I have received this video clip in email so many times that I finally decided to post about it. I am torn on this one....although adorable, it is never safe to allow a baby to freely explore a dog...especially a sleeping one. This interaction is beautiful but....the boxer does a great job offering signals indicating stress and discomfort. The licking, turning away when the baby faces him head on, yawning etc. All of these are signs to pay attention to with such encounters. Dogs offer these to one another and as people, we usually don't get what they mean. This dog and baby are very calm in this footage but..many times this type of interaction causes discomfort and stress for dogs as they do not know what to expect from this little being.
****** to make this a safer and more predicatable encoutner for the baby and dog, a parent should be holding hte baby and using "Guided touch" with their hand over the baby's hand to touch the dog gently. That is the safest way for baby and dog to interact and learn what is expected.
Welcome! I am Jennifer Shryock, Creator/Director of the Family Paws Parent Education Programs for families with dogs, Dogs & Storks and The Dog and Baby Connection. I am a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and Mother of four with a degree in Special Education. kids and dogs are my passion! Our programs offer dog and baby friendly solutions that are safe and easy to implement in your own home. Learn with me as I share my experience of 4 kids and multiple dogs and cats all under one roof!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Baby and Boxer Seen on Bonnie hunt show
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