Here Is Why We Should Never Let Our Dogs Lick Our Babies
By Aaron Love
1 year ago
Dogs Have Really Strong Maternal Instincts
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We have all heard of hundreds of stories of dogs looking after newborn babies and protecting them when they are in danger. This can be a very good thing but also can be incredibly dangerous for the child and the other family members. Due to the dogs great maternal instinct they will do anything to protect their pup, in this case the baby, they may see a mother reaching for their child as a threatening act and attack.Your Dog May See A Newborn As A Threat
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When you imagine the relationship that your dog will have with your child you picture what you see in movies and TV shows where they cuddle with each other and become best friends but this is not always the case. If a dog feels as though they are being replaced then they become hostile and view the child as competition and therefore may become aggressive with them when they see them getting more attention.Be Very Cautious Of Your Dogs Manners Towards Others
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Our dogs are often thought of, cared for and treat the same as our own children and therefore we try to teach them to behave and uphold manners that we would expect of our own children. This can be incredibly crucial around new born babies as it can be very uncomfortable for your dog to approach other children. This may cause the parent to act irrationally and put your dog in danger as well as the child.A Dog Lick Can Trigger Asthma Symptoms
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You may see doggy licks as showing of affection and that they are a good thing especially for creating a bond with a new member of the family in a baby but they can actually be quite harmful to a newborn. They are especially harmful if the baby has any form or level of asthma as the dogs lick can start to trigger different asthma symptoms which can cause the child further breathing problems and be very dangerous.Do Not Let Their Mouths Touch!
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It seem like an obvious point but also one that we may not think of as it is quite typical for adults to kiss their dogs and go mouth to mouth at times to share their affection. However, this is an issue with babies as if the contact is initiated by the dog then this could be the dog trying to display dominance over the baby and therefore could mean that they are thinking of harming the baby if it challenges the dog.Your Child May Simply Not Like Being Licked
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Although, you as the owner of the dog and parent of the child may like getting close and personal with your pet and enjoy doggy kisses and licks this may not be true for your new born child. Your baby is just starting to learn about the world therefore meaning that they may be very anxious and cautious about other people and animals and therefore the baby may become agitated by a doggy lick.Your Dog May Mistake Playing As Violence
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Our children are well known for wanting to play with our dogs and are able to do this safely however it is not the same with newborn babies. Due to a baby not interacting with a dog before and lacking knowledge of safe play they may pull the dogs ears, poke them in the eye, slap their noses or even put their hands in the dog's mouth after being licked by them, all these things can cause the dog to react violently and even possible attack the baby.Your Child May Feel Very Stressed By The Licking
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Dogs are often seen as very happy and excitable animals but this is not always the case especially when they are meeting a new member of the family. A new baby may cause the dog to become very anxious and unsure so they will try to relieve their stress and a big way for dogs to do this is to lick things but by the dog licking the baby it may cause a large amount of stress for the child.Dogs May Become Agitated By A Babies Screaming
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When your newborn baby meets your dog for the first time it can be hard to know what to expect from either of them and how they will react to each other. Often the dog will try to get to know the baby and may even lick them, this can then cause to baby to start crying as they may be scared which in turn will make the dog very agitated and cause it to start to panic and become scared around the baby.Your Child May Be Allergic To Dogs
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With a newborn baby it can be hard to know how they will react to having an animal in the house and their behaviours but the child and dogs behaviour is not always the thing you should be most conscious of. It can be hard to know what a child is allergic to until the child comes in contact with the dogs saliva by being licked by the dog. If your child starts to show a rash or sneezing or lack of breathe then they may be allergic.Dogs Are Often Susceptible To Catching Worms
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Dogs are very hyperactive animals who are always curious to meet each other and have a dig into the grass and other plant life to see what's there but this can be very dangerous especially if your dog then comes into contact with your child. When dogs sniff other dogs behinds and grass they can contract roundworms which can be transferred to humans and if your child contracts this then it can be very painful for the child.Being Licked By A Dog May Encourage A Lack Of Boundaries
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Doggy kisses and licks may come across as being incredibly cute and a very very loving act by your animal and it is one hundred times cuter when the doggy kisses are between your dog and your baby. But this is not always a positive thing for the baby themselves. By letting your dog lick your baby it may teach your baby a lack of boundaries and they may grow up with a severe lack of boundaries.Dogs Have Many Behavioural Issues
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We all know about how excitable dogs can become around newborn babies and how they will want to play with them and figure out who they are but this is not always a good thing and could even endanger the child. Often human babies are a new concept to our pets and they may not know how to act around them which may cause their behaviour to become sporadic and may even put the child in harms way while trying to play.Your Dog Will Be Protective Of Their Own Territory
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Often dogs have their favoured rooms in the house where they like to spend most of their time and may even have their own room filled with their own bed and toys. This can make dogs very territorial of their room and if your baby ends up in their without the dogs approval it may become angered and start to bark at the baby which then in turn may make the baby cry and become afraid of the animal to the point where a lick won't make it better.Dogs Are Unfortunately Very Susceptible To Strep Illnesses
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It can very difficult to judge if your dog is ill with a strep illness as they may show no symptoms but be carriers for the disease and is known to be transferred to children upon contact. Group A strep lives with in the dogs throat therefore making out very dangerous if a dog licks a baby making for an easy transfer of the illness and can cause some incredibly serious symptoms to start to show within the children.A Dog's Tongue Can Be Extremely Rough
