It's been a while since I've managed to get on here and add a new post, however recently we had the opportunity to help in the rehoming of a gorgeous older dog by the name of Stella to a well deserving family, which has inspired me to leave a few hints and tips with regards to kids and dogs. This is a topic which is very important as we seem to have the highest of expectations from our furry little friends and expect them to tolerate constant onslaughts from youngsters! I am just as guilty as the next man when it comes to this. At the ripe old age of 6 (ish) I was the lucky recipient of a brand new cow boy outfit complete with hat and revolver! What does every cowboy need?.......a horse! So, after climbing to the top of the nearest cliff (the stairs) I called over my trusty companion and jumped on to her back, legs akimbo. Unfortunately for the family dog who was a gorgeous, extremely tolerant Dachshund I nearly broke her back when I landed. She did what EVERY dog who had to put up with me would have done, she turned and bit my face, leaving me with a scar about an inch below my eye, still very visible today. She fully recovered and lived many more years having to put up with me.  If this had been a bigger dog, the bite would have been a lot bigger due to the strength and size of the jaws. At best I would have been left with severe scarring maybe losing an eye and at worst I would have been killed. Now let me put this into perspective before we start screaming about which breeds should never be with kids! More children are killed by their own parents than are killed by dogs. There is also an argument to say that "tougher" breeds would have had a higher pain threshold and may not have even bitten but thats a whole other conversation. You might be thinking to yourself "our dog lets the kids climb all over her and pull her ears, ride her like a pony and take her food away" but I have to say this is not just the sign of a tolerant dog but also the sign of bad parenting! When you have had enough of your kids, you get the baby sitter in and have a night off (which you more than likely deserve) The dog doesn't have that choice, and sooner or later you will reach what I have termed the cola effect. If you keep shaking the bottle, its going to pop! The key is to teach both the dog and the kids to be polite. A lot obviously depends on the age of the children and the temperament of the dog.  I'm not saying the kids shouldn't be allowed to play with the dog but picking the right games is vital. Fetch (if the dog doesn't mug you for toys), hide and seek, frisbee are all suitable games or better still take them to a child friendly dog training class (7 years and up) where they can learn to be part of the dogs education and the dog gets a positive association with the kids. |
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CategoriesClub UpdatesDog Blog Donna |
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