Parents these days are more likely than ever to take their children into spaces once thought off-limits to children: cafes, hair dressers, even grocery stores! That your dog will need to engage with a child in either public or private is near guaranteed. This guide will help you and your dog navigate these delicate interactions with aplomb.
(children are creatures of instinct and should be approached with caution and preparation)
When first identifying a child from a distance, it is important to assess the age and disposition of the child via a quick ocular pat-down.
Once a neutral-positive disposition has been verified, have your dog walk confidently up to the child. Any hesitation could be interpreted by the child as a sign of weakness.
Make sure your dog meets the child at eye-level. This assures the child that no aggression is intended.
Review the S.N.I.F.F. system with your dog to ensure that the child has not befouled themselves or their handler. Engaging with a soiled child could sully your dog's good name and should be avoided at all costs.
At this point, it is traditional to perform the "shake". While scholars dispute its pertinence in modern dog-child relations, failing to reciprocate the motion is considered a faux pas.
Advise your dog, under no circumstances, should they attempt to lick clean a child's face. Children are often found covered in a fine sticky-sweet film, but researchers have discovered this to be essential to the nourishment mechanism of the handlers.
***The next action is the single-most important in the whole exchange and a failure here could be a black spot on your dog's reputation for the foreseeable future.*** Have your dog allow the child to rub their belly. This custom dates back to antiquity and it is widely believed to be the crux of a successful dog-child greeting transaction.
Having concluded the "belly rub", the ritual is complete. Both dog and child can part ways amicably with a foundation of trust with which to build future interactions.
(Editor's note) If child becomes agitated at any point, it is appropriate to disengage and turn. Their handler will deal with them as appropriate, and it is not necessary for your dog dispense reprimand.