I won't say there is no need for extra caution when it comes to young kids and small dogs. However, I think alot depends on the individual child/children. To put it bluntly, I have a 5 year old who is a saint when it comes to Trixie. She never tries to pick her up or pull on her or anything of that sort--even when we had the small pups in the house. (Course, she would have had to get through 2 locked doors in that instance...) We explain frequently to her the importance of being gentle, what to do and not to do. True, kids can cause accidents, but no more so than adults! I have tripped over Trixie several times because she was right under my feet and I didn't know it. I have also seen some 5 year olds that are rowdy and would be a threat to a huge dog.
Depends on the child and their individual behavior, IMO. |