Dogs and Children

Dogs create a fun and happy environment in the home. It's important if you have children to teach them to assume responsibility over the dog by also taking care of the dogs needs. Pets are good for children because they increase a child's auto esteem and confidence in themselves since dogs always accept them without judging. However, there are some cases in which things are different. If a child is raised with a very aggressive or naughty dog, that child tends to become an insecure adult and ends up disliking or hating dogs. And to the contrary; if a dog has to put up with a naughty, aggressive and irresponsible child, he will probably not like children for the rest of his life either. Make sure before getting a dog to talk to your family about it. Pick a breeder that has gotten the puppy used to being around a family environment, and make sure the dog you choose is not a nervous one. Don't get a dog from the animal shelter or pound, unless you are completely sure the dog will get along with children. It's very normal for children to be around the dog twenty four seven during the first few days. Kids are usually fascinated about the idea of having a dog. So, give your dog a place he can have a "time out" to hide when he needs to get away from the children. Give your children responsibilities and have them participate in the care of the dog such as cleaning up after him, feeding him etc and make sure to always supervise your kids when they take care of the dog or when they play with him. If you leave the dog alone with the children, they could cause the dog to learn unwanted behavior such as jumping on people, chasing, and biting. It's important everyone in the family understand that the dog is now part of the family and that the dog needs to get taught and trained besides just taken care of so that he does not turn into an undisciplined dog. One of the advantages of raising a dog with children is that the dog learns how to socialize, gets used to noises, and learns to face all types of new situations.