One of the best things about Labradors is that they’re great with the whole family. They’re kind, loving, and always like to have fun. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t teach your children how to play safely with your dog. Child safety and supervision is essential with any dog around, no matter what breed.
Here are some tips on how your children can safely play with your Labrador:
Tell your children to avoid petting your dog when they’re eating
A dog is focused on the meal in front of them, and sometimes, petting them while they’re eating can be dangerous. Have your children wait until they have finished, let them digest, and then they can have fun. The same goes for chewing on treats, or toys.
Tell your children not to surprise your dog when they’re sleeping
Dogs can get easily startled if they’re suddenly woken up out of a sleep. It’s also not so nice! Let your lab get their rest, and then your children can play with them. Also avoid excessive running, or screaming.
Tell your children to respect your dog’s personal space
As much as we love our dogs, they do need their personal space sometimes. Show your children that grabbing the dog’s ears or face can upset the dog. Having a child’s head close to a dog’s face can also startle the dog and be dangerous. To keep it simple: treat the dog as you’d like to be treated.
Tell your children to pet your dog gently
Any dog loves a good pet, or scratch, but there are some boundaries to set. Gently scratching or softly petting the head or chin is usually welcome. However, a child shouldn’t bring their hands over a dog’s face, or head, as it can surprise them. If a dog seems agitated or upset, then tell your child they pet them any longer.
At Lankas Labs, we know that Labradors are fun and loving with any member of the family, but it doesn’t hurt keeping these tips in mind with children around. If you have any other questions about a lab’s behavior, just let us know! We would be happy to help.
