Do Dogs Know Babies Are Swet Abd Innocent

Laura is a technical writer. She enjoys playing the pianoforte, traveling, fine art, and making jewelry.

Copyright © 2009 Laura D. Schneider. All rights reserved.

The Question

"If dogs tin sense people, why can't they sense that babies are harmless?
So many toddlers get attacked—some by the family unit domestic dog at habitation."
Posted by Lady_E on ane/15/12

One of Many Possible Answers

This answer is just based on my express personal experiences and what I've read about dog behavior and "psychology", so delight don't retrieve I'm 100% right.

First, I recollect babies and toddlers are two different things. I besides think that dogs have feelings, not unlike human being feelings. Permit me talk about babies start.

What About Your Family unit?

Babies and Dogs

I think most "normal" (non-rescue, not-abused) gently introduced dogs tin and do sense that babies are harmless. They may be jealous, and so introduce them gently, preferably on neither the canis familiaris nor the baby's home territory.

That does not mean that the dog will get out the baby alone. For case the dog may nudge the infant to get information technology to roll over, or oral fissure the babe'southward arm to practise the aforementioned, or pull down the covers if the baby is overheated. It may lick the baby's face, pacifier, and other toys, either to get food off of it or to check the child's health, such every bit its temperature.

Most dogs will regularly sniff at a baby'southward mouth and rear end and lick the baby's confront--I think they're just checking the infant's health. These are things a mother canis familiaris does with her own pups, and they should be considered just as harmless with human babies: almost no diseases tin can laissez passer from a domestic dog to a human, and those that practise are ones that just occur if the dog is improperly cared for.

Now, circumstances can affect the dog's beliefs, as well: if someone screams or shouts and gets hysterical or angry and runs at the dog and baby while the dog is mouthing the babe's arm to move it to a more comfortable position. And so things might non go then well, and the mouthing might turn into a bite or, in any case, be considered "an attack" on the infant by the dog, when in fact the "attack" was prompted by improper intervention on the part of the hysterical/angry parent. The dog may fifty-fifty have felt that it was protecting itself and the baby from danger (the hysterical, aroused parent) by attempting to drag the infant to safety (and the baby is probably crying by now, so that adds to the dog'south stress level and response).

If You Have a Dog and a Child...

Toddlers and Dogs

Toddlers, on the other paw, are non harmless to the dog. They're highly mobile yet unsteady and unpredictable, they brand lots of noise, scream (probably screaming a lot in very high spectrums that the dog tin can hear but nosotros humans tin can't). Toddlers as well mess with the canis familiaris's toys.

Worse, the toddler may not have the "puppy innocence" clause that dogs adhere to babies just as they practise their own puppies: that "become out of jail free" bill of fare might have expired for some dog-child combinations and not for others. Babies under the "innocence clause" tin can get abroad with pokes in the eye, pulling ears and tails, grabbing fur, and then on, all of which the adult dog tolerates well and lets pass because the innocence clause is in result. When this clause expires depends a lot on the type of domestic dog and its temperament.

Other factors like the parents and family unit spending all of the time and attention with the toddler and no or very piffling attention (play fourth dimension, snuggle time, domestic dog parks, walks) to the dog will make the domestic dog as jealous every bit it would a human child. If a toddler does something particularly offensive or hurtful to the domestic dog, information technology may inadvertently release itself from the "puppy innocence" clause and end up in a ball with the dog, who would surely "win".

Decision

I could be totally incorrect, but the main matter I recollect is obvious about such incidences is that you should never trust your child and your dog alone together until they take go fast friends and the child is tall and strong enough to defend itself and knows not to harass the dog or mess with the dog's toys or food/water dish.

Close supervision or separation at all times should exist the solution to this trouble that every responsible parent and dog owner should take. Also, make certain that the dog has a "get away"--someplace information technology tin can get just the baby/toddler/child tin't--to relieve stress and calm its fretfulness and simply nap in peace.

River, Sleepy in the Morning merely Still Friendly

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This article is accurate and true to the all-time of the author's knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should exist seen by a veterinarian immediately.

© 2012 Laura Schneider

Jeff on Feb 06, 2019:

To exclude all rescues is ignorant. Any dog can be raised right or wrong. Sole resides accept the biggest hearts of all.

john on November fourteen, 2018:

@Tracie, what happened later on toddlers came once more to your house ? What did your dog do ? its been 2 years I know but I wonder what happened lol

doglover88 on October 31, 2018:

yes.

Hufgh on Baronial 05, 2018:

Stupid

Chris on July 28, 2018:

My domestic dog has been around babies, toddlers, kids, and other dogs his whole life. He is 7 now and has never bit anyone except another dog that attacked him once. Hes one of the nigh laid back dogs ive ever seen. I guess information technology actually depends on the dog itself

Tracie on May 12, 2016:

My dog was introduced to two toddlers this week and he nipped at both. He was in his territory... Our house and our car . Unremarkably if introduced to other dogs on our territory he always is tense and establishes dominance first then is cool. Notation nosotros accept friends who regularly bring their dogs over . But the toddlers ... I believe he thinks are dogs... Or either my dog thinks he is a child... Simply in any case I feel he thought it was normal to constitute dominance over this small low to the ground creature ( the child) . It was weird . Only I finally turned him over on his back and pointed and stared and has the kid come over and point and stare . I believe this showed him that the child was dominant and hopefully established that he was not in command and did not need to nip. Ugh domestic dog psychology ... Hopefully this technique will work... We will encounter when the toddler comes back over . At present to piece of work on the toddler in showing respect and kindness while too showing authorisation in lodge to maintain and friendly household wear dogs and children tin come up and go without turmoil

Laura Schneider (author) from Minnesota, USA on January 16, 2013:

Cheers, Boil! Glad you liked it!

Eiddwen from Wales on January 16, 2013:

Very interesting and I vote upwardly,beyond and share all effectually.

Boil.

Laura Schneider (author) from Minnesota, Us on January eighteen, 2012:

My pleasure, Lady_E! I know my dogs have always "scaled back" their play and increased their tolerance level around babies of several species.

Laura Schneider (author) from Minnesota, USA on Jan xviii, 2012:

Thanks for the comments and the votes, JayeWisdom!

Elena from London, United kingdom on January 15, 2012:

It's interesting to read and I learnt a lot. Reflecting on it, I call back dogs have a little bit of tolerance, for when babies play with their toys, pull their tails and poke them. Lol.

Cheers so much for answering the Question.

Regards

Elena.

Jaye Denman from Deep Due south, U.s. on January 15, 2012:

I'm no expert, either, just I think you're right! Swell hub, voted UP, USEFUL and INTERESTING.

chabrillanannothing.blogspot.com

Source: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dogs-with-Babies-and-Toddlers

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