Deseret News (Salt Lake City): Never leave baby alone with dog

If you've been reading my column for a while, you know that I get a little preachy now and then about people and animals, especially children and dogs. And that sometimes generates criticism from those who think that dogs and dog owners can do no wrong. But I figure that if calling attention to both canine and human behaviors that have the potential for tragedy can save just one person a lifetime of regret, then it is worth it.

Today's "sermon" is about an attitude that is prevalent among dog owners with small children in the house, and I hope you will find it hard to believe. I've been working with dogs and families all my life, day in and day out, and still can't understand why parents don't get it! A dog is a dog and not a sibling! That doesn't mean parents can't think the world of their four-legged woofer. But a dog is a dog with canine instincts and drives that should not be viewed as humanlike behavior.

Let me explain. A mother in Boston called me. She has a 2-year- old baby and a 4-year-old golden retriever she calls her "big baby." She telephoned about a variety of dog problems -- the dog wouldn't listen, digs up the yard and jumps on people. "Annoying things," she called them. The solution, of course, is a good training program with love, praise and affection in the home where the problems occur.

But after a few minutes of discussion, she revealed that the dog had growled several times at the baby when the two were on the floor together. But the growling was because her child had gone after one of the dog's favorite toys. "My dog would never hurt the baby!" she exclaimed. Well, that is foolish optimism! Growling is aggressive behavior. It has meaning. The dog is saying, "Stop that. Don't touch that. I'm warning you!" And what happens if the baby doesn't stop touching the toy? The dog could and probably will eventually bite. How else will the dog protect his territory? And the dog is not going to think, "I'll only barely nip this kid so I won't hurt him. After all, he is my sibling!"

"My dog would never bite the baby," this lady emphasized. Why did she say this? What are the guarantees? Is it because she thinks of her dog as a child and no child of hers would hurt another? Possibly. Does she lack the basic understanding of dog behavior that can help her avoid a tragedy? No doubt! Could this child be bitten by this dog and scarred for life or worse? Yes.

So whose behavior needs to be modified? Well, first and foremost, the mother's behavior is not motherly. She needs to tell herself that her dog is a dog and her baby comes first. She needs to stop playing canine roulette. She should never leave her baby alone with the dog. No baby or young child should ever be left alone with any dog. She needs to temperament-test her dog and identify the type of aggressive behavior. She may have a good dog with bad behavior, or she may have an aggressive dog that should not be in the same house with a child. Then, she needs to have that behavior modified or find another, more appropriate adult-only home for this dog. If the mother does nothing about this, it is child endangerment.

I told her about Tim, whose toddler is recovering from a face full of stitches because the family dog, in an instant, had attacked. The warning signs had been there, but Tim didn't think it would happen -- and he was right there and couldn't prevent it. I told her about a dog who picked up a crying infant and took it to the mother. The problem was the dog was acting instinctively, but in the process, it killed the baby. I told her about Andrew, who called because his dog suddenly bit a neighbor's child, and now, his homeowner's insurance had been canceled, and that is only the beginning of the troubles. I told her about the parents who now wish they had considered the children first.

And now I'm telling you.

Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate Web site at www.creators.com and visit him at www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearunclemattyunclematty.com. Or mail your questions to him at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619. (C) Creators Syndicate