Child and dog. Brian Kilcommons - Sarah Wilson

Part I
child and dog
Introduction
From personal experience, we both know how wonderful and wonderful animals bring to childhood. Scientists are currently studying the positive impact that our pet dogs have on children. They discuss developing and strengthening feelings of affection, responsibility, balance, and empathy. Anyone who has grown up with a dog will attest to this. How wonderful to wake up in the middle of the night, frightened by some terrible dream, and hug your pet lying next to you! What fun games you can play with a patient dog! When a child returns alone to an empty house, the happy waving of the dog's tail signals to him that all is well. A friend who never criticizes, lying quietly at the bedside of a teenager recovering from some kind of childhood crisis ... A curious companion running after you during a walk through the forest ...

We wrote this book in the hope of giving you all this charm. To get the most out of reading our book, you must first build the foundation of communication and understanding between you and your dog by teaching him to follow commands. This in itself is a complex task, so where necessary, we provide basic information that will help you understand how a dog thinks and learns. And if you haven't taught your dog the basic commands yet, don't delay! Only if such training has already been carried out will the methods described in our book give the best result and the safety of your child will be ensured most reliably.
Dog training sometimes means simply taking steps to make dog interaction as safe as possible for your child. And yet, when all the necessary changes have already been made in your house, there is no guarantee that your child will not, for example, bang his head on a bookshelf or scrape his knee on the driveway to the house. To accustom a dog to a child means to prevent everything that can be prevented, as far as humanly possible. This is what our book is about. She cannot guarantee that your dog or any other dog will never harm your child. But the book will tell you about the many tricks and exercises that you can do with your dog and child to help them avoid the most common problems.

Our childhood memories of our pets are endless. And all this time they taught us responsibility, thoughtfulness, fidelity, constancy of feelings. They taught us what it means to love, and we did not even know that we were learning this. None of us will ever voluntarily be left without a dog in our lives. We can't even imagine it. Dogs are too closely connected with our idea of ​​the world. We have created this book so that as many people as possible can enjoy the gifts that dogs can offer us, but without the restrictions and worries that miscommunication and misunderstandings bring with them.
Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson

Chapter 1
dog in the family
"Choose your dog as carefully as you would choose your housemate."

Ajax, a young Weimar dog, dragged eight-year-old Ellen into our office, pulling the leash out of the girl's hands. Mr. and Mrs. Woods followed them in.

— How did you choose Ajax? I began.

— A man in a store that sells pets recommended this breed to us for urban conditions. We never had a dog before. We wanted to have a calm dog that would be easy to be with. He said that the representatives of this breed are not too active and will treat our girl well.

I shook my head in disagreement.

— No, Weimar dogs are quite active, besides they have willpower.

Ajax would be a great choice for an active and experienced host, but not for an inexperienced urban family with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle.

This chapter poses questions that you should consider when choosing a dog for your family. Do you really want to have a dog? How old should the children be when you adopt a puppy? Who is better for the family: male or female? What breed of dog is best for the role of a family dog? Where to get a dog? We'll start with what exactly a "good dog" means to a family.

Good family dog...
…fits your lifestyle.

If you walk daily, do your best to find an active dog. But don't think that you will become an athlete as soon as you have a dog. Assume that everything will remain the same as before, and choose your dog accordingly.

… patiently endures the physical impact and noise and knows how to forgive.

Some dogs are more physically sensitive than others. Hunting dogs must be able to cut through thickets of thorn bushes and calmly endure the sound of gunshots in order to do the job for which they are intended. However, some small dogs, bred solely to be hugged and petted, cannot stand rough handling. To be suitable for the average family, a dog must be able to tolerate noise, frequent physical abuse and be able to forgive.

... being in an excited state, she knows how to calm down herself.

The ability to calm down - to stop growling when a guest enters the house, to relax after the child stops pulling her tail - is an extremely important quality for a dog to become a calm and reliable family friend.

… loves people.

Puppies bought from pet stores that spent too much time in a cage, or adult dogs raised in a kennel, may never have much interest in either you or your children. Timid dogs may eventually get used to family members, but may not be able to adjust to your children's playmates. Look for a puppy who was picked up every day, who grew up in the house, and preferably among well-bred children who were under strict supervision.

Do you really want to have a dog?
A dog is, first of all, labor, and there can be no two opinions on this matter. If you have the conditions in your life to take on the extra responsibility, consider getting a dog. If you want to adopt one for toddlers, or because your partner wants it, or just because you think a family should have a dog, think again. After all, this is not just an ornament, it is a living creature that breathes, needs daily walks, communication, care, training, guidance and supervision, especially in puppyhood.

Our clients tell us all the time, “I had no idea it took so much work!” And indeed it is. This job will be enjoyable if you have the time, energy and desire. But she will annoy you if you thought you were buying yourself some kind of Lassie that will brighten up your life and at the same time do not require much. Benefits those who have a dog are huge. Dogs bring with them stability, affection, joy and security, all of which are so hard to achieve. But while giving you all these benefits, they also require time, expense, and energy from you.

How old should my children be when I get a dog?
The best time to get a dog is after your child is four years old, or even five years old if you want to raise a puppy. Younger children do not yet have a sufficient level of understanding and physical abilities to behave evenly and calmly. If you have small children and a dog, please read the relevant sections of this book and keep a close eye on the children! Sometimes people want to adopt a puppy while their child is still in infancy, motivated by the desire that the child and dog grow up together. But it will be better if you save yourself from the excessive stress and exhaustion associated with this. Please do not have more than one child at a time!

What breed is the best?
Humans created each breed of dog to perform specific functions, and these functions still influence your dog's behavior even today. Your Labrador may never hunt ducks, but that doesn't stop him from being tempted to chase any creature that hasn't been caught yet. Your Jack Russell may never kill a single rat, but he is always ready to take on the job.

Read up on the breed of dog you're interested in and think about the impact that heritage might have on a dog's behavior today. In general, dogs with a low level of aggressiveness, bred to work closely with humans, are better suited to the role of a family dog ​​than those that were originally designed for fighting, killing, aggression and fighting prowess.

A classic example of a dog breed designed to interact closely with humans and not overly aggressive is the Golden Retriever. Over the years, dogs of this breed, thanks to their wonderful temperament, have gained millions of fans. Unfortunately, today you can meet shy, hyperactive and aggressive golden retrievers. If you have chosen any popular dog breed, you should be careful about where to get a dog.

Dogs of mixed blood are no worse than purebred dogs of the bluest bloodlines. For our purposes, the only difference between the two is predictability. When you buy a Labrador, you usually already know how big he will be and how thick his coat will be. Mixed breeds are a kaleidoscope of different combinations of qualities that are the result of the influence of historical factors and the environment. If you don't mind a little mystery in your life, get a mixed breed puppy. He will greet you at the door, bark at strangers on your porch, and bring the ball to your little