A woman had explained that her dog, a large breed, had snapped at her young child. We were told that the a pre-schooler had come up behind the dog and grabbed it around its back legs to try to pull it out of the refrigerator.

The pet owner explained a momentary lapse in supervision. For some reason, the little child had let the dog in from outside -- apparently the dog was whining to come indoors while Mom was upstairs. Hey, Mom. Here's a suggestion: Please put a latch on that door higher than your little one can reach.

This comes under the heading of "Kids do the darnedest things." Surely each of us can remember doing something with our dogs that our parents told us not to do.

When I was three and my brother age seven, my parents brought home a new puppy. He was really to be the family dog, but my brother's responsibility to learn to feed and bathe, walk the dog regularly, etc. One day when my Mom was occupied elsewhere and my brother was out playing ball with friends, I dressed up the dog in doll clothes and pushed it around in my doll buggy. I'm so ashamed of that now. No respect for the dog's dignity. My parents set me straight about that in quick order. "A dog is not a doll!"

Three and four-year-old youngsters get notions, and they attempt to act upon them -- right then. In the community where I was teaching, a little boy awoke from his nap and decided he wanted a donut. I guess this little fellow was quite the handful, and perhaps his mother decided to take a well-earned brief nap herself while her little boy was sleeping. The little guy simply got out of bed, went out the door of the house and proceeded all on his own down the sidewalk for several blocks trying to find the donut shop. Someone asked, "Where are you going, little boy?" And he replied, "To get a donut."

These things happen in a flash! Preschoolers don't wear cowbells, either, so we can hear where they are.

There are some easy procedures that any family may institute to forestall or eliminate difficulties. Most important: Never leave a child with a dog unsupervised. Never.  Children require supervision not just when they're younger than the age of reason but for more years than one may guess! I taught elementary grades, and I assure you that fourth graders should not be left unsupervised with a classroom pet.

Now about your dogs' behaviors. Pay more attention to the dogs for the behaviors you wish to reward than for the behaviors you find to be undesirable.

An often under-utilized technique is to teach place commands with positive rewards. Notice the dog when it settles on its own, when it lies down to rest quietly, and give a good dog treat then. Start to use praise words, too. Help the dog learn to settle on its mat or doggy bed, so it won't be constantly underfoot where the entire family needs to move around gingerly, to "let the sleeping dog lie."

Practice briefly at least three times a day, teaching dog where it may lie down. Select a spot, and stick to it. My suggestion is that you choose a resting spot at least ten feet from the kitchen table. Reward the dog when it settles there, even if it only stays for five to ten seconds at first. Over a week's time, you'll be able to extend the down-stay to 30 seconds. That's half a minute. Good progress.

Keep at it, and eventually dog will down-stay in its spot for 3 to 4 minutes, then ten minutes, etc. Before you know it, you'll be able to watch the entire Evening News in peace, while dog rests quietly in its spot (mat or dog bed). Reward and praise those efforts. It's a really big accomplishment for the dog to learn that self-restraint. Quit while you're way ahead, rather than push the dog beyond its abilities while it's still 

German Shepherd Dog

 so young. But never underestimate what a dog can learn.

Folks who try training are quite astounded at their dogs' progress in learning skills. A very interesting and helpful book is Dog-Friendly Dog Training by Andrea Arden. Owners are taught how to teach their dogs with lure-reward to learn the important stationery commands: sit, down, stand, and then sit-stay, down-stay, and stand-stay.

In addition, one needs to give the dog some wholesome exercise each day, and perhaps teach it to retrieve a tennis ball for fun (adults only at first). I've heard of a few dogs who absolutely love the soft Frisbee. Finally, keep in a mind that a good long hike together every day is a wonderful bonding experience to enjoy with your dog.

The benefit of these ideas is that they help pet owners build a bond of companionship with their dogs, at the same time teaching their dogs indirectly to look to their owners for guidance. These ideas won't solve all the problems between children and dogs. You'll need to teach your children, too. They'll need as many reminders as the dogs do. Family safety is worth the effort.

© 4/12/2001 Barbara D. Brill, North Chili, NY All rights reserved. No further reproduction permitted without express written consent.