Dogs & Toddlers - Can They Get Along?

Dog bites are the second most frequent cause of childhood visits to emergency rooms. The vast majority of dogs bites involving children are from dogs the child knows or lives with. And when a child less than 5 years old is the victim, the family dog is usually the attacker.  

Young children who are just beginning to walk can be quite unsettling to some dogs. From the dog's perspective, "these little people are noisy, they throw things, they fall on me or trip over me, their movements are erratic and their behavior is unpredictable."

The risk is even greater in homes with old, sick or arthritic dogs, or with under-socialized dogs who never learned to enjoy children while they were puppies.

If your dog has growled or snapped at your child, seek professional help immediately. And of course,  it's always better to prevent aggression in the first place, by following these guidelines:

- Children should be taught not to approach the dog; instead the parent can invite the dog over to the child.

- Children must NOT approach a dog who is eating. 

- When the child is eating, the dog should be crated or  resting in his gated area.

- Learn to read your dog's body language. Pay close attention and learn to notice things like  stiffening, whale eye, hard eye (staring with dilated pupils), lip curls, lip licking and  stress yawns. Your dog is always communicating through body language. Learn to read these subtle signs, and give your dog some distance from the child when you see them. Don't wait for a growl, snap or bite to occur and then try to "correct" your dog. You can't scold aggression away. Instead, try to prevent it by noticing early warning signs like the ones above.

- A child must never be allowed to approach  dog who is tied up/tethered.

- While the parents are away and a baby sitter is on duty, the dog should be crated. It's too much to expect a babysitter to watch your dog and your toddler.

- Set your home environment up for success. Provide gated areas where your dog can rest peacefully without fear of being tripped over or jumped on. 

- Keep your child away from your dog's food, toys or beds. 

- Always supervise interaction between your dog and your child, and teach appropriate boundaries to both. Never let kids and dogs play together unless you're right there in the middle of the action.

- Certain areas of the home can be highly prized by dogs. These places include:  a dog bed, under the coffee table, between the coffee table and the couch, on the couch, etc.  Use extra caution when high value places such as these are involved. If necessary, move furniture around or use gates to to prevent access.  

- Gates and crates can be a big help in creating safety zones - but never let a child reach through a gate or tease a dog who is in his crate or behind a gate.

- Never let a child play in a  dog's crate. 

- Dogs learn by association. These associations are powerful and can work for you or against you. Scolding your dog every time the toddler is around ("Get away from Junior's toys! Play nice! Put that down! FIDO NO!") teaches your dog that the child gets him into trouble. Instead, set your dog up for success by proactively arranging a safe environment. Form positive associations by using praise and play to reward good behavior when Fido and Junior are together.