Things You'll Need
- Puppy
- Child
Instructions
Instructions
Socialize your puppy, exposing it to children frequently --- those in the home, those at parks and other places and visitors. Doing so will help the puppy get used to the sounds and sights of children, and is likely to reduce any anxiety the young dog has about meeting creatures likely to laugh, cry, run, jump, yell and behave in other lively fashions.
Provide your puppy with exercise and interaction. Do not keep it chained in the yard. Keeping a dog constantly restrained will make it alternately aggressive, depressed and ill. The puppy's likely response to anyone entering its small territory will be aggressive as the dog knows it can't run away, and may perceive the little human attention it receives as a threat.
Teach children that they cannot hit puppies, throw things at them, growl at them, tease them, or use a loud voice when playing with them. Direct children to stay away from puppies that are eating, sleeping or sick. Don't allow small children to feed meals or treats to dogs. Tell children to move slowly and quietly when around puppies, and to avoid staring at them.
Advise children to slowly approach dogs they are greeting for the first time with an extended, closed hand. Let the dog sniff the child's hand before permitting the child to pet the animal. Prevent children from playing chase games or tug-of-war with puppies, as these games activate a dog's natural chase instincts and may turn aggressive or rough.
Pay attention to the actions of a dog with which you or your child is interacting. Read puppy body language---signs it feels threatened and could possibly act aggressively include closing its mouth, turning toward a person, widening its eyes, looking at a person's hand or staring into a person's eyes. Clear signs of aggression include a stiffened body from ear to toe, growling, a lowered head, ears pinned back, narrowed eyes, staring and/or rounded eyes, snarling, hair standing up on along its back and tail extended straight from the body.
Teach your puppy that biting or growling at children---or adults---is unacceptable. Immediately verbally scold a dog that does either, using a short command such as "No." Remove the child from the area and confine the dog to a crate or bathroom. Do this each time a puppy growls or bites. Teething puppies may try to gnaw or chew fingers or other body parts; if the puppy does this, tell it "No," and quickly praise it when it stops.
Leave children under the age of 5 and dogs of any age alone together exactly zero times. A child may injure or irritate a dog inadvertently, causing damage to the dog or initiating an aggressive response. In play, a puppy may get so excited it nips a child, meaning no harm but inflicting it nonetheless.