My eight-year-old dog, Ruby, is not a fan of children. I would go as far as to say that she despises them. I spent many years attempting to train her to endure children’s company. However, she is set in her ways, so I don’t allow children to interact with her. I feel awful about that because I broke so many children’s hearts by not allowing them to pet my adorable dog. But I’m sorry, kids, she just wants to bite you. 

Anyway, this got me thinking about why dogs like Ruby are not mega fans of children. According to Pet MD, there are several reasons our furry friends may not like spending time with kids. For one, they may not be used to being in the presence of loud little ones. According to the publication, pups also may find children untrustworthy because of their unpredictable actions. 

“There will be some people your dog doesn’t click with; that’s just life,” said Colleen Pelar “Living With Kids and Dogs … Without Losing your Mind.” “We’re most afraid of things we find unpredictable, and kids can top that list.”

 Some dogs may have also developed an aversion to children because of past negative experiences. (I might not be too keen on kids if I was once involved in an ear-pulling incident.)

If your dog isn’t happy around kids, don’t push the situation. In a 2019 video, dog trainer Tom Davies stated that it is “okay” for our furry friends to dislike children. However, it is your responsibility to ensure your dog and the children they encounter stay safe. 

“You just have to play zoo keeper, and you have to manage the situation to set your dog up for success,” said Davies. 

This means you should put away your dog in a separate area if a child is coming over. 

“The safest thing to do is to avoid the situation,” said Davies. 

In addition, the dog trainer stated it is in your best interest to teach your dog the command “leave it,” so they will know to ignore children in public.