The role of children in pet dog problems deserves an entire book by itself. Children and pets are too intricately interwoven into the total family picture to allow analysis as individuals. However, it is possible to list some of the behavior children display that can cause or aggravate behavioral problems in the family dog or even with other people's pets.
About half of these child behaviorisms are quite innocent. Once parents become aware of their contribution to a problem, things are normally brought under control within a few days or weeks, depending on the severity of the problem. However, if the parents do not represent effective authority figures to the children, rehabilitation is often difficult and prolonged, sometimes requiring qualified child-parent guidance as well as canine behavioral guidance.
Cases involving deliberate, mischievous stimulation, sadistic tendencies, jealousy of the dog, and sexual experimentation or disorientation require extremely sensitive consultations that must often be preceded by private telephone consultation with the parents to ensure a neutral emotional atmosphere during the fact-finding stages. Parents should not remain passive, but should display genuine interest and understanding for the child's behavior. If the child or children believe that telling the truth may result in punishment, effective communication can be stifled.
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