Problems Between Dogs and Toddlers

Parents are sometimes surprised at problems that can occur between a toddler and the family dog.

This is especially true when the relationship between dog and baby has been good from the beginning. But even so, conflicts and challenges can still happen at times and can involve risks that make your home less safe. 

So why do those problems occur? And what can you do to prevent them before they happen?

WHY DOG AND TODDLER PROBLEMS HAPPEN

Here are 3 possible reasons for dog and toddler challenges:

* Dogs may react to baby’s increased mobility and movement; if your toddler is running around the house, your dog may feel threatened, especially if your child approaches or chases the dog.

* Toddlers don’t understand how to interact with dogs, and in addition to walking and running, they also may make loud noises, bang and throw things, and may hit and kick the dog. Although this behavior can be concerning to parents, it’s often just normal toddler experimenting; even so, these behaviors can be frightening to dogs and may cause them to react defensively. 

* Parenting an active toddler can be a full-time job, and parents may not be giving the dog as much attention as he’s used to. The dog may try to get attention from parents by barking, taking items and playing keep away with them, repeatedly bringing toys to the adults and asking for playtime. How about a wet, slimy tennis ball dropped in your lap over and over again? Sure to elicit some kind of response from you.

3 COMMON PROBLEM SITUATIONS AND WHAT TO DO

NERVOUS DOGS

Nervous and fearful dogs often experience a lot of stress around active toddlers. Those anxious dogs spend a lot of time watching the toddler and trying to stay out of her way. And if the toddler approaches the dog, he may growl as the toddler gets near, in an attempt to move the child away.

That growl can be terrifying to parents, who often aren’t sure how to handle the situation. Here are several tips, with more detailed information in my blog article: My Dog Growled at my Baby! Help!!!

WHAT TO DO

First, move your baby away from your dog, immediately! When dogs get to the point of growling, they’re close to the limit of their tolerance and may not be able to control themselves, so to keep things safe, simply scoop up your baby and move her to a safe distance, perhaps behind a baby gate or other barrier.

Second, don’t correct or punish your dog! The growl is telling you that your dog is feeling threatened and wants the baby to back off. Telling your dog NO or BAD DOG when he growls may cause him to suppress his growl; if he stops growling, you may not realize he needs space, and if the baby gets closer and closer, your dog may get so stressed that he snaps or bites.

Third, move your dog to a safe place, one with a comfy bed and some favorite toys, where your dog is protected from contact with your baby, If your dog doesn’t go there on his own, gently take him there are reward him with a nice treat.

ROWDY, BOISTROUS DOGS

Dogs that like to play roughly can be a problem around a toddler, following her around the house, pawing at her, barking, jumping on her, and trying to get her to respond. This kind of rough behavior can be frightening to a small child, and could hurt a small baby or toddler. 

WHAT TO DO

First, use supervision and management: stay close by your dog and baby, and keep their time together brief, jjust a few minutes, and then separate them for a quiet time out. Do your best to do this before play even starts to get rough. That will encourage your dog to be gentle around your toddler. 

Second, do some training with your dog, perhaps when your toddler is taking a nap; this will encourage him to be calm in the house. Any training will help your dog be more focused, whether teaching basic behaviors such as sit, down and stay, or teaching tricks. 

Third, give your dog some time in a safe space (as described above) with some special toys, especially chew toys, or let him spend some time outside if you have a safely fenced yard and your dog likes being outside. 

TODDLER IS ROUGH WITH THE DOG

Toddlers sometime chase dogs, grab at them, throw things, hit, kick, and make loud noises. These are usually normal behaviors for toddlers developing new skills, and not necessarily signs of future problems with animals or people. But they can cause a dog to become stressed and frightened.

WHAT TO DO

First, keep your dog and toddler separated unless they’re both calm and gentle. Brief times together work better than prolonged contact, especially at times when energy is high, such as before dinner time when everyone is likely to be tired and hungry. 

Second, take the opportunity to teach your toddler calm, humane behavior around dogs. Toddlers are too young to monitor their own behavior, but you can help by setting a good example, while explaining how to be nice to your dog. If the dog is comfortable with petting, you can hold the baby’s hand and help her to pet gently. Just two or three strokes is enough. Then take a break.

Third, Supervise closely and separate dog and baby as soon as you see signs that your dog is stressed by what your toddler is doing. Don’t let your dog become nervous about the toddler; that will make it difficult for the dog to become friends with your child.

Supervising dogs and toddlers can be a challenge, for sure! But following the guidelines in this article will help relieve much of the stress of monitoring an active toddler and dog. 

Want more information? Check out my FREE Checklists, our Ebooks, and email me at jane@yourdogandbaby.com if you need extra help.