Every time we have a family with a baby visiting us at home, Dulcie hangs round the baby, admiring and expressing affection. If she has an opportunity to lick, which is what she wants, she would do it.
We used to take deliberate efforts, when Dulcie was a few months old, not to jump on people. We almost succeeded, except in the recent months, we notice that she would defy and jump on people that she is familiar with. We keep a watch on her that she does not do that towards babies.
As I kept watching the baby's facial expression when Dulcie was around, it seemed that baby was tolerating Dulcie's proximity. The baby comes from a home where she is used to having a Golden Terrier around.
We have visitors, adults, who ask us from the gate, please chain the dog. The electrician, plumber, telephone technicians and others carry fear, that at the sight of a dog makes, they feel frightened. What an unnecessary stressful experience! They carry this fear form childhood. We have personal friends, when we were at Chennai, Vellore and now here, who got used to petting a dog, which was their first experience in life.
The dog barks, therefore most people think that they would bite. It is a small percentage of dogs who bite. Some guard dogs would bite strangers if they are trained to do so. More than that they stop strangers beyond a point, till someone from the house comes out to greet that person.
We have more stories of dogs being of immense value to protect humans than stories of dogs doing the opposite. The stray dogs belong to another category. They are hungry, chased, beaten, and abused that they might turn hostile and retaliate. That is why they end up baiting others. When they are adopted or live in shelters, this habit usually ceases.
How wonderful for a life long experience of fun with pet dogs, if babies are introduced to baby friendly pets. from the time they are crawling around!
On essential for every home, when children are young is to choose habit a pet that the family is comfortable with. The choices are many. An aquarium of the is the easiest, a small bird house is easier to look after. We have birds who come to the bird house for night shelter. The way to attract birds like Magpie Robin, Bulbul, and Sparrow is to have bird feed and water bath in the courtyard. That is announcement to the avians that we are bird friendly.
We have some birds who come to greet us. They come to the veranda adjacent to the dining room, look at us, make some bird calls and feed on the banana in the nest and fly away.
Children who grow up with pets would have had an enlarged childhood experiences.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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