Is a dog a babysitter?

“… Mrs. Darling liked everything in the house to be right, and Mr. Darling liked it to be no worse than people’s. Therefore, they could not do without a nanny. But since they were poor – after all, the children simply ruined them on milk – they had a big black diving dog called Nena as nannies. Before the Darlings hired her, she was just nobody’s dog. True, she cared a lot about children in general, and the Darlings met her in Kensington Park. There she spent her leisure time looking into baby carriages. She was terribly disliked by negligent nannies, whom she accompanied to the house and complained about them to their mistresses.

Nena was not a nanny, but pure gold. She bathed all three. She jumped up at night if any of them even stirred in their sleep. Her booth was right in the nursery. She always distinguished unmistakably a cough that was not worth attention from a cough that required an old woolen stocking to be tied around the throat. Nena believed in old tried and tested remedies like rhubarb leaves and didn’t trust all this newfangled talk about microbes…

This is how the fabulous story of D. Barry “Peter Pan” begins. Nena, although she was a dog, turned out to be a reliable and responsible nanny. True, Mr. Darling once got angry with Nena and moved her to the yard, which Peter Pan took advantage of, moving the children to Neverland. But this is just a fairy tale. But in real life – can a dog be a nanny for a child?

In the photo: a dog and a child. Photo: pixabay.com

Why do people think that a dog can be a babysitter?

Dogs, especially large, balanced and friendly, if they are properly prepared for the birth of a child, are very condescending and patient with small people and allow them a lot in communication, which is extremely touching to parents and observers.

On the Internet, you will find many photos showing how very tiny children kiss huge dogs, ride them or sleep with them in their arms. Images like these, as well as stories of dogs rescuing little owners in dangerous situations, further strengthen some parents’ belief that a dog will make a great budget babysitter.

As a rule, breeds such as the Rough Collie, Newfoundland, Labrador or Golden Retriever, which have proven to be excellent family dogs, are most often given the role of nannies.

However, is everything so rosy and can a dog be a nanny for a child?

Can a dog be a babysitter?

A dog, of course, can safely live in the same house with a child, subject to safety rules and with proper preparation of the pet for the birth of the baby. However, to the question whether a dog can be a nanny for a child, there can be only one answer: No no and one more time no!

Not because the dog is a potential killer, of course. Because it’s just a dog. And a small child cannot control his actions and be responsible for them, which makes him potentially dangerous both for himself and for his four-legged friend.

A dog, even the kindest, can accidentally push a child. No dog, even the most patient, will wait for a human baby to satisfy the natural excitement and find out how deep the pencil goes into the pet’s ear or how tightly the dog’s eye is held in the socket. And in general, don’t expect your dog to put up with something that you yourself wouldn’t put up with – it’s unfair and dishonorable to a four-legged friend who hasn’t been hired as a nanny at all.

But even if the dog itself does not harm the child, he may accidentally fall or injure himself, put something in his mouth, or create another dangerous situation. And the dog can neither provide first aid nor call an ambulance or fire brigade.

In the photo: a dog and a small child. Photo: pxhere.com

The main safety rule is: no, even the most reliable dog should never be left alone with a small child. Moreover, the dog must be protected from the obsessive attention of the young owner. Only in this case, you can count on the fact that the dog will be kind to your heir. But this, alas, is in no way consistent with the role of a four-legged nanny.