Children and Dogs

Our family dog is sick. We have two Labrador Retrievers and it is our oldest, a 10 year old yellow female, that is not feeling well. Her illness has been unexpected this holiday season and we still don’t know if she will be okay. We’ve had our dogs before our children were born and they are definitely part of the family. I can’t imagine our lives without them.

Children and dogs can be a wonderful combination! There are studies that indicate stress reduction in a person when they are around pets. If you want a family dog then you need to do some investigation and choose your pet wisely. Labradors in particular have excellent reliable temperaments. I chose them because of this reason. Dogbreedinfo.com has a list of dog breeds and ranks them according to their compatibility with children. Some dogs are naturally excellent with kids and others need to be raised from a puppy to be good around kids. But no matter how good a breed is kids need to be taught how to behave towards dogs.

• Kids need to be encouraged to give love, attention and respect.
• Children should never tease or poke a dog.
• Kids need to know to never approach or touch a dog without their owner’s permission.
• And especially don’t antagonize a dog when they are eating, sleeping or hurt.
• Always supervise children around dogs and seek medical attention if your child is bitten.

If you keep these tips in mind, then your dog can be an enjoyable addition to your family!
As our older dog is recuperating I have begun to talk to the kids about her illness. I know sometime in the future she won’t be around and that opens a whole new conversation. In the meantime we are saying a prayer for her health and enjoying our time with her.

Dr. Sheila Cason