Dogs and Children: A Match Made in Heaven

Hi, I’m Allison! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three mixed-breed dogs from Thailand, Jelly, Lorraina, and Manic.

Countless movies and books pair a child with a dog. And why not? Dogs offer children protection, help them learn about nature, and provide loyal companionship. Children offer dogs, well, maybe not the exact same thing. It really depends on the child.

The relationship between children and dogs can be incredibly warm, but it can also be limited to that of a human and their pet. So the question is, are dogs and children a match made in heaven?

Setting Up the Meet-N-Greet

A few weeks ago, my friend Beth visited my home with her son and daughter. Her son, Charlie, was 11, and her daughter, Isabel, was 9. Now, the kids had grown up with dogs. Beth had had a dog for a few years before their children were born, so the dog that the children were used to was a senior.  I had met the dog a few times before she went over the Rainbow Bridge. She was very sweet and not very active. This dog also did not have the emotional damage my dogs carry with them (I'm looking at you, Lorraina).

• Special note: Now, I am not a parent. I want to emphasize that. I never realized how much energy it takes to entertain two children all day. Shout out to parents all over the world.

But this made me concerned that they might get reactive if the kids get too rowdy around them. My dogs did not grow up around kids. They are used to living with middle-aged and senior people. We are delightfully boring, and we want to keep it that way.

Children, on the other hand, are full of energy and excitement. How was that going to work with meeting my dogs for the first time?

When Beth and her children came to the house, I gave them a quick rundown of the dogs. I told them they were a bit shy at first, and they may bark a little bit, but they're not angry; they're just curious. I also told the kids how to approach the dogs properly: Kneel down and stick out their hands. Let the dogs smell them before trying to pet them.

I also told the kids that Jelly and Lorraina don't like being hugged or overly cuddled. I did not want to get into too many details about WHY Lorraina could not handle too much physical contact—especially on her stomach. I wanted to keep the instructions simple.

I also let them know that Manic sometimes gets a little bit jumpy. Manic often gets the zoomies, and when this happens, watch out. Even though he's less than 50 pounds, he has easily knocked me over a few times. I would hate to have one of the children injured because my rambunctious dog tackled them.

Let the Play Date Begin!

Okay, with the gentle warnings laid out, I led the kids downstairs. Thankfully, my trio seemed to understand that these were children, far less scary than unknown adults.

The dogs sniffed the kids, and they approached them just as I asked them: kneeling down and letting the dogs sniff their hands. Lorraina licked the kids' hands. Jelly sniffed them and then walked away. Manic remained fascinated with Charlie and Isabel.

After a few minutes of introductions, Charlie wanted to test Manic’s energy level. So, he would take a running leap and land on our bed, encouraging Manic to leap on the bed next to him. Manic would never miss an opportunity to cause chaos!

I rushed into the bedroom to make sure that Manic did not leap on top of Charlie and hurt him. However, both boys were having a great time. Surprisingly, Manic got tired of jumping on the bed—but not Charlie. He kept trying for a few more minutes to get Manic to get on the bed, but my dog was over it. He looked exhausted—clearly, his energy was unmatched when pitted against an 11-year-old boy. Jelly and Lorraina simply watched in horror at the antics.

We all went out for ice cream, giving the dogs some much-needed rest. When we came back, it was Isabel’s turn to bond with the dogs. Isabel interacted with the dogs much differently than her brother. She sat on the floor with Jelly and Lorraina, gently patting them on the head and telling them how sweet they were. It was all very calm.

Then she went to jump on the bed with Manic. However, Isabel curled up next to him instead of doing a constant back-and-forth of running and jumping. He flopped down next to her and rolled on his back, accepting belly rubs with much appreciation. And there, Manic stayed for almost ten minutes, getting doted on. He was in bliss. And so was Isabel.

Energy and Cuddling: The Perfect Balance

After the children left, the dogs had mixed emotions. Lorraina seemed a bit pleased they had gone. She likes people, but I think she leans more towards adults. Jelly is particularly possessive of me, so she was happy that she did not have my attention divided anymore.

Manic missed them—at least, this is what I thought. He had gotten the perfect combination of playful ruckus and devotion. I admit that I sometimes have a limit on the amount of bouncing back and forth I can do with Manic. I am glad that he got the best of everything with Charlie and Isabel.