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By Dr. Anjali Subbaswamy / Your Child's Health Published: Tuesday, December 28th, 2021 at 12:02AM Updated: Wednesday, December 29th, 2021 at 12:02AM

Q: We are thinking about getting a pet for our kids. What should we keep in mind before taking the plunge?

A: If you are getting a pet as a companion for your child, wait until he or she is mature enough to handle the animal safely and participate in its care – usually around age 5 or 6. Younger children have difficulty distinguishing an animal from a toy, so they may inadvertently provoke a bite through teasing or mistreatment.

Even the sweetest dog can bite if provoked. Most people are bitten by a dog they know, with kids bitten more often than adults. Approximately 800,000 dog bite victims require medical attention in the United States annually – and 75% are children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Parents should never leave a young child unsupervised around any dog, even a dog well known to your family. Even very small children can – and should – be taught not to tease or hurt animals to minimize the risk of being bitten.

You may wonder which breeds have a tendency toward aggression with children. The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says, “Not only is aggression toward children exceedingly difficult to treat, the likelihood that a dog with this problem will ever become trustworthy is slim.” It’s true that some breeds might be more likely to bite if we look at statistics gathered on biting and aggression. Despite this, it’s neither accurate nor wise to judge a dog by their breed. Far better predictors of aggressive behavior problems are a dog’s individual temperament, and history of interacting with people and other animals.

The best insurance policy against aggression problems is to select the best individual dog for you, based on the dog’s personality traits and your lifestyle. The ASPCA has a web page discussing aggression in dogs, aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/aggression.

Much has been written about the wonderful relationships between children and their pets, particularly dogs. I have experienced the same myself, enjoying the companionship, loyalty and affection that dogs provide. There are studies in the field of attachment in psychology, which attest that children enduring difficult home lives often bond more strongly with their dogs than with peers or family members, finding great comfort and strength through this bond. A quote from author Kristan Higgins may sum it up best, “When an 85-pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad.”

So, there are pros and cons to getting your child a dog. The pros are providing a companion that will both protect and love your child unconditionally; nurturing your child physically and emotionally; and providing a vehicle for teaching your child about caring for another living creature.

The cons are the very real safety issues that can exist. Every year, I see a few children, usually toddlers, who have been hurt by aggressive dogs. These dogs do not usually have a pattern of aggressive behavior and have been family members for some time.

However, on that particular day, some behavior by the toddler triggered aggression on the part of the dog and, invariably, you find that the child had been left alone with the dog.

These attacks, which usually occur while the child is unsupervised, are completely preventable. They are prevented by never leaving a child alone with a dog. No dog, regardless of its training or past behavior, should be left alone with a child.

When choosing a puppy for your family, ask if the litter was socialized to children, as well as to adults. A young dog can be taught to tolerate a certain amount of rough handling by children. If children are in your future, now is the time to socialize your dog to kids. Don’t wait until you bring the new baby home to introduce your dog to the smells, sounds and antics of children.

Another question that may cross your mind, is whether having furry pets in the home increases your child’s risk for developing allergies or asthma. Current recommendations from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) state, “The relationship between early life exposure to animals and the development of allergies and asthma is somewhat confusing. Previous evidence suggested that children exposed to animals early in life were more likely to develop allergies and asthma. More recent research seems to show that early exposure to animals (cats and dogs, in particular) may actually protect children from developing allergies. Newer research also suggests children raised on farms develop fewer allergies and asthma.” (aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/allergies/pet-allergy).

Personally, I think there is no greater source of love, joy and companionship than a dog. I think all kids should have dogs!

But, only if your routine, resources and environment can support both the dog and the child well. Hope it works out for your family.

Anjali Subbaswamy is a Pediatric Intensive Care Physician at UNM. Send questions to asubbaswamy@salud.unm.edu.

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