While it is super tempting to let your dog lick your baby’s face for a super adorable photo opp, vets and pediatricians alike are advising against this cuteness overload. According to Woman’s Day, there are two major reasons that doggie kisses plus your baby is so not worth it. Although one of the reasons is common sense for any germaphobes out there, the other is a little less obvious unless you’re familiar with dog behavior.
If all the germ stuff hadn’t grossed you out sufficiently, then your dog potentially thinking its the boss of your baby definitely should. Plus, it could lead to violent behavior, as Woman’s Day covered. “In fact, the pet may become protective over the owners and attempt to defend them by attacking the child for yelling or merely playing with his parents,” pediatrician Dr. Ashanti W. Woods said.
If you’ve ever watched a dog clean itself, then you know it’s probably not a great idea to have a dog lick anyone, including babies. “Their tongues are their toilet paper, as they lick their behinds to cleanse,” primary care specialist Dr. Marc I. Leavey told Woman’s Day. Yeahhhh, nobody — even your unsuspecting children — should want to be kissed by used toilet paper.
But what makes a dog licking a baby’s face specifically so bad beyond the ick factor is that licking could be a sign of dominance.
Another cleanliness aspect is that people may feed their dogs a raw diet. If that’s the case, the dog is not only susceptible to salmonella, but so is whoever they lick, veterinarian Dr. Thomas Kass told Women’s Day. And while it’s rare, the dog could pass worms to people too . . . now I’m scarred for life thinking about all of the dogs that I have let lick my face.
But, germs aside, its also extremely important, for safetys sake, to help your dog understand that he is not the babys master or pack playmate. “While many of us see our pets as surrogate family members, we do not want our pets to feel on equal status with our children,” Dr. Ashanti W. Woods, a Mercy Medical Center pediatrician, says. “In fact, the pet may become protective over the owners and attempt to defend them by attacking the child for yelling or merely playing with his parents.” Dr. Woods advises that you train the family pet to be submissive to children. “Because both dogs and children are unpredictable in their behaviors, it is not a good idea to establish a relationship with the family dog licking the childs face,” he says.
Babies and puppies —it doesnt get any cuter, right? The two often form a quick bond. But if your little one and Fido are getting too close, youre going to want to put a stop to those kisses ASAP. Sure, there are the germs to think about—but its also important to know that your dog might not be showing affection with that smooch.
Watch the video below for more on why you should never let your dog lick your face, or your babys. This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This is why you should stop letting your dog lick your face
Dr. Leaveys final piece of advice: “When poochie wants to smooch, offer your hand—and then wash it thoroughly before doing anything else.”
“Their tongues are their toilet paper, as they lick their behinds to cleanse,” adds Marc I. Leavey, M.D., primary care specialist at Lutherville Personal Physicians, a Mercy Medical Center. Dr. Leavey says that the variety and quantity of pathological microbes that can be conveyed with a slurp is astounding, and many of those bacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics. “Studies have confirmed this exposure, and it can lead to mouth and gum infections, or even systemic infections,” he says.
I discussed the question of whether parents should allow a dog to lick a baby’s face with Sandy Newmark, M.D., a pediatrician at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine in San Francisco. He told me that there’s not a lot of medical research on this subject, but that he would discourage any animal from licking an infant. (He concedes that older children seem to do okay when licked by dogs, even if it seems unsanitary.)
What are your feelings about a dog licking a baby on the face? What about a cat?
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Dogs experience licking from birth when their mothers clean them up as newborns. Licking also stimulates their breathing. Some puppies lick around their mother’s mouths – in the wild, this is a survival mechanism: in response, the mothers regurgitate food into the puppies’ mouths. Veterinarians say that licking can be a submissive gesture, but that when domestic dogs lick humans, it usually is just what we like to think it is: a sign of affection. If you don’t like it, you’ve got to train your dog not to lick you or your children.
Bear in mind that despite these reports, it is unusual for dogs and cats to transmit diseases to humans. When you consider all the pets and all their human owners worldwide, it is clear that for the most part we co-exist happily and healthfully. Research shows that pet owners have less illness, recover faster from serious health conditions, and tend to be happier than people who do not own companion animals.
Mum faces criticism for letting her 12st pit bull lick her baby’s face
Babies and puppies —it doesnt get any cuter, right? The two often form a quick bond. But if your little one and Fido are getting too close, youre going to want to put a stop to those kisses ASAP. Sure, there are the germs to think about—but its also important to know that your dog might not be showing affection with that smooch.
Dr. Thomas Kass, a veterinarian in Wall Township, New Jersey agrees that sloppy kisses need to be nipped in the bud for two big reasons: Germs, and the dog trying to establish dominance over the baby. “A lot of people are feeding their dogs raw diets these days, things like raw chicken,” he says. “This puts the dog at risk for salmonella and if the dog makes contact with a humans mouth, that person is at risk for contracting the infection, too.” He also notes that while its rare, dogs can pass worms to humans, too.
“Their tongues are their toilet paper, as they lick their behinds to cleanse,” adds Marc I. Leavey, M.D., primary care specialist at Lutherville Personal Physicians, a Mercy Medical Center. Dr. Leavey says that the variety and quantity of pathological microbes that can be conveyed with a slurp is astounding, and many of those bacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics. “Studies have confirmed this exposure, and it can lead to mouth and gum infections, or even systemic infections,” he says.
But, germs aside, its also extremely important, for safetys sake, to help your dog understand that he is not the babys master or pack playmate. “While many of us see our pets as surrogate family members, we do not want our pets to feel on equal status with our children,” Dr. Ashanti W. Woods, a Mercy Medical Center pediatrician, says. “In fact, the pet may become protective over the owners and attempt to defend them by attacking the child for yelling or merely playing with his parents.” Dr. Woods advises that you train the family pet to be submissive to children. “Because both dogs and children are unpredictable in their behaviors, it is not a good idea to establish a relationship with the family dog licking the childs face,” he says.
Dr. Leaveys final piece of advice: “When poochie wants to smooch, offer your hand—and then wash it thoroughly before doing anything else.”
Watch the video below for more on why you should never let your dog lick your face, or your babys. This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This is why you should stop letting your dog lick your face