Posts Tagged ‘Puppies’

There is a big difference between the way adults behave and move compared to young children. Children are much more unpredictable in their movements. They might be walking through the house and then suddenly start running. Young toddlers could be walking alone and, for no apparent reason, suddenly fall. Children’s arms tend to move differently as well. They are often more active and in motion than adults arms. They do not have a concept of personal space and will get very close to your face to tell you something. They are also noisy – they cry more often and let out shrieking screams of joy and excitement when playing. For many puppies, these little people can be quite disconcerting. It is hard enough for dogs to figure out adult human body language, but add children to the mix and it makes for a much more difficult time for the dog. It’s not hard to see why dogs get confused, angry, or afraid.

Approaching the Puppy – Remember how friendly dogs approach other dogs? They trot in a relaxed manner toward the other dog and stop to sniff briefly at the dog’s face. The casual, comfortable movement of the oncoming dog helps the dog being approached to relax. Now think about how children usually move. Not with calm, controlled, relaxed movements! When you approach a friendly dog, you should walk calmly (not overly slow or hesitant) at a normal pace toward the dog. Teach your children how to approach a dog. Stand upright and walk calmly toward the dog. Please teach your children that they should always ask for permission to approach a strange dog. Not all dogs like people, especially unfamiliar children. A common expression of friendliness by a child is to approach a dog in a bent over posture with an arm extended outward. For many dogs, the leaning-over action makes them very uncomfortable, even when done by familiar people such as close family members. When dogs lean over other dogs, as discussed earlier, it is seen as a threatening or controlling gesture. You are also invading their personal space. It is important to know that many dogs become frightened and will cower or back away when a person approaches in that manner. With puppies, it can help make the puppy more comfortable if the person squats straight down toward the ground in their own space (not bending over the puppy).

Discourage Running – Most children who like dogs will approach a dog in a manner that is quick and forceful looking. They often run toward them with open arms. For a puppy who is not used to children, this can be quite scary, especially if there is more than one child approaching. The puppy may be thinking, “Good grief, are they going to attack me?” Also, a sudden approach of a child running in from another room can scare or excite the puppy. The child’s intention may not even be to approach the puppy, but the puppy doesn’t know that. It’s even worse and more startling for the puppy if he was sleeping or resting. The puppy becomes scared and runs away with the child running after him, or the puppy gets so excited he chases the child, and tries to stop the child with his mouth. Try to discourage your children from running in the house, and make sure the puppy is getting adequate exercise to help keep him tired and content and less likely to join in the chase.

Touching and Petting – Why is it that when a child attempts to do something as simple as pet a puppy, they can often end up being mouthed (where the puppy puts his mouth and teeth on the child’s hand, arm, etc.)? Does this mean you have a bad, dangerous, or out-of-control puppy? Not likely.
When adults pet a puppy, they calmly put their hand out for the puppy to sniff, and then touch the puppy. When children attempt to pet puppies, typically their hands start off very high up in the air and move downward, cautiously and slowly, almost dangling over the top of the puppy’s head. There may even be a slight hesitation on the approach of the hand toward the puppy, as if they are thinking, “I want to pet the puppy, but I’m a bit unsure.” The slow, hesitant hand motion causes most puppies to reach their heads up to meet the hand. As soon as children see the puppy’s head and mouth coming toward their hand, they immediately pull their hand higher away, sometimes making a screeching sound. This now excites the puppy and turns the petting attempt into a fun game (in the puppy’s mind, anyway). It becomes an endless cycle of the hand going up and down and the puppy jumping up and down trying to grab the hand. The situation can quickly become out of control as the puppy becomes more and more aroused. It can turn a child’s simple efforts to pet the puppy into the puppy’s teeth on a hand or arm. This makes the child even more hesitant and worried about petting the puppy the next time. The slight hesitation of a child’s attempt to pet may also cause some puppies to react in a fearful manner, not trusting what the child’s next move will be. This is especially true if the puppy is not accustomed to being around children. The puppy is probably thinking, “Is the hand going to touch me or not? Why is the hand moving in that manner?” A timid/shy puppy may back away, crouch down low, or avoid the child. In turn, the child may take a more aggressive approach, since the puppy is moving away. This can increase fear in the puppy, as well as cause the child to become frustrated. Try to avoid putting the puppy and child in these situations.

Teaching Children How To Pet – Teach children to start off with their hands low and relaxed by their side, bringing their hand toward the puppy’s face at a normal pace, on a level plane with the puppy’s head so the pup can sniff their hand. They can then move their hand to touch the side of the puppy’s face, neck, under the chin, or along the back. Most children need to be shown how to do this. Take hold of their hand and actually do the hand motion for them several times. If the puppy lies down, help the child calmly rub the puppy’s belly area. If the hand approach is done properly, a well-mannered puppy will control himself and not put his mouth on the children’s hands.

For more information on my puppy program or if you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call at 626-290-4370.