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Dogs & Kids
The majority of dogs are friendly to all nice guests- this means that if you are welcomed by the homeowner, the dog will welcome you as well. Most say that the best way to greet a dog is to hold your hand out and let the dog sniff your hand. After 10 years of working with animals, I must say that this is not the best way to approach a strange animal. I have found it best to let the dog make the first move in this situation. Typically what I have found to work best is to get fairly close to the dog (within a few feet), crouch down and ignore the dog. Yes, ignore him. The dog will approach and sniff out of curiosity-and I simply ignore this for a few seconds. Then I speak to the dog in a soft tone- and I speak as if I was talking to a human. Usually I say "hi there, how you doin'?" The dog will answer by either walking away or by wagging his tail and nudging with his nose. If the dog wags his tail and nudges me, I keep talking as if I was having a conversation with the dog- but not too good of a conversation- I seem distracted by something (which is actually nothing) which will get most dogs to try harder for my attention. Once this is done, I know the dog is going to be an easy dog to deal with.
If the dog has walked away, never try to follow the dog or urge him to like you. Stay crouched down and talk to the homeowners. Sometimes the dog will come back due to curiosity, and I try again. I'll say things like "come here buddy, I promise I wont bite you," which will usually get the homeowner snickering, so the dog will relax a little more and be more willing to get to know me. If not, ignore the dog... he will come to you when he is ready to get to know you.
If at any time you hear a growl, ask the homeowner to put the dog in another room or outside until you can get more relaxed and so the dog can settle down. Usually if you are sitting on the couch with the dogs owner, and the dog is casually let back in the room, the dog will not see you as a threat and will either just go lay down, or will try to approach you to investigate you a little more. If you're in a sitting position and the dog comes up and starts to sniff your feet or legs, ignore the dog- but don't make any sudden movements. See if the dogs owner will give you a milkbone to give to the dog- that is usually the easiest way to win over the dog- feed him.
If at any time a dog seems aggressive-never run, never look into his eyes, never speak loudly. If this dog is at a friends house- ask them to put the dog in another room while you are there. If you are on the street and are approached by a strange dog who is acting aggressive, slowly back up while talking in a very calm voice. Never run, never yell. Try to use words that the dog is likely to recognize-ask him if he's going for a walk, if he's been to the park- a lot of times when dogs hear these words it gets them in a better mood- since owners usually use those words before taking them to the park or for a walk.
The majority of dog bites are "fear bites." This means that the dog is feeling threatened, and is simply defending himself. Never corner a dog who appears scared. These dogs often growl, the hair on their back goes up (even on short haired dogs), and they may wag their tail- they do this out of happiness and due to being nervous, so don't think a wagging dog is one that can always be approached. Never reach for a dog that you don't know- that's why I don't recommend holding your hand out for a dog to sniff- some dogs may feel that you are being aggressive when you reach out your hand.
This isn't intended to "bash" any types of dogs, but the most common "fear biters" that I have personally come across in 10 years of working with dogs are usually dogs from the "toy group." These dogs include: Toy poodles, Shih-Tzu's, Lhasa Apso's, Chihuahua's, Chinese Cresteds, Miniature Pinschers. The Cocker Spaniel, which is in the AKC's Sporting Group, is also one who I have found to be a fear biter. Most of the time these breeds aren't socialized enough at a young age, and lack of socialization is not good with any breed.
The bigger the dog, the bigger the baby? In some cases, this is true. However there are a lot of cases where big dogs can also be fear biters- German Shepherds who are not socialized properly are also known to snap in fear. There are also breeds who are "one owner dogs." This means that usually only the dogs family can freely approach the dog without problems. I've found that Chow Chows, and many Siberian Huskies fit into this category.
This is not saying that all dogs that are of the breeds I have mentioned here are bad- there are some truly outgoing wonderful dogs of all of these breeds- but a dog who is not "well bred" and not well socialized can always lead to problems. Any dog that you buy from a pet store is not well bred. It doesn't matter if they have "papers"- those pet store papers are only good enough to line their crate with. Go into a pet store, ask about a German Shepherd puppy, and ask to see the parents OFA report- you'll see one flustered employee. Ask about a Miniature Schnauzer and ask to see the parents CERF report- same flustered employee. You may not be out to buy a "show quality" puppy, but a pet store doesn't even have pet quality dogs. The majority of them are loaded with health problems, and have had no socialization- they've lived in a cage all of their lives, just like their parents did at the puppy mill they came from.
How much is that doggy in the window at the pet store? Well, after you pay their outrageous price, you must factor in the following:
Their parents do not have OFA ratings. This means that that cuddly German Shepherd puppy may be crippled with hip problems at a young age. The cost of surgery to fix that is over $1,000- per hip.
These dogs do not have Eye Certifications. This means that that cute fuzzy puppy may be blind in a year. Some problems can be corrected with surgery, for other eye problems there is no hope.
These problems are only 2 of a hundred things that can go wrong medically with the dog from the pet store. You also have to factor in temperament.... is this dog going to bite you, your children, the neighbors kid? Think about it- even an adorable fuzzy Pomeranian can cause a lot of damage to your child's little fingers, face, etc.
The only dogs that are bad are Pit Bulls. This is false. Pit Bulls have a bad reputation-so do American Staffordshire Terriers (which most people think is a Pit Bull), Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, etc. I'm more leery about handling a poodle than any Pit Bull. The Pit Bulls that I have personally dealt with are more likely to knock you down and lick you than they are likely to attack. Pit Bulls don't have locking jaws- no breed does. A dog is a dog- if you are properly educated on how to act around dogs, you're not going to have many problems. Teaching your kids the basics of being "dog friendly" is a must. You talk to your kids about not smoking, about not doing drugs, talk to them about being dog friendly.
Most dog bites can be prevented. Make sure your kids know to never do any of the things below:
Never try to physically wake a sleeping dog- even if it's your own. You can call the dogs name to wake him up, but don't allow your children to walk over and "shake the dog" awake. Your child will most likely get bit.
Never grab a dogs tail or ears. If you inflict pain on a dog, he is going to return the gesture, plain and simple.
Never approach an "unknown" dog.
Never try to take a dogs toy or approach a dog while he is eating. Many dogs are very protective over their items- just like you guard your dinner plate from the dog. You don't want them eating off of your plate, and they don't want you taking their stuff.
Leave the feet alone. Many dogs are very touchy when it comes to feet. It's a big no-no, especially for kids.
Never allow your children to eat while sitting on the floor with a dog. The dog wants food- even after he's just had a big meal- he'll still take yours. If your child is sitting in front of the television with a cracker, the dog is most likely going to try to snatch the cracker, and your childs little hand may get in the way.
Never play tug o' war with a dog. I know there are a thousand "tug toys" out there, but stay away from them. These can make the dog aggressive, and the next tug toy could be your childs arm (this actually happened to me as a child with my Labrador Retriever!).
Always make sure your dog has his own "child free" place. This means that if your dog has a crate, make sure your child stays away from it. If you don't have a crate, make sure your child stays away from the dogs bed. Kids can get annoying- even for dogs, and they need to have a "quiet place" to retreat to when they need some space.