentional behaviors could potentially harm your child.
Preparation:
When choosing a pet, you must first consider which breed to get, how much time you have to care for it, and your budget. All dogs need regular exercise, grooming, love, and attention. You should also be prepared for the ongoing expenses associated with caring for your dog’s daily needs: high-quality food, regular checkups, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, as well as transportation costs and medication fees when visiting the vet. The larger the breed and the purer the pedigree, the higher the costs will be.
Puppy Training:
Having both children and a puppy in the home is a good idea, and certain breeds are particularly well-suited to households with children. For example, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles tend to be more stable and are better suited than Poodles, Chihuahuas, or small Terriers. All puppies like to nip at hands or heels; even if it’s just a gentle nibble, this behavior must be discouraged. All new pets in the home require appropriate guidance; dogs will naturally choose the most authoritative person in the household as their leader, and this person—in the dog’s eyes—is responsible for its obedience training. The optimal age for training is between five months and one year.
Proper Hugging:
As your child gets older, you should teach them how to hug a dog. First, approach the dog from the side, allowing it to sniff the scent on the child’s hand, and then gently stroke its chin before hugging it. Never move your hand down from directly above the dog’s head to pat its head or stroke the back of its neck, as these actions are perceived as aggressive by dogs and may trigger an immediate reaction. Some people may have approached a dog using the incorrect methods described above without being bitten and might dismiss this advice as nonsense, but if one day a child is actually bitten because of this, these words will take on new meaning.
Give the Child and the Dog Time to Learn:
For minor mishaps, try not to scold the dog or the child—for example, if the child accidentally steps on the dog’s tail, or if the dog tries to snatch a favorite toy from the child’s hand. This is a learning process—for both the dog and the child. At this point, you can teach your child some commands to control the dog, such as “sit” or “come,” so that both the dog and the child can gradually understand who is in charge. When the child and the dog are playing happily and safely together, be sure to praise both of them generously.
