Introducing Children to a Dog

By Leslie Brown

When introducing children to dog, the first step is to make sure you choose an appropriate dog--one that will be good for children.

Before you actually bring home a dog, introduce children to the dog you're thinking about getting. It's a good idea to have some interactions with the dog at the breeder’s, the shelter, or the foster parent's house. When you bring home a new dog, make sure that the initial introductions go as smoothly as possible. If there is any immediate aggression or dominance issues between the new dog and your children, then it's just not a good idea to attempt to bring him home.

See if the dog will get along with your children and that your children will like the dog. Even if the initial meeting goes well, you still need to be careful and alert. Slower introductions are better than quickly forced ones. For the dog’s and children’s sake, don't introduce too many new things all at once. Even though the children are going to be excited about the new dog, the dog really needs to warm up to the children on his own time because a new dog can easily get overwhelmed.

Depending on the age of the children, introductions to a new dog vary. Younger children and babies need a slower and more careful introduction. In general, adult dogs are better for homes with younger children because they are calmer and generally more forgiving than a puppy.

When introducing children to a new dog, make sure they stay as calm as they can be. Let the dog come up to the children and sniff them. Do not leave the new dog with the children (no matter what age) unsupervised. A good idea is to supply children with small treats so that the dog knows that they're not going to hurt him and that they want to be friends. The dog might already be used to children, but he might not be used to your children.

The following lessons are important and have been recommended to guide children’s introduction to dogs:
• Begin at home. If you are getting a dog, it’s best to begin the introduction of the dog to children at home. Tell children not to tease the dog, not to pet the dog while he is eating, and (if it is a small dog or a puppy), not to drop him. Also, tell your children never to hit the dog, pull his fur, or jab their fingers in his face. Do not let children pull the dog’s ears or tail. Emphasize to your children that they should treat the dog the way they like to be treated.
• Not all dogs are nice. Teach children that not all dogs are friendly. Explain that just as all people are not nice, some dogs can be badly behaved as well. Some dogs have germs in their mouth that, if the dog bites the children, could make them very sick. So, teach children not to do anything that might provoke a dog and make him think he needs to bite to protect himself.
• Ask permission. Teach children that if they see someone walking a dog to first ask the owner for permission before they get too close to the dog or try to touch him. For example, they can say “Does your dog like children?” “Can I pet your dog?” “Is your dog friendly?” If you do this yourself when out with children, they will learn the appropriate way to greet a strange dog.
• Stand up and stand still. Tell children not to run up to a dog. They must keep their hands at their sides, and let the dog come up to them and sniff their legs. While it seems natural for children to want to get on the dog’s level by kneeling down or sitting on the floor, it’s not a good idea for any child to be too close to a dog’s face until the dog has proved himself to be trustworthy around children. On introduction to a dog, children should be taught to remain standing, stay still, and to let the dog investigate them first. It might seem natural for children to want to reach out their hand toward a dog, but some dogs can find this threatening.
• Watch the dog’s tail. If his tail is standing straight up, if his ears are back, or if the fur on the top of his back is standing up, then you know he is not yet sure if your children are friendly and they should not try to pet him.
• He is behind a fence for a reason. Teach children never to put their fingers or hands inside of a fence where a dog is guarding someone’s property. Explain that some people have dogs to protect their yard, and never to try to make friends with a dog guarding property or his food.
• Let the dog know in dog language that you do not want to fight with him. If a dog appears in some way to be mean, tell children not look him straight in the eyes, as he might think they are challenging or “testing” him. Children should be told to back away from the dog slowly and not to run, because this might make him want to chase them.

Remember that the most important thing to teach children when introducing them to any dog is that the best way to avoid getting hurt is to make friends slowly and on the dog’s time.

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