Is My Miniature Pinscher Compatible With Small Children?
Friday, December 15th, 2006I am often asked whether Miniature Pinschers have a good temperament around children. There’s no short answer to this question, so I’ll try to break it down to make it easier for you to find which answer might help you the most.
Whether any dog is good with children depends on several things, including
· The child’s age
· The dog’s age
· The dog’s breed
In general, when you’re thinking about getting a Miniature Pinscher, consider the following thoughts about your child’s safety.
· Puppies have sharp teeth, and Miniature Pinschers are no exception. A puppy’s bite can easily break your baby’s skin.
· Puppies also have small but sharp claws. Puppies have lots of energy and can accidentally harm your child by scratching it or biting it.
· A bite or scratch on your baby’s face, or anywhere else for that matter, can cause a lot of damage, including infection or permanent scarring.
You also need to think about your puppy’s wellbeing. On the dog’s side of the equation:
· Toddlers can be just as unpredictable as puppies.
· Your child can easily accidentally hit, jump on, pull on and traumatize an unsuspecting puppy.
So, if you have small children and are going to get a new Miniature Pinscher…
- Get your Min Pin while it’s still a puppy. This will give him a better chance of adapting to life with small children.
- Children love to play with puppies… Make sure your child is old enough to understand that your new puppy is fragile, and that she should help you treat it with care.
- Puppies are very time consuming… If you have older children, a puppy can be a wonderful addition to your family for a number of reasons. Just be sure not to expect your child to be your puppy’s primary caregiver. You are the one who needs to make sure your new dog is fed, has fresh water, and grows up to be a healthy young one.
Here are a few additional things to consider about your new baby and getting a Miniature Pinscher.
· Never leave your Miniature Pinscher unattended with your baby. A baby’s sudden gesture could startle your Min Pin and cause it to bite your baby.
· A baby will shriek. These loud piercing sounds will startle and upset your dog.
· While your baby might not be crawling yet, pretty soon she will. And you can assume she will go after your dog. This can spell terror for everyone involved.
· Keep your children’s toys separate from your dog’s.
Don’t let your child pick up or play with your dog’s toys. The last thing you want is for your dog to get into a fight with your child over his toys. This is especially true for your dog’s rawhide chews.
And, this may seem obvious, but I’ll say it anyway… don’t let your child near where you keep your dog’s food and water. Major no-no!
Whenever you notice a baby toy that you think your dog might think is for him, put it away. If you see your dog aiming for something that’s not his, tell him “no,†and put it away. The extra effort you put into helping your dog understand which toys are his and which are not will go a long way.
So far, our dog has done a good job in telling the difference between his own toys and our child’s. And he’s resisted messing with any of them.
Now that you have an idea of how a Min Pin might fight into your own family, you might assume that with good training and discipline (of both the dog and your child!) means that everyone will live happily ever after. Hopefully, that is the case. But when working hard to familiarize your dog with your child, do not make the mistake of thinking, “Great! He’s so good with kids!â€
Wrong. He’s good with your kids. Other children don’t know how to treat your Min Pin and he is not used to their movements and actions. He may be jealous of the time ‘his’ family spends with this new little intruder – a child who is guest in your home. Never leave your dog alone with access to someone else’s children, for both their sakes.
Beware of your dog and other children. You should not trust your Miniature Pinscher with other people’s children!
The short, slick coat requires only twice weekly brushing to keep it shining and free of dead hair. Check ears and eyes daily to be sure they are free of dirt. Bathe only on an “as-needed†basis and never use human shampoo to avoid irritating his skin. Trim your Miniature Pinschers nails as needed to prevent painful in-grown nails and to keep their gait strong and comfortable. (You can find more information on grooming for shows in the chapter “Showing Your Miniature Pinscherâ€).
