Choosing
the right dog for your family -
especially the children
Dogs and children
are a perfect fit.
They are what
fond memories are made of and part of a joyful childhood.
But sometimes tragedy does strike. What should you do to prevent an
accidental attack?
The first caution
for parents is to NEVER leave very young children (pre-schoolage - under
six) left unattended with a dog. If you trust your dog then you likely
do not believe that the dog will suddenly choose to attack.
However, the
dog is not much different than a small child itself.
If a dog is unintentionally harmed or feels threatened it may bite in
self-defense, just as small children may push or scratch another child
when they feel threatened.
Do not subject
your dog or child to possible harm by leaving them alone to play. Your
dog is not an adult.
Always supervise
dogs and children and you will be preventing a problem from occurring.
Discourage your
children from hugging and kissing their dog as most bites to the face
happen this way. Regardless of the age of your children you should discourage
roughhousing with the dog. Some of the larger breeds can generally handle
rougher play, such as Newfoundlands and Boxers, without becoming agitated.
Other large breeds may become irritated by ear pulling, grabbing and
other play and accidentally harm your child. Large breeds may even knock
over a small child unintentionally.
On the other hand,
smaller breeds sometimes hurt children because they feel threatened
by overly affectionate mauling or fear being stepped on. In these cases
they may bite or scratch in an effort to protect themselves from harm.
It is recommended
that roughhousing should be discouraged with all breeds. You should
seriously consider fully training any dog you choose as a family pet.
While some trainers may feel that the owner is adequately qualified
to take on this task, you may wish to consider having your dog professionally
trained if possible. Incorrect training can actually lead to behavior
problems.
Owning a fully-trained
dog will give you the peace of mind you are looking for when selecting
a pet for your children.
These are just
some of the points to consider when bringing a dog home for your children.
By taking the time to understand and learn about dogs before bringing
one home, you are more likely to find the life-long friend your children
deserve!
Shannon Emmanuel
is a freelance writer and the author of
‘How to Select
the Best Dog or Puppy for Your Children’.
Find tips and
information on dogs for children at:
Thanks for reading
this far!
Regards, Keith.
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