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We all know that our dogs no matter the size of them will come and try and curl up in bed with you at night or on the sofa while your relaxing and these behaviours can often also occur between your dog and your baby. But no matter how cute it is you still must be cautious as if the dog starts to become friendly with the baby and lick it they may unintentionally scratch the baby's face if their tongue is dry due to its rough nature.Dogs Can Transfer Waterborne Illnesses To Children
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From time to time you may enjoy going for a nice paddle or swim with your excitable dog whilst at the beach or out at the lakes but it is important to be careful upon returning home to your baby. Although going to the water is great fun for the dog they are likely to bring back some form of waterborne disease that can have a horrible effect on babies if they contract it from the dog so ensure they keep their distance.When A Dog Licks A Child They May Get Chemical Burns
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When you see your dog giving your baby a lick on the face you may think that this is quite cute and you're happy that they are both getting along, but although they be being friendly to each other it can still be dangerous for the baby. Due to the dog have different chemicals in their saliva and it being alkaline if your baby has delicate skin then it may cause the child to gain a rash on their face.Children Can Contract Parasitic Illnesses From Dogs
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When our dogs get ill we often start thinking about parasite they may have picked up and where they got it from, but our main focus should be on keeping them away from our children until they are cured of the parasitic illness. These parasitic illnesses can come from many places and can cause a child to develop a sever-illness and will be quite difficult for their growing immune system to fight off compared to an adults.You Child Can Be Dangerous When Being Licked
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Dog and baby friendships are always heavily publicised in the media and through stories and movies as being very friendly, loving and caring relationship but it is not always the case. Even when the relationships between the two are bad we often think that it is the dogs fault but if a baby is licked they don't know how to react and may even try to grab the dogs tongue and may even scratch it by doing so.Dogs Can Carry A Dangerous Disease Called Leptospirosis
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It is widely know that animals can transfer diseases to each other but many do not realise how easy it is for a dog to transfer a disease to their family. A common disease that a lot of pets can pick up is leptospirosis. This is a zoonotic disease, meaning the disease can be transferred from animal to human. This disease causes kidney failure and weaken a person immune system therefore making it very dangerous for children.Licking May Be An Act Of Attention Seeking
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We all know how hard it is to train our dogs to behave in the correct ways and to become very responsible and trustworthy companions. This training can be very difficult to undergo and take a lot of time to do therefore it is important that we sustain their training at home. Dogs can often slip out of their training when introduced to a new born baby they may start to seek attention from their owners.The Dog May Accidentally Nip The Baby
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Dogs are know for their profound curiosity and excitement when it comes to meeting a newborn baby and this can cause them to act rather enthusiastically by wanting to get to know the child as quickly as possible. So a dog will typically display their excitement by trying to lick the baby and they may even try to do this a lot but they must be careful as they may accidentally close their mouths too soon and nip the baby.Dogs Have A Large Amount Of Germs
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We all know that we love our dogs and want them to have the best possible relationship with our children. But it can be quite dangerous for babies if we let them get up close and personal with our new born children due to the germs that they carry. We all know that babies are always at a higher risk to illness than adults and due to the chemicals in dogs saliva and the germs that they carry on their tongues they can be vastly dangerous.Your Dog May Be Attempting To Bite Your Child
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What could be more cute than your dog making their way over to your new born baby and wanting to try and play with them and get to know them and even trying to cuddle up with them or give them a nice friendly lick. But it is important that you remain very vigilant when your dog is doing this as it can be hard to distinguish between whether your dog is going to play or whether they are going to bite the child.A Dog's Obsession With The Child Might Limit Their Social Skills
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When we think of how our dogs behave when we take them out for a nice walk through the park and they interact with other dogs we get to see them enjoy some much needed social time and play with other dogs rather than with their toys or humans which can be very beneficial for them. But if a dog is constantly licking a baby then it might be that they are are too attached to the baby and this can prevent them from wanting to socialise with other dogs.Dogs May Try And Lick Sensitive Areas
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Dogs are well know for how they try to make new friends and how they get to know other dogs, which is to sniff or lick their private parts, a dog will even lick their own private parts and view this as normal. So this is where you must be cautious if you allow your dog to lick your baby upon getting friendly with them they may not only lick the Child's face by they may attempt to sniff and lick their sensitive areas.A Dog Needs To Learn When A Baby Is Consenting TO Interactions
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Dogs are profoundly known as man's best friend for their loving and caring nature towards humans and how they like to bond with the younger members of the family, especially babies. This can be a very cute relationship and beneficial for both dog and baby as long as it is monitored properly. The dog must learn when the maybe is wanting and not wanting to interact so it is up to you to intervene when the baby is indication that it does not want attention by hiding away, crying or other behaviours.Dogs Hold Vast Amount Of Bacteria In Their Mouths
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We love spending time with our children and our dogs and often let them play together as they also enjoy each others company but there are many risks to letting a dog too close to a new born child. It is well known that both human and dog saliva holds bacteria but if dog bacteria were to get into a human mouth the child's body would not be able to kill it as easily due to the different ph levels in a dogs mouth to humans.Dogs Often Carry Around Fleas And Ticks With Them
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As pet owners we know that the crafting of fleas or ticks is often a high possibility in our pets and therefore try to counter it by having them groomed as often as possible. It is crucial that your dog does not go near a baby if they have fleas or ticks as these feisty little critters can carry a lot of very dangerous diseases that can cause great harm to your child so it is crucial that you remain vigilant.If They Get Too Close When Young They May Not Like Each Other When They're Older
