Dogs and children

Q: I’ve read some troubling items in the news lately regarding children being attacked by their family’s pet. Why would a dog injure a member of his or her family? And what about the study I read regarding dogs and swings? Please give me more information. — Tamara N., Teaneck, N.J.

A: There are numerous reasons why a trusted family dog might harm a child — even if the dog “knows” the children. Sometimes the dog feels jealous or threatened by a new arrival; sometimes a toddler will inadvertently hurt or frighten the pet.

A recent study found that some dogs will attack baby swings, suggesting that the motion of the swing triggers the dog’s instinct to chase prey. This is certainly a cause for concern, and it underscores the need to control interaction between pets and children.

Controlling interaction means limiting contact between the pet and the child to supervised times and areas. For example, a newborn’s nursery should be inaccessible to the dog. Toddlers should not roam in the same areas as a pet. Older children should be taught how to interact with the pet and be given responsibilities in accordance with their age.

Pets also need time to adjust to new members of the household. Dogs see the family in terms of a “pecking order,” and new additions upset that order for a time. It can take months for a dog to accept the new baby in the house, and some dogs never really adjust to the change.

If a pet presents a danger to your child that can’t be minimized, the pet may have to be removed from the house.