Yes you are quite correct - they think of them as furry people. They're not. they're dogs - animals.
...pack...
frankly speaking, I find this sort of thought pattern in a human a bit bizarre. None of the people I know refer to their pack.
So, dogs are only allowed around my babies when they are supervised closely (like baby on my lap), even my own...
I have to ask, Why is it so important to have a dog? You apparently are an intelligent person, and are well aware that dogs are dangerous and can hurt your children. To me one child is worth a million dogs. Why put any child at risk? Dogs killing children is not common, but dogs injuring children severely enough to require the services of a plastic surgeos is a very common event.
“frankly speaking, I find this sort of thought pattern in a human a bit bizarre. None of the people I know refer to their pack.”
I am the lead dog of my pack and the dogs know it.
I am also the lead horse of my herd and the horses are well aware of it. Spurs work.
It is not at all bizarre for people who around dogs and horses all the time. Pretty much the rule.
The guy that has the cable show “Dog Whisperer” reintroduced many people to the concept of being the head of their pack when they had out of control dogs. It works.
Whispering to a horse or dog also works. I have no idea why but they really pay attention.
All of my animals are trained to respond to a conversational tone of instruction. No yelling as it is not needed.
>>frankly speaking, I find this sort of thought pattern in a human a bit bizarre. None of the people I know refer to their pack. <<
It’s the way dogs think, not humans.
>>Why is it so important to have a dog?<<
Because they are loyal and will listen to a child, love them and protect them when they are feeling that the world is against them. It teaches responsibility and compassion.
Hamsters don’t do that.
“Dogs killing children is not common, but dogs injuring children severely enough to require the services of a plastic surgeos is a very common event. “
So common that I’ve never seen it happen.
Had dogs as a little kid. My kids were raised around dogs, and my grandkids are now. Not a mark on anyone.
A great many dogs consider kids something to protect at all cost, not something to attack.
At a year old, kids need constant supervision for everything. They also need to be taught how to interact with dogs, and the dogs need to be monitored for aggression. But done right, dogs provide kids constant, devoted friendship - just as they do adults.
Dogs are pack animals. If you wish to integrate them into your home successfully then you must recognize that fact. I am the alpha dog in the house. My husband is the dog's best friend. If the dog is not behaving correctly, I snarl at him and he drops his head and slinks into his crate. In fact, you can say "YOU ARE A VERY BAD DOG" and he will drop his head and slink off to his crate. He is absolutely sure of his place in the pack and absolutely sure that he will be punished if he violates that place in the pack.
I still wouldn't leave him out with a baby on the floor. Babies smell different, a dog may not identify them as human.
The large hunting and defense breeds are not a good choice, in my opinion, for a family with small children.
Humans are 5,000 times more dangerous than dogs.
I'm hoping everyone from Georgia isn't as ignorant as you are.