What can your child learn from living with a dog?
A family dog offers heart lessons for a child. These include experiencing:
1) daily habits formed in caring for another creature; 2) authority, combined with
gentleness and consideration, for a creature dependent on them; 3) first time grief, since canines live shorter lives; 4) the quick growth of toddler to adult
in something outside themselves; and 5) loyalty, trust and unconditional love.
What should you teach your child about dogs?
When a dog joins your family, train your child to be an alpha leader (May 7, 2004 column). It’s
essential that the dog, which is by nature a pack animal, not see your child as equal in status or subservient.
Attend a dog training class as a family. All family members should consistently reinforce
the same behavior and commands. Train children to speak in a lower, slower, gently authoritative voice when giving
commands to the dog.
Educate your child to read dog body language and act appropriately (April 23, 2004 column). Children
should also be taught the increasing measures a dog will take to warn them. These include a dog turning away from them, growling, or baring its teeth and
stiffening its body.
We all have boundaries past which we lose our temper. Dogs are no different. Teach your child to never to touch a dog while it’s eating, sleeping or ill; tease; pull on tails, poke eyes, pull
fur, or hit the dog with anything.
Explain to children that dogs have a fight or flight boundary around them, depending on their confidence and tolerance with children. If the dog is frightened, it can run away or defend itself. If it can’t
run away, it will defend itself by fighting.
Children under five should never be left alone with a dog. They may unintentionally injure
or challenge the dog with unexpected results.
Provide your dog a space of its own, a crate or room, where s/he can go without being bothered by children.
Don’t leave a dog tied up in the yard. It can’t escape children and may become
territorial of space.
Before you buy a puppy, ask the breeder what they have done to socialize puppies to children, and if they have temperament tested the
litter.
Adoptive families can continue to socialize their puppies by walking them in the neighborhood or near a playground where children run,
make noise, and play ball. Take advantage of this time to train down-stay or sit-stay commands.
Children should always ask for permission from the owner before approaching a dog. Teach
them not to run up, grab or pat dogs without permission.
Once they have permission, children can introduce themselves to dogs by slowly holding out a fist with fingers enclosed within. Sniffing
is how dogs make friends. If the dog is comfortable, they may want to be petted gently under the chin or on the chest.
Teach your children never to approach a dog without its owner or who is injured, or one that is growling, showing its teeth or barking
hysterically.
If a strange, frightening dog approaches, train your child, to not yell, scream, run or make loud noises. This may provoke it or bring out its prey drive. The child should stand still like a tree, with
arms crossed and hugging the chest, eyes averted, until the dog loses interest. A good ploy is to have the child throw something away from both themselves and
the dog. This may attract the dogs attention and allow the child to slowly and quietly move away.
Kids grow up feeling other dogs are gentle and friendly like their own. They should be
encouraged to observe dogs and approach them with respect for each individual one.
For more information, view the American Kennel Club website at:
Children and Dogs
http://www.akc.org/life/family/kids/index.cfm
Safety Around Dogs Activity Booklet
http://www.akc.org/pdfs/PBSAF2.pdf
“Why Dogs Bite: A Guideline for Children” by Dumb Friends League
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/dogbites.htm
For families with children and dogs, Gaile Haynes, with 20 years experience training kids and canines through 4-H, offers classes for
young people and their dogs in conformation and rally obedience. New classes will begin again this Fall. Call 789-0694 for more information.
Johnson Youth Center residents work with Gastineau Humane Society staff to socialize and train dogs before they are adopted. These young people emerge with marketable skills in animal related businesses. The dogs go to their new homes with improved manners and less chance of being returned to GHS.
The Dog Force’s final recommendations are available on-line at:
http://www.juneau.com/parkrec. The Education
Subcommittee met last week to work on ways to convey these recommendations to the public. There will be at least
one more meeting of the Dog Task Force before the public comment period beings.