Ignorance is not an argument in court, and it should not be an argument when it comes to the health and safety of your child. Very few families ever go through the trauma of a family dog attack, in fact most dogs love kids just as much as kids love them. However, you need to ensure that you create the ideal surroundings for your kids and dogs and take some basic precautions. Most parents never imagine or are prepared for anything horrible happening, either to your kids or to your dog.

Experts in the field differ in their opinion on many canine topics. However when it comes to kids and dogs together, there are certain points that most agree upon.

If your children are very young, say under 5 or 6 years of age, you should never leave them alone with your dog. Your dog is not a wild ferocious beast, however it is very playful and is like a child itself. It will definitely not make a planned attack on your child, but he may simply respond in a never-before-seen way if it is hurt or harmed by your child during their play. It's just that you should not consider your dog to be more mature than your little prankster.

Also discourage your kids from handling your dogs roughly. Larger dogs like Newfoundlands can sustain it without being irritated but other, smaller breeds may suddenly become frantic and may harm your child. they may simply bite your child to protect itself if it feels endangered.

If you plan to train the dog yourself, be certain your children and dog are never left together unsupervised until you are absolutely certain that it is safe.

If you take some time to plan things out and create the proper environment for your dog, you will be giving your child a loving, faithful, and life-long friend.

The bond between a dog and your child is something special, nuture it and enjoy it.