Originally Posted by Lilah Charm  I am very grateful to have Lilah as I have young children and recognize that may have inhibited my ability to have her. I worked very hard to ensure she would be safe and healthy in our home and well adjusted with the kids. One reason that of small breeds I chose the Yorkshire terrier is because of their bold spirit and personality, a weaker constitution would not enjoy the bubbling energy of my household.
That said, lilah was a long planned family addition. I had her dog house a year before I had her and I had the opportunity to care for another adult yorkie of a family friend for a month and experience that before I ever committed to Lilah. We had an ex pen with her two story princess palace settled in right next to my bed (which is in the main room actually) for at least a month before she came home. Snuggle den on the bottom floor, food and water on the top, room for a potty pad (we knew we would be pad training), her dog dresser, and a safe secure fence for her. If those boys so much as bumped that fence they were corrected quickly, they had a month before there was a pup in it to figure out how not to do that and oh boy did they figure out how not to bump mommys fence. We also made sure we had baby gates.
The kids were not allowed to pick up my dog, heck- I actually had to tell adult friends who could not seem to understand the safety rules (she is not a cat!) that they were no longer allowed to pick up my dog either. It is hard to reprimand thirty something's but not as hard as having my baby hurt. We transitioned really slowly. When she was about a year and a half we finally took the ex pen down even when I was gone at work. Lilah is my dog, not their dog, not anybody else's dog. Everyone loves her, they respect her and treat her well- sitting on the floor and play with a rag monkey, excited greetings after school but she is my shadow, my obedient devotee, my dog. Her spot is with me and she lives under my feet. Any other interactions are by my grace with my directed rules and supervision- and yes, that applies to adults. You would be amazed at how careless and inconsiderate some adults are. My children have tended the most fragile just hatched baby chickens, tended baby bunnies and kittens and sheep and goAts and I think they are much more considerate and aware than many careless adults. That said, they are children and must be educated, supervised and disciplined- which is to be taught. Lilah adores my children and they adore her but it was molded carefully and slowly with a lot of planning and a lot of supervision.
Watch very very carefully to see what your daughter may be doing that is subtle and you don't realize. Gentle hands is a great word to use. I don't think a relationship with children is impossible, I actually think it is deeply important to emotional and social development and well being of a dog, but remember that you owe that dog, that little life, the best, safest socialization. Anything short of that will be a disservice to your pup and your child and could truly ruin any opportunity for long term healthy relationships with kids. They are bold, they are tough but they are tiny and petite and need us to protect them. If she doesn't have an emotionally safe space to retreat to, I would amend that quickly. She needs to know she is secure and safe and that you have her back no matter what. |