Should Babies Pet Unfamiliar Dogs?
The short answer is “It depends”.
Meetings between dogs and babies can be a wonderful thing when they’re safe and friendly and they go smoothly. However, it’s important to consider carefully before letting a baby meet an unfamiliar dog.
Recently, finding myself in a similar situation, I had to make a decision about whether to let a baby meet my dog.
It was a beautiful day and I was out for a walk in the park. Of course my dog was with me. As I walked along a young couple carrying a baby in a front pack approached me. We said hello, and began chatting while the baby watched my dog with great interest. The mother told me that her baby was about a year old and had always been fascinated by dogs, and then asked me if her baby could pet my dog.
The baby was relaxed, and so was my dog, who loves all people, including children, so although there are many pros and cons to consider in such a situation, because I know my dog so well, I knew that it would be safe for them to meet, and I told the mother yes, her baby could pet my dog.
I first crouched down so I was close to my dog and could hold her collar securely. The mother also crouched down, so that the baby in the front pack could get closer to my dog, and she held her baby’s hand as she reached toward my dog, who sniffed the baby’s hand a couple of times before the mother stood up. It was a very brief, very simple “meeting”.
WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
Although I usually don’t encourage contact between dogs and young babies, I was confident that this encounter would be safe. I know that my dog is a relaxed, friendly dog who loves meeting people, including children. I could see that she was comfortable around the baby.
I also made sure that I had a way to move my dog away from the baby if necessary, and I could see that the mother was also being careful to hold the baby’s hand so she wouldn’t suddenly grab at my dog. The meeting lasted only a couple of seconds.
After this brief, safe and positive meeting, I gave the couple some guidelines to follow when deciding whether to let their baby interact with dogs in the future.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN DOGS AND BABIES MEET
Ask the dog owner if a meeting is okay, as the woman in the park did. But remember that even if the dog’s person assures you the dog is friendly, some people may not know how their dog will react to a baby, so do your own assessment. And if the situation doesn’t feel safe to you, trust your instinct and move on, even if the dog’s human is eager for their dog to meet your baby.
Is the dog relaxed and will he be comfortable meeting the baby? Look for a relaxed body posture and a calm dog. A slow wagging tail is a good sign, along with a loose body, soft eyes, and a relaxed, open mouth. Take note of any sign of nervousness or tension before going on with a meeting. If you’re not sure if the dog is calm and relaxed, or if you see signs of tension, again, trust your instinct and move on.
The dog in this photo is nervous about the baby and is leaning away. His mouth is tightly closed, indicating tension, and he’s trapped, because the mother is holding him so he can’t get away. This is NOT a good meeting!
Is the baby calm and relaxed? A meeting between dog and baby will be most likely to proceed smoothly if the baby is quiet and calm. A baby who is excited, making loud noises or crying may make the dog nervous, so pass up a meeting with an energetic baby.
Are there two adults present, so one can monitor the dog and the other the baby? This is the best arrangement: one adult can hold the dog and watch for signs of stress, and the other adult can focus on the baby. Babies can make sudden moves or sounds that could be alarming to the dog, so it’s important that an adult monitor the baby. If you’re by yourself, it could be hard for you to manage both dog and baby, so it’s better to wait until there’s another person to help.
This photo shows an ideal situation. The woman is holding the child, and the man is holding the dog securely. Everyone looks relaxed and happy, and if anything should go wrong, both adults are right there to handle it.
Don’t move baby toward the dog, especially toward the dog’s face. In the dog world, a direct approach to the face can feel like a threat to the dog. Keep the baby at the dog’s side, and pet only on that side, not the head or face.
Keep contact between dog and baby very brief, only a few seconds, and then move them apart. This will minimize the chance of either getting excited or stressed.
In addition to other blog articles on this website, a great resource for evaluating dogs is a small book by Turid Rugaas called On Talking Terms with Dogs.
Many babies and young children are fascinated by dogs and are eager to interact with them. And while positive interactions between dogs and children are a great thing, they’re most likely to go well when using caution and monitoring those times so that they stay safe and positive.
Do you wonder about whether your dog will react well to an impromptu meeting with an unfamiliar child or baby?
Get one (or all) of our FREE Checklists here. Filling out the Checklist will give you lots of useful information about your dog’s potential reaction to children of all ages.
That way you can avoid problems and make sure all goes well!