Aug 30, 2016

Dog facts for kids: Children & dogs — the sweetest combination

Adding a new furry member to the family can be an exciting event in a child’s life. That’s why it is important to start the education process prior to the new puppy’s arrival home to help make the introduction smoother for both the child and the puppy. It helps to bring up some fun dog facts for kids as a way to introduce children to what their new friend is going to be like.

Fan facts about dogs

Here are a few fun and interesting facts that you could teach your kids.

They will love to hear it as they get to learn more about their favorite friends in the house: de dog.

Dogs are all descendants from the wolf and were the first animal to be domesticated by humans.
In ancient China, people used to keep dogs up their big sleeves to keep warm.
The Beasenji dog is the only dog known to people who doesn’t bark at all.
The world’s smartest breeds are believes to be the Border Collie, Poodle and the Golden Retriever, in that order.
Despite popular belief, dogs are not color blind; they simply don’t see colors as brightly as we do.
Dalmatian puppies don’t develop their spots until later on, they are born completely white.
Dogs dream the same way humans do since they have similar sleep cycles. When a dog twitches and moves their paws in their sleep, it means they are dreaming.
Dogs sweat through the pads of their feet.
Dog’s noses are wet because it is covered in a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb the scent. When they lick their nose, they actually sample the scent.
The reason dogs curl up in a ball when they go to sleep is an old instinct left over from their ancestors to keep themselves warm at night and protect their organs from predators.
Dogs are very smart and can understand up to 250 words as well as count up to 5.
The smallest dog in the world was a Yorkshire Terrier in the United Kingdom who weighed 4 oz.
The most popular breed in the United states, Canada and the United Kingdom is the Labrador Retriever.
The oldest dog in the world was an Australian Cattle dog by the name of Bluey who lived to be 29 years old.
The dog’s whiskers are very sensitive and help them provide information about the speed, shape and size of objects in the dark.
Dog’s nose prints are similar to the human finger prints, in terms of being unique to the dog. There are no two dogs in the world with the same nose print.
A dog’s sense of smell is 100000 times stronger than ours, their hearing is also 10 times more superior to humans.

Teaching responsibility

As a parent and a responsible pet owner, it is important to help children understand that dogs are not toys. Thus, they shouldn’t be climbed on, stood on, tugged or pulled on. It is up to the adult to provide a safe and fun environment for both the child and the dog.

An alarming number of dogs are being surrendered to shelters, abandoned or put down simply due to the adults’ failure to educate the younger members of the family on proper dog handling etiquette. Many times the dog has been very patient but the behavior that makes them uncomfortable is repeated and they finally bite to tell you they’ve had enough. That’s why it is important for children to understand that dogs deserve the same respect we give other people and always supervise play time between dogs and children. Sometimes an adult can spot the warning signs of a dog that have had enough better than a child can.

So, here is how to teach the youngest members of the family responsibility towards the furry members of the family:

Any teasing such as tail or ear pulling, chasing a dog that obviously doesn’t want to be chased, keeping away a toy without letting the dog have it and otherwise any other behavior which children might find funny but makes the dog anxious, annoyed or fearful should be immediately discouraged.
Dogs really don’t like to be hugged; they perceive putting a limb over another animal as a sign of dominance, something that makes them feel threatened or fearful.
Dogs also don’t like to be pat on the head; they view it as invasion of their space. They prefer a pat on the back or the rear.
Don’t approach a dog unless the owner says it’s OK or you know it’s friendly. The safest way to say hello is to let the dog come to you, avoid eye contact as they perceive it as a challenge, offer them your hand to smell and once they got the chance to sniff you, gently pat their back.
Any rushed or sharp movements should be highly discouraged when approaching a dog, especially when approaching a strange dog for the first time.
Don’t disturb a dog that’s sleeping or eating.
Yelling and loud tones especially close to their faces makes dogs very uncomfortable. It might seem like a given, but it is a point that should be brought up to the younger members of the family’s attention as they tend to be more excitable and loud.
Playing dress up. Many dogs will tolerate it but most really dislike it and some often try to tear the costumes off. They find it uncomfortable and it often restricts their movement and vision which in turn makes them feel trapped and anxious.
Being treated like a baby also falls under the strongly disliked things by dogs. They don’t quite understand why they have to sit in a stroller or being carried around. It is a foreign concept to them and again when their movements are restricted, some may find it extremely intimidating.

A friendship between dogs and children is a beautiful thing to witness; they seem to instinctively understand each other. Putting down the foundation to mutual love and respect leads to years of devotion and loyalty between the two. Whether it’s playing together in the yard, reading together or doing homework, often time children and dogs who were raised together are inseparable.