The dog is aggressive towards the child. What to do?

Children through the eyes of a dog

A dog’s family is a pack. The leader and leader can be one of the family members, if he was able to prove his strength to the dog, or maybe the dog itself, if the owner could not properly raise the pet. In any case, the animal has an idea of ​​the family as a kind of hierarchy, where each member takes his place.

Why is there aggression towards children?

• Very often, according to the dog, children in the hierarchy of the family are somewhere in last place. Therefore, the dog believes that, as a senior comrade in rank, he has every right to educate them;

• Another common situation: with the advent of a child in the house, the dog loses its position in the family hierarchy, it is jealous of the leader and perceives the baby as a competitor;

• Often, children, especially younger ones, themselves provoke the dog to aggression. They bully, hurt the animal, get too close to the pet’s things (favorite toy, bone, food bowl) or take them away.

How does a dog show aggression?

No dog starts biting right away, at the mere appearance of an aggressor. First, she will definitely make warning signals: she will bare her teeth or start to growl. Some pets, by virtue of their character and temperament, may try to avoid a conflict situation: they will simply step aside. This will also be a demonstration of discontent.

If a child or adult does not understand the warning signals and still insists on communicating with the animal, most likely, a demonstration of strength will follow from the side of the dog, that is, a bite.

Interestingly, small dogs are more likely to show aggression. The reason for this is the attitude of the family to a small pet. Many simply do not pay attention to the growl and grin of the dog, they think that the baby chihuahua is just funny angry, and do not attach importance to warning signals. One day, such ignorance will force the pet to demonstrate its strength. And for sure the target of the bite will be the face of the offender.

How to make contact?

Dog aggression towards a child can be reduced, but this process requires maximum attention and control from adults. A number of rules should be followed:

1. Be sure to explain to your child that a pet is not a toy. The dog should not be provoked: for example, teasing, pushing, waking up and trying to play with it, and then expecting patience and disposition from it;

2. Encourage your dog to play with your child. But it should not be too active or mobile. Hide-and-seek games, bringing objects or joint tracking are perfect;

3. School-age children can take part in the care of the dog: the child can feed the pet, sometimes lead it on a leash for a walk, give a treat when executing commands. The task of the owner is to gradually bring the dog and the child closer together;

4. If there is a child in the family and you are just about to get a dog, try to initially demonstrate the correct hierarchy to the puppy. The child should take part in the upbringing of the pet on an equal basis with other family members.

How to choose a dog for a child?

There are dozens of dog breeds that have proven to be excellent babysitters. Among them are Newfoundland, St. Bernard, Labrador Retriever, Collie, West Highland White Terrier and many others. But it is important to understand that the attitude of a dog to a child largely depends on the person.

December 26 2017

Updated: December 29, 2017