Introduction
Numerous households receive a furry companion into their homes each year in the millions. Both kids and adults can experience emotional benefits from owning a dog. One thing to think about when obtaining a pet is the age of the kids. In general, it may be safer to hold off until the child gets older than age four because many dog bite injuries occur to young children. However, consider the kids and their impact on project success because every kid grows independently. Just as there are 10-year-olds who may be too energetic and anxious to be around pets, there are some 6-year-olds who are peaceful around pets and may be competent to be accountable. Even though dogs can be great protectors, kids can be overly aggressive with dogs; children are more vulnerable to diseases carried by dogs, and kids lack an understanding of dog aggression.
Kids Can Be Overly Aggressive with Dogs
Dogs play a significant role in the lives of many kids; however, canines that are scared or violent present a severe threat to a child’s safety. Children are prone to irrational behavior, unexpected movement, and a variety of loud and abrupt noises. Even when they are displaying indications of fear or aggressiveness, young children frequently have a strong interest in dogs and may want to pet them. Due to their height and often shared interests, children are more vulnerable because they are on the same level as dogs.
Preventing hostility toward children is the best course of action. Puppies’ socialization stage is a time when they are susceptible and curious. Puppies can develop a favorable attitude toward children later in life by having several pleasant interactions with kids of all ages while they are still puppies. It will prepare them for how youngsters will touch them if they get desensitized to being caressed around the face and head and even lightly tugged on. Puppies’ fear of their environment and reactivity to dangerous stimuli increase after 14 weeks. It is crucial to steer clear of unpleasant situations as much as possible during this period.
Children Are More Vulnerable to Diseases Dogs May Carry
The social and emotional growth of the youngster might benefit from dog ownership. Promoting a healthy lifestyle is another benefit of owning a dog, but despite all the advantages, it is essential to be aware that all dogs may be unpredictable around youngsters (Shen et al., 2017). Additionally, dogs may contain pathogens that might infect the child. Parents should ensure that their youngster has received all required vaccines. Dogs and children often get into trouble in the house; they can occur when a youngster approaches a dog while playing, eating, or sleeping. Dogs may mistake young children for toys; thus, parents should always keep young children away from dogs.
Kids Lack the Understanding of Dog Aggression
Children and pets can get into unanticipated situations; therefore, parents should constantly make sure an adult is watching the youngster with a pet. Aggression is a broad category of actions that frequently starts with warnings and can end in an attack (Gobbo & Zupan, 2020). At any time during an aggressive interaction, dogs may give up. Dogs frequently engage in many of the aforementioned actions at once and do not necessarily perform them in that order. Pet owners sometimes mistake unexpected outbursts of aggression from their dogs for warning signals before a bite. Some canines are only hostile to a particular type of person. Only the vet or groomer, the mailman, persons in wheelchairs, or those using canes and walkers may be targets of a violent dog.
Children can act quickly, loudly, and without regard for a dog sleeping nearby. They are still too young to heed safety warnings consistently. Thus, they are most likely to act toward the dog inappropriately, such as hugging, grasping the dog’s head, or disturbing a sleeping or resting dog. Preschoolers are more likely than toddlers to get bitten by a family pet or a relative’s pet when they are at home. Since preschoolers are more autonomous than toddlers, caregiver supervision is sometimes inconsistent, and improper interactions might still happen despite supervision.
Dogs Can Be Great Protectors
Loyalty is the sole noninherent watchdog trait, making it the most important. If a dog feels that their loyalty to them is reciprocated in their care and way of life at home, they will remain firm in that devotion. Breed significance or intelligence are not prerequisites for protectiveness, but a dog cannot be a guard dog if it lacks the instinct to defend. To be able to distinguish between friends and enemies when outsiders enter the building, guards must be intelligent or exceptional problem solvers. Furthermore, any guard dog must be quick to learn orders throughout protection training.
Conclusion
Owning a dog has emotional advantages for both children and adults. The kids’ ages should be taken into consideration when getting a pet. A guard dog may greatly assist with home security, giving a family a sense of security and protection and assuring family safety. Although dogs in any home naturally serve as alarm systems and guards, protection training is laborious. Children and animals sometimes end themselves in unexpected circumstances. Therefore, parents should always ensure an adult keeps an eye on the child and the animal. The broad category of activities known as aggression typically begins with warnings and can lead to an actual attack. Although dogs can improve their owners’ health and happiness, owners should be aware that dogs of all ages, including puppies, can occasionally carry dangerous pathogens that can make children sick.
References
Gobbo, E., & Zupan, M. (2020). Dogs’ sociability, owners’ neuroticism, and attachment style to pets as predictors of dog aggression. Animals, 10(2), 315.
Shen, J., Rouse, J., Godbole, M., Wells, H. L., Boppana, S., & Schwebel, D. C. (2017). Systematic review: interventions to educate children about dog safety and prevent pediatric dog-bite injuries: a meta-analytic review. Journal of pediatric psychology, 42(7), 779-791.