![]() One of my favorite moments as a veterinarian and parent is watching my children and my dog safely snuggling, comfortable and happy on the couch watching a movie and bonding. Go for leash walks with your dog for daily exercise.Play safe games with your dog like fetch, teaching new tricks and playing hide-n-seek.Ask the pet parent before interacting with a new dog on a walk.Use “inside voices” instead of shouting around dogs.Īnd, to help children also see the positive, here are some safe and appropriate ways for them to grow their own human-animal bond:.Avoid grabbing a dog’s tail and ears and avoid putting your face right up to a dog’s face.Let a dog be alone when it is sleeping or resting.However, these guidelines should be continually reinforced, not only for safety, but also to help reduce your dog’s anxiety: As a mom of three, I know that no one’s perfect, and with children, so many situations are out of our complete control. Children should also learn that there are ways that are not safe to interact with dogs. From day one, it’s imperative to teach children the safe and healthy way to interact with their dog and other dogs that they meet. This is a common scenario that so many families face, especially with new puppies or rescues that have just come home. My Dog is Stressed but My Kids Want to Play. If you notice any of these, especially if they are repeatable or many are happening together, talk to your veterinarian and learn about strategies to help your dog feel less stress. Just like people, dogs need their mental health tended to and addressed and our responsibility as pet parents is to teach everyone in the family what this looks like and to give space and time to avoid an unwanted interaction. Why do we need to learn these signs? They help us understand when a dog is anxious, fearful, needs space, is not comfortable, and should not be petted or touched. Here are a few essential tips to keep in mind:ĭogs give us many cues to let us know how they are feeling, and recent research has helped us understand these cues and body postures even more. This helps our dogs stay emotionally healthy and prevent unwanted bites during interaction with children. But, to nurture and grow this bond, it is incredibly important to recognize and understand our pets’ body language and how they communicate. For so many of us, one of the brightest spots of 2020 has been our furry family! Whether you’ve been a pet parent for fifty years or this is your first time with a pet in your home, the benefits of the human-animal bond are truly remarkable both physically and emotionally.
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