ALL ABOUT DOGS: Teach children how to properly meet a new dog – Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Question: I’m considering adopting a 10-month-old Catahoula who apparently was totally neglected by his first owner, and when he went to his second owner, he snapped at a child, so they got rid of him. I’m wondering if this is a behavior that’s likely to be an ongoing problem?
Answer: First, to clear up a possible question on some readers’ minds, a Catahoula is a larger, houndlike dog from Louisiana. I have worked with many of them. They’re usually brown or gray, and spotted in some fashion. Many times they have one or two blue eyes. They’re smart, loyal and sweet. But when it comes down to it, children just make some dogs nervous, which is why kids age 6 and below are in the largest “bite demographic.” And this is why I always recommend families wait until their youngest is at least 6 before they get a dog.
Think about kids from a dog’s perspective. They look like humans but they’re so little. They have much higher pitched voices, and often move in an erratic, unpredictable fashion. Certain dogs see small children as drunken midgets. All of this makes them nervous.
“Fear biting” is an extremely common syndrome. If a dog is scared, he will growl, nip, and bite to make something or someone back off. Most of the times I’ve been bitten were some form of fear biting. We can’t blame the dog. It’s instinct for them to protect themselves. 
If you show me an adult who is scared of dogs, I’ll show you someone who had a bad experience with a dog as a child because he never got briefed by the grownups on how to meet a dog. It’s our responsibility as dog owners to not only teach our dog how to meet people in a mannerly way, but more importantly, to teach the kids in our life how to meet a dog.
My “kid briefing” is something like this: The first thing I tell children is to be quiet. Dogs don’t meet each other with a lot of chatter. Second, it’s better if the children are seated on the ground or squatting to create a less imposing picture, size wise. Have Max on the leash and allow him to come to the children.
My cue for this is “be friends” and as long as the dog is being mellow, I’m praising him in a soft voice. The kids should avoid eye contact with the dog at first. Some dogs interpret eye contact as dominance. Also, no sudden movements. You can generally see how a dog is feeling about the prospect of meeting people by his body language. Is his tail up or relaxed? (A relaxed tail is better.) And in spite of what our parents taught us when we were kids, a wagging tail does not mean “happy.” Dogs wag their tail when they’re excited and it’s not always a good sign.
For example, just before a police dog takes off to drag a bad guy to the ground, his tail is wagging. Does the dog appear calm and interested, or tense and cautious? Is his mouth open or closed? Note: When a dog is relaxed, his mouth will often be open. If he’s uptight, it most certainly will be closed. Are his ears erect, or more relaxed? 
The children should extend their hand to Max, presenting the back of their wrist, continuing to avert their gaze. Whenever we meet a strange dog, it’s best to hold your hand underneath his chin. You never know if a dog may have been hit by a human, and a hand approaching from above can be interpreted as a possible threat. 
If Max stays engaged for a few moments, it should be OK to progress to perhaps scratching an ear or lightly stroking the side of his face. And you can probably look at him as well. All of these meeting and greeting measures are designed to make a dog feel more relaxed.
Since the dog you’re asking about is not even a year old, my guess is he hasn’t had the most stable pack life. I believe he could be just fine around children with the proper coaching … of the children. 
Originally from Louisiana, Gregg Flowers is a local dog trainer who “teaches dogs and trains people.” Contact him at [email protected] or dogsbestfriendflorida.com.

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