Taken from my first group (posted in 2003)

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Dogs and Children


The reason dogs get along so well with children is because they are so much like them. They think alike, they act alike and they even train alike. All this creates an understanding between a dog and a child that is beyond the conception of grownups. Unless the dog actually fears children and wants nothing to do with them, which is sometimes true if the dog is shy or has never been around children, he will usually take to the child the moment he enters the house.

We have all witnessed a dog being mauled to such a degree, that were such treatment attempted by an adult, it would bring disaster. Children can step on a dog's paws, pull his ears, his tail, and his hair, and all but put the dog's eyes out, and he will take it like a martyr. Dogs have a natural instinct to guard and to protect children. This makes them sense danger in the offing which will cause an owner sometimes to say he feels perfectly safe as long as "Rover" is around.

When a new baby appears, often the dog, favored pet of the household, may become jealous. This is natural, but the owner can prevent this if when the owner is fussing over the baby, he takes only a minute or two to give the dog a pat on his head, and I wouldn't worry about the germs. A kind word, too, is all that the dog needs to feel just as important.

I have often been asked how old a child should be before he has a dog of his own. A dog can become a member of the household while the child is still in the crib. Providing the parents take charge at this time, age does not enter the picture. If the child is to have the responsibility for feeding the dog, exercising him, and training him, that is something else.

This should not be undertaken until the child is ten or twelve years old or even older. Youngsters as well as puppies have a very short memory. Both forget to do the important things. Responsibility should not be given a young child unless the owners see to it that the child can accept responsibility. Until such time, the owner should supervise the dog's care.

Also, all children should be taught the rights of a puppy just as they do a playmate. After all, the dog is a playmate and can take so much before he loses his temper. They should learn not to tease a puppy. Tugs of war are bad for a puppy's disposition. It teaches him the power of his teeth and may result in serious biting later on. There are other methods of playing such as throwing a ball or stick, or running after the puppy as in a game of tag, and these things will not bring on a major catastrophe.