09/12/2024
*Educational post - please read*
Here's a picture of my (almost) 1.5 year old hugging her older brother, King.
King is GREAT with the baby. But that doesn't mean that he loves her in his personal space all the time. Same with Pickles - she's great with the baby, but we still set boundaries.
Majority of people would see this picture or see this in real life and think "awwwwwww this is so cute". But I want you to pay attention to something else.
King's ears are back and you can see the whites of his eyes very visibly. These are two signs that a dog is uncomfortable or stressed. These are signs that parents often overlook and don't intervene, and then will say "the bite came out of nowhere".
Now thankfully King is great so he just pulled away (and I directed the baby to let go because I know the body language). But not all dogs are like that. It is OUR job as the ADULT to protect our human children and our fur babies, and set them up for success.
It is NEVER the dog's fault or the child's fault when a bite happens. But unfortunately these accidents usually end up with a dog being put to sleep and seriously injured child, or worse, a child who has a fatal injury.
I understand accidents happen and no parent ever wants their child or their pet to be in a bad situation. This is why it is SO IMPORTANT for humans to learn dog body language and set boundaries with their young children and pets.
💡Pro Tip: Never yell or punish a dog for giving a warning sign. Lifting their lip, growling, etc. You WANT a dog that gives warning signs, because if not they will just go right to bite.
