Recently in kids and dogs Category

Here's yet another great way dogs are being used in remarkable ways.

The Dallas Morning News reports on a program called Courthouse Dogs in which dogs are used to calm the nerves of abused youngsters facing the prospect of testifying in court:

"Sometimes, these children will say things to the dog that they're too embarrassed to say to a person," Courthouse Dogs founder Ellen O'Neill-Stephens said. "We had a girl who had been severely abused and she could never talk about it. But she petted (service dog) Jeeter for over 90 minutes straight and she was able to tell what happened."

Stephens said the courthouse dogs, usually golden or Labrador retrievers, or mixes of the two, go through an intensive training regimen. And even then, only about 30 percent of the dogs that start out actually make it, she said.

The group's web site includes a link to a case study from the ABA Animal Law Newsletter.

HT: Dogster 

The  SPCA-LA has sent out "House Rules for Children and Pets" in response to a story in today's Daily Breeze (you do read the newspaper, right?).

Crime reporter Larry Altman's article about a family pit bull who grabbed a 17-month-old boy's face in its mouth has generated some 100 comments from readers online so far (see the jump here for some samplings). The toddler apparently touched or pulled the dog's tail and the dog bit the baby in the face, leaving him with severe puncture wounds on his forehead and cheek.

It happened in the family's home in the 1000 block of Palos Verdes Boulevard in Redondo Beach.

The SPCA is urging parents to "never leave a child under the age of 8 unattended with a dog."

Pet owners also need to be vigilant in watching for warning signs such as food guarding or other aggressive behavior.

Specifically, the SPCA offers these preventative recommendations:

• An adult must be present at all times when children and pets interact.
• Teach children to respect pets as living things, not toys or objects.
• Teach the child not to sneak up on pets or tease them. Don't allow children to "ride" the dog.
• Pets shouldn't be handled or picked up by children. Pets should always keep a secure footing.
• Loud noises such as screams and fast moves such as running, hitting, or throwing objects at animals can trigger defensive reactions.
• No child should be permitted to act out aggression or other behaviors on pets.
• Allow your pet to seek solace by reserving a quiet place where children are not allowed, such as a dog crate.
• Don't let a child distrub a pet when it is sleeping or eating.
• Training a pet should be a family affair. Everyone should be involved.
• As a parent or adult, set a good example by following the house rules.

We've  posted before about pit bulls, but the SPCA says "no breed is exclusively good as a family pet."

Agree? Or not?

I spotted an online article from the UK this morning about how kids are losing touch with the natural world.

A poll done by the BBC Wildlife Magazine found that "playing in the countryside was children's least popular way of spending their spare time." Instead, kids said they'd "rather see friends (indoors, presumably) or play on their computer than go for a walk or play outdoors."

And this from the same article:

"Experts blamed the widening gulf between children and nature on over-protective parents and the hostility to children among some conservationists, who fear that they will damage the environment. They said that this lack of exposure to outdoor play in natural environments was vital for children's social and emotional development."

Sad.

But now for the antidote.

After reading that, I checked in on the "Bentley Farm Gazette," the family web page of my friends Tom & Janet Angell & their 8 kids who grew up on Bentley Farm in the Hudson Valley, New York.

Sarah, the oldest, now teaches science and has a recent post about the joys of A Day of Farming:

"Let's hear it for the hard-working folks (cows, family and friends alike) that keep this country fed!"

The photos she posted give you a feel for what growing up on a farm has meant to their family. Family farms once were a common setting for kids growing up. I grew up as an outdoor-loving California suburban kid, but I still remember the fun my cousins and I had on visits to my uncle's farm in Iowa. 

A series of great photos go with Sarah's post. But since this is a "pets" blog, I'll share this one of Sarah's brother Isaac. Isaac is home on a "working" summer break from his studies at Cornell Veterinary school and enjoying some special time with his faithful dog of many years, Bentley, a border collie (nach!).

  

I've posted more pictures from the Bentley Farm work day on the jump.

Related posts: What dogs can teach kids; and Prevent allergies -- get a dog. 

Most of us want to say yes. A good neighbor lets children pet his dog, right? "People want to be nice," says Colleen Pelar, dog trainer and author of "Living with Kids and Dogs ... Without Losing Your Mind." 

 

  So begins an article in the Victorville Daily Press that looks at how to keep both kids and dogs safe during these encounters:

Some experts suggest having the child putting out a closed fist or a hand with palm upraised, others say just stand there. But all agree: let the dog decide whether to approach the child. Don't hold a dog still in your lap for petting, and respect the dog's decision if it turns away or moves behind the owner.

If the dog does approach, observe the body language. Don't concentrate on the tail, it can be hard to read. Pelar says, "I tell people that if they're looking at the tail, they're watching the wrong end of the dog."

Instead, the mouth can give a lot of clues. A dog that's licking lips, panting excessively, or yawning, is showing that he's not comfortable. These are oral self-soothing behaviors much like sucking your thumb, says Pelar. In contrast -- opposite of the common maternal fear of teeth showing -- if the dog's mouth is open, that's a sign that it's relaxed.

(The AP photo above shows Trixtan, a blue merle collie, responding a command given by 11-year-old Myles Blane, left, as dog trainer Amy Robinson gives instructions at his home in Florida.)

Thanks to Dogster blog for picking up on this story.