Animals are pretty amazing and can sense things quite well. I have never raised a child with downs syndrome so perhaps it’s different with them.
My Aunt’s little dog shocked me as my son had only reached out to pet the dog and boom, it snatched hold of his thumb and didn’t want to let go, the mean little dog was sitting on my Uncles lap. They wouldn’t put the dog up after —so we left. (years and years ago)
I guess that incident left me a little shell shocked. A dog with food is just something I’ve done because my parents raised me with the same rule.
With horses I am careful about walking behind them because I had a kicker. Ha! My dad would put a I’m a KIKKer (radio station) sticker around her tail when I was participating in events (western).
I use my dogs as foot stools and as a pillow on occasions. One of my Boxers is such a stubborn arse that she pretty much plays dead when you want her to move— you can push and scoot her all around and she just lays there—works great! :D She is also a turd and will sit on my other dogs head if my other dog has the spot that she wants.
I certainly wouldn’t bet the farm on it if it were my child. But this particular animal has likely known that kid since when. But having talked to the parents of this ASD kid, it’s their experience that animals kind of give the kid a ‘pass’.
This particular mean cat nearly chewed my hubby’s hand off once upon a time when he simply tried to pick it up out of the way. They eventually made friends after a few bouts of shrimp and tuna bribes. Said cat grudgingly subsequently accepted hubby and grudgingly allowed himself to be moved and/or handled. But forget any pettings or cuddlings. LOL. He tolerated hubby and that was it.
He avoided the kids altogether until his behavior changed with the tumor. I never had to worry about his being mean to them as he simply didn’t allow them to get close enough, he’d up stakes and move or jump somewhere out of their reach. I never allowed the kids into the ‘cat room’ and that was the first baby gate we actually installed. The cats had a place out of the way and could eat and sleep in peace there.
I was bitten by a horse. Once. Haven’t liked them since. And I was trying to be friends with the mean horse by offering it a carrot. Took the carrot and tried to take my hand as well. Mean horse. Of course, I was only special in my own mind LOL. And I had been warned about the horse. But at 10 I knew better than the owner. I didn’t do that again though.