A
female
age
41-50,
anonymous
writes:My sister is a dog lover. I am terrified of dogs. She adopts large dogs and has several at a time. She recently moved from across the country to a few miles away from me and my family. She has become pregnant for the first time. I can't stand going to her house and panic with my three small toddlers around her large dogs.Her dogs are well behaved, but aggressive towards other small animals (eat squirrels, birds, rabbits, or any other unfortunate creature that roams into her backyard). It is because of this that I am fearful of my children around her dogs. Young kids, by nature, are clumsy and might step on a tail or inadvertently go near the food bowl, etc.I am also panicked about my future niece or nephew. How will these large dogs react to a crawling baby if they attack small animals?Dog lovers out there - please help to make me feel less anxious so I can enjoy my sister and not keep making excuses to not be at her house.Thanks! Reply to this Question
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female
reader, r0ckah0l1c +, writes (21 September 2011):
I have two pitbulls and all of the neighborhood kids' eyes light up everytime they see them outside because they know they're the nicest dogs. They are prey driven to small animals, such as chickens, but are not human aggressive. You can mess with them while they're eating or chewing a bone and they don't even notice. They are very loyal and kind to humans. As long as your sister is aware of the dogs habits and behaviors I would not take to worrying too much.
A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (27 May 2008):
 Hi, sorry to hear that you're terrified of dogs. I have a medium sized dog who is a real sweetheart around children but does go after chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, etc. in my yard. (He's not very good at it, but it's good exercise for him to chase them. If he was good at it, I'd probably have stopped him from the chase by now.) I know that he would never hurt or bite a child, because he knows the difference between a human and a 'prey' animal. He's had his tail pulled, he's been stepped on by accident, he's been startled often by small children. One little girl in a park once grabbed both his ears in her hands and pulled his face right up to hers! Her mother just about fainted, but my dog tolerated it, though I noticed he gave little children a wide berth after that.
It does depend on the breed, and also on the training and handling by the owner. My sister has a lovely female yellow lab who has been totally crawled over by my nephews since they were little. They're aged five and four, and have had no issues whatsoever with this lovely goodnatured patient dog.
It is reasonable to expect that if you are indeed terrified of large dogs that your sister confine them in a part of the house away from you when you visit. You shouldn't let your fear get in the way of introducing your children to calm, well-behaved dogs, though. It's a good idea to have them meet the dogs in a supervised way, one at a time. It's a good way to teach children about approaching dogs. A child should learn early never to try to pat or touch a strange dog without first asking the owner/handler if it is okay.
We have one friend who is terrified of dogs as well, and she had translated this fear to her daughter. When they came to visit, I put my dog outside while they were inside, and vice versa. Eventually, this fearful little girl was so fascinated by my dog that she forgot her general fear of dogs and then actually became a nuisance to him, following him around and petting and trying to get him to do his tricks. So the daughter became comfortable, even if the mother did not.
It does all depend on the handler/owner and the breed and nature of the animal itself. Don't worry about your new nephew if your sister is experienced with handling dogs and they are well behaved and obedient.
I can't tell you that you'll lose your fear of dogs, but maybe spending a small amount of time with one of your sister's dogs while your sister has him under complete control wouldn't be a bad thing for you to try. But don't expect miracles.
The food bowl should be removed and out of reach of your children while you're there; the water bowl though has to be accessible to the dogs all the time, especially in the summer. A well-behaved well-trained dog should have NO problems with anybody going near the food bowl, but if you're worried about it, just ask that it be removed while you're there. The dogs can be fed in another room, that's not a big deal.
Hope this helps! You can also look online for information about good dog citizens and get an idea of what kind of behavior you should expect and demand from the dog owner/handlers you encounter.
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A
female
reader, aphexinfinite  +, writes (27 May 2008):
 ok well i am a shepherd and ive always been around dogs all my life, and my sister has a labrador x and an alsation, the alsation was an adopted dog and we were not sure of its behaviour but as we got to know her she was a bundle of love we were still cautious with children kept a close eye on them with the dogs, but after a time period they would be sent out to the garden to play and what not. so we could have a break. now we know the dogs are fine with children, as is my dog. the dogs nature is based on how it was brought up and its training. so talk to your sister about your problem tell her that her dogs may be well behaved but you just have fears and im sure she will be able to understand your anxiety about this problem..and as for animals its in a dogs nature to hunt for its own food as is cats may i point out!!! if their is a dead animal they will eat it i know its not nice but thats back to their basic instinct. so if i were you i would have one or two dogs in the house keep a close eye and introduce them to the dogs tell your children that a dog is not a toy. introducing slowly will not only help your children but your own interests.. thats my opinion hope it helps aphexy xx
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A
female
reader, HonningKanin  +, writes (27 May 2008):
 Dog, even though I dont really like them, are pack animals. Especially if they are well trained, they will see the children as above them in the family hierarchy after a while. Well trained dogs also will not bite if a hand goes near a dish bowl. They would normally growl first anyways as a warning before hand and if a dog does he should be trained otherwise.
Ofcourse there are some dogs who are just bad tempered and I am sure your sister would know if her dogs would see the baby as a threat, because she probably knows her dogs personality.
Good natured dogs will just take any form of punishment kids dish out. I have seen some dogs absolutly tortured by small babys and the dog either just takes it or gets up and tries to get away with out any form of aggression.
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