BE SAFE!
We want our dogs and children to be the best of friends so we need to make sure this happens safely. Your children need to be educated to be around a new puppy, or rescue dogs. Your dog needs to be educated to be around everyone but especially socialised with children.
Children also need to be educated around other peoples dogs too. Just because your dog has been socialised around children doesn't mean all dogs have. Young children have very few inhibitions around dogs, which means they are fearless and careless, until they have a bad experience!
Puppies are soft and fun to touch and play with, like toys, young children can possibly cause pain to your puppy which would give your puppy a bad experience around children and at worst react and hurt your child. We need the early development and socialisation with children to be a positive one for both parties.
Using a crate when you have small children around is recommended for both pup to have their space and for security when you can't watch pup and child at the same time, ie when cooking etc.
Never leave your child and puppy together unsupervised. Either party could get over excited and whether it's your puppy getting too boisterous and nipping or your child getting over excited and hurting your pup the outcome would be very negative on their future relationship.
DO:
1. Ask permission. Always ask your parents first, then the dogs owner if you can approach a dog. Never approach a dog if there is no adult present!
2.Approach slowly. If you are allowed to go meet a dog don't run up to it.
3.Let the dog come part of the way to you. Try not to invade the dogs personal space, doing so might worry the dog.
4.Hold out the back of your closed hand slightly towards the dog, but not in it's face. Let him sing you.
5.Take care when your dog is eating or sleeping. Never approach when they are eating or chewing on a treat or toy. Take care when a dog is sleeping so you do not surprise or startle them.
6.Pet a dog softly. Start by softly petting the dog's chin or chest. Gentle scratching is also fine. Avoid bringing your hands over the face and head. Stop petting if the dog backs away, snaps, growls, or demonstrates appeasement gestures or fearful body language.
DON'T
1.Pull a dog's ears or tail. Also, try not to grab the feet.
2.Put your face close to a dog's face. This may invade the dog's personal space. Plus your face is right there in the "bite zone".
3.Run away from dogs. This may evoke a predatory response. Don't forget, most dog's have some predatory instinct (some more than others).
4.Yell or screaming around dogs. Excessive noise can scare or excite some dogs and may just annoy others.
5.Squeeze, hug, smother a dog or hit him. This makes many dogs uncomfortable. If a dog feels threatened enough to bite then your head is dangerously close (to the "bite zone").
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