A dog bit a newborn baby: what to do? Consultation with a zoopsychologist

Families often ask me, a zoopsychologist and dog expert Veronika Voitovska, the question: how to make a dog and a newborn baby friends? It becomes especially alarming when the dog has already bitten the baby — even slightly or in response. Then young families panic, get angry at the dog, and have absolutely no idea what to do.
In my personal experience (and I have 15 dogs of my own and two children), if the dog initially has brains and a stable nervous system, then you can work with it. You don’t need to immediately run to the veterinary clinic to put it to sleep. You don’t need to look for a place to put such a dog in a cage or on a chain. You need to understand the reasons for the dog’s jealousy, anxiety, and aggression.
Why does a dog bite a small child?
The first bite most often occurs when the child is from 7 months to 1.5 years old.
It is during this period that the baby begins to crawl, move actively, and the dog first encounters the feeling that its usual environment has changed. Before this, you may have thousands of videos on your phone where the dog licks the child, where they sleep together. And one day, everything changes dramatically. You are not alone. This is exactly how it happens for most families. In about 30% of cases, you can notice that some time before the first bite, the dog has already begun to look warily towards the child.
Repeated bites often occur at the age of 1.5 to 2 years, when the child already walks confidently and can:
pull the dog by the tail, ears, fur,
grab the paws or muzzle,
climb on the dog, violating its personal boundaries.
Many dogs begin to have an internal conflict: «Who is this small, incomprehensible member of the pack who violates my boundaries, and I cannot protect myself?» In such a situation, the child is still very small, you cannot explain to him that he cannot touch the dog. How to play with the dog correctly and so on. You will do this, but at a more conscious age of the child. And at 7 months, your task is to explain to the dog that the child is an untouchable member of the pack. And this is exactly what I help with as an online zoopsychologist.
Who is more likely to show aggression towards children: males or females?
In practice, I notice:
Much more often, aggression comes from males, especially confident, large dogs.
In females, this happens less often, but they can also protect their territory or feel jealousy.
Should the dog be immediately euthanized or given away?
No. In most cases, this is not required.
Working as a zoopsychologist, I regularly conduct behavioral analysis, conduct individual consultations, explain what exactly went wrong and how to retrain the dog’s behavior. Dogs adapt just like people. They need help, understanding how exactly the dog thinks at the moment of the bite, balancing the relationship between the dog and the child. Of course, if, while examining your particular situation, I see that consultations on zoopsychology and training will not help the dog, I will recommend other measures. First of all, as a person, I fight to ensure that the children are safe and sound. Secondly, I help the young family and their dog.
How I help
I analyze the specific situation of your family. I assign a behavior correction plan. The main aspects. Then, after 1-2 weeks, we have a follow-up online meeting and look at the dynamics. We make corrections as necessary. I analyze the type of dog behavior
I explain how to properly build relationships between a child and a dog
I give safety recommendations
I explain when a dog trainer’s work is really needed, and when it’s just an adjustment to the environment and behavior of adults
Consultations on zoopsychology
Cost: 50 euros for 30 minutes. One consultation usually lasts 30-60 minutes. I receive from you a full description of the situation and video materials in advance, at least two days before the video call.
Format: video call or written consultation. I prefer video calls.
Languages: Russian, Ukrainian, English — fluent via video link. Other languages only in written consultations via an online translator.
Mail for recording: dognikb@gmail.com
Instagram: @dognikbulls
Remember: a dog is not a child’s enemy. In most cases, everything can be fixed. The main thing is to contact us in time and not ignore the first alarm signals.
Sincerely, Veronika Voitovska. Zoopsychologist. Cynologist-expert. Doctor. Judge of dog shows. Judge of sports competitions for dogs. Owner of a large kennel of active dog breeds «DOGNIK BULLS».
You can write to me both day and night. I treat any life situation with respect.

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