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Children and dogs can be great companions, and their relationship provides a valuable opportunity for children to learn responsibility and empathy. Similar to teaching your dog obedience and how to interact with people, children need to be taught how to interact with and treat a dog.
Keep children and dogs safe by following these simple, common-sense rules:
With proper introductions, training, and diligent supervision, dogs and children can share a wonderful family life.
Dogs communicate in a manner that is very different from humans. Both children and adults should be taught to read a dog’s body language and recognize signs of stress to prevent snapping and biting incidents.
The “Ladder of Communication” explains how a dog tells humans to stop and consider what is happening before problems escalate. To become familiar with the signals your dog is sending, read Ladder of Communication—How a Dog Says “No”