Ilda Rosa Veterinarian Professor, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade de Lisboa It is very common for children to grow up with family pets, mainly dogs, with known effects on their autonomy and skills. However, bringing dogs and children together always has some risks, and p ermanent supervision of this relationship by an adult is essential . No dog, not even the most docile breed, is completely childproof. In order for the relationship to be safe, lasting, and positive, children must be taught , in the most appropriate way for different ages, how they should deal with dogs , which are animals and not toys or other people. And supervise . Young children should never be left alone with a dog, no matter how reliable the animal is. The dog perspective Dogs have their own way of integrating into a human family and of behaving. An important element in a dog life is its need to belong of a group with a hierarchy ; Therefore, the family that takes in a dog is seen by him as his pack ; The adult elements of the family are for the dog the heads of the pack (alpha elements); Children are their close companions , who are at their level or at an even lower level. Importance of training and socialization Most dog reactions are instinctive, and under certain circumstances any dog can defend itself by biting. Consistent obedience training and good socialization are the pillars to moderate these reactions, to make it less unpredictable and thus ensure a good and safe integration for everyone, especially when there are children in a family. Integrating a dog into a family implies imposing rules, for example not asking, not jumping on people or furniture, not biting, etc. The entire family must be consistent implement these rules consistently so as the dog is not confused about what is required. These rules must be firmly implemented, but always based on positive reinforcement. Ensuring a safe interaction With common sense and having safety as the main objective, an excellent relationship between children and dogs is ensured. Children need to learn to interact with the dog respecting it and considering four main aspects : How and when they can approach, touch or pet the animal; What kind of games are possible; Understand the dog body language; When not to disturb the dog. Depending on age, the possible and desirable interaction between children and dogs varies. Children under 2 years old For a dog, children of this age are part of its litter. On the other hand, when children start to talk, they also do it for the dog, they call it, but they do not understand what an animal really is, and the dog is one more attractive and interactive toy. Adult supervision is essential when children and dog are together. The dog is part of the family. Therefore, it should not be kept isolated , whether in a backyard or elsewhere in the house. He can temporarily stay in another room in the house if the child is playing with less attentive supervision, but when there is a close supervision, the pet should be left nearby. The child should start by being taught how to handle the dog , for example, to approach slowly, be sweet, not make sudden gestures, not pull ears, tails, or other parts of the body and how to pet the dog. If a game becomes more abrupt , either by the animal, for example trying to hang on or jumping over the child, or by the child, for example pulling the dog ears, the interaction between them must be interrupted so that they realize that it is not correct. Provided it is under supervision, the dog can enter the child room , but it must be taught to behave when there, always with positive reinforcement. The dog should be praised and rewarded when the child plays with him. From 2 to 7 years old The dog still sees children of this age as littermates. For children it starts to be a friend, a funny being who even competes for the parents attention. At this age it is still common to pull the dog ears, tail, or whiskers, sometimes hitting it, and the dog may even allow it. However, the child must continue to be taught not to do this, as these are actions that a dog does not appreciate and that could make him defend himself. All interactions between dog and child must be monitored . The child must be taught to have a sweet attitude towards the animal . The child should be taught suitable games to play with the dog (for example, throw the ball or another object and the animal brings) so that there is no place for playing with physical contact or more abrupt or violent games, which the animal may not like. Whenever strange children are at home, for example at a party, with noise and fuss, the dog should be locked in another place to avoid aggressive instinctive defensive attitudes. Even if a dog likes and plays with the children in the family, this does not mean that he has the same attitude towards other children, and the excitement environments favor defensive attitudes. From 7 to 11 years old In this age group, children begin to show interest in taking care of the dog. They should then start participating in the dog walks, training, or eating . Generally, dogs respond very well to this participation because children who get involved are more constant and playful than adults. The activities to be assigned to children should be based on their interest and ability to maintain it. Activities that involve several children must be controlled so that they do not reach levels of arousal that could make the animal react. Children at this age should not be expected to take full responsibility for a dog. They can have a more active role in the dog day-to-day activities and education, but they cannot be the element on whom the dog depends . A dog needs a lot more time and attention than a child can provide. Therefore, the hierarchy must be maintained, and the responsibility must always rest with the adults in the family . Children can and should help. Over 11 years old From this age onwards, many children begin to take more interest in their own activities than in the dog. This does not mean, of course, that they do not like the dog and the pet can even be their favorite companion in stress situations. At this point, adults should start paying more attention to the dog , especially when their best playmate starts to have more social activity, that will certainly be intensified for a few years with adolescence. Body language of dogs Dogs have a body language that allows to identify many higher risk situations. However, depending on their age, children may not be able to recognize and interpret these signs and the signs may be subtle. Over time it is important that they are alerted to the following signs , which indicate that something is bothering a dog which can defend itself by biting or attacking: Growl; Show teeth with or without growling simultaneously; Staring and dilated pupils; Body tense and contracted; Ears directed towards the cause of the disturbance; Tail stiff, no movement or just wiggling the tip; Bristle of hairs; Loud and continuous barking directed at the cause of disturbance; Interruption of ongoing activity and contracted appearance; Avoid petting or physical contact. All these signs can manifest isolated or with others. The dog own moments There are also times when dogs do not like to be disturbed and. If the dog is disturbed, he usually shows the aforementioned signs of discomfort and can defend himself. Thus, it is important not to interact with dogs when they : Wake up; Are eating; Are entertained with a favorite object; Were asleep and something wakes them up abruptly; Do their physiological needs; Walk away, clearly not intending to be disturbed. Remember Dogs and children, even the younger ones, can be excellent friends. But supervision and control of the relationship by adults is essential to ensure the safety of everyone, especially children. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
