Hugs & Kisses

Living with Kids and Dogs

Hugs & Kisses


Miscommunications between kids and dogs are common. As parents, we often look at the child's intent to judge whether an interaction is good or bad. One problem with this is that people frequently show affection in ways that make dogs uncomfortable. By viewing these videos, you'll be able to identify some common canine stress signals. When you see these signals, you should intervene in the interaction between your child and the dog.

Hugs click here to play video (71 seconds)		Kisses click here to play video (22 seconds)

Patting on the Head click here to play video (42 seconds)		These kids are happy. Is the dog? Notice that in each photo, the whites of the dog's eyes are clearly visible and the dog's mouth is closed. These indicate that the dog is feeling a lot of tension. Although the children are trying to be gentle and loving, the dogs are very uncomfortable with these interactions.

Living with Kids and Dogs * P.O. Box 4227 * Woodbridge VA 22194