Every once in a while I come across a product so off the mark that I feel the need to write an anti-review. The last time I did it was for a product that propped the back door of your car or truck open, just enough to keep up appearances and stop the cops from busting open the window while still allowing your dog to get heat stroke in the sweltering interior.
This time I’m jumping on the dog pile of vets clenching their teeth in horror at what might unintentionally be the worst dog related book of 2010, Smooch Your Pooch. It’s a lighthearted children’s book extolling the myriad virtues of hugging and kissing all over your dog, as well as, er, feeding him pizza. And sticking his head out the window.
There is nothing I can say that veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin didn’t already state, and very eloquently, in her review. Are we being killjoys taking all the fun out of an innocent children’s story? I don’t think so. I try to overlook the occasional dubious actions in literary works if the overall message is OK, but since the very title and premise of the book invites the reader to engage in one of the most common behaviors leading to dog bites in children, it’s a fair critique. To borrow from my parenting lexicon, let’s make this a teaching moment.
Author Teddy Slater is an accomplished children’s book author, and I’ve no doubt she wrote this from the heart based on her own experiences with pets. Experiences which, fortunately for her, do not seem to include bites to the face, strangulation by leash after falling out a window, or necrotizing pancreatitis. The rest of us may not be so lucky.
Because the book is so darling, so adorably illustrated and so catchy, no doubt parents browsing the Borders shelves may easily be tempted to pick up a copy to go with that puppy they brought home for Christmas (not advocating here people, just keeping it real since we all know it’s happening.) Here’s the new dog! Now go stick your face right up in his!
I’ve witnessed my kids as toddlers attempt to snog the dogs. At best it has been tolerated. I’ve always swooped in before we could find out what ‘at worst’ entails, but anyone in the profession can tell you, it can be tragic. Even with my constant reinforcement and reiteration as to what is appropriate interaction, the kids still slip and overdo it here and there in their desire to show affection. They’re kids, that’s what they do, of course. Which is why it’s so vitally important not to encourage behaviors that could be harmful.
Despite my clear moral imperative to beg you not to read this book to your children, I feel bad for this poor maligned author. Therefore I compiled a list of books that would have been even worse, so at least she’ll have that:
- Bathtime With Bengals
- There’s a Hamster in My Pants
- One Fish, Two Fish, Cat eats, Delish
- Randy the Rabid Reindeer
- Pinching Pinschers, Pulling Pulis
- and my personal favorite, Branding Brody
See? Things can always be worse.
Bathtime With Bengals sounds interesting! 😉
After adopting a dog who clearly does not appreciate children, I strongly agree with the AVSAB statement: “Families with children are encouraged to train their dogs to come to them to be petted by have treats ready to reward the dog for approaching.” I ask strangers, especially children, not to pet Clyde unless he approaches them for attention. And I am guilty of having to remind myself not to “smooch my pooch” on occasion, although he tolerates it from me. It’s hard for me to remember that he’s not exactly enjoying it.
Hey, guilty as charged here too. But there’s a big difference between me grabbing Brody to give him a big kiss and, say, instructing my 3 year old neighbor to do the same. I know the risks.
thanks for this most important post! I am guilty of kissing on the face too!!! This is so important especially for the little ones. Thank you!
As a counterbalance to this book, I found this great poster over at Pompei’s Progress (http://puppiesintraining.blogspot.com/2010/12/weekend-adventures.html). It’s a great illustration of how not to greet a dog: http://doggiedrawings.net/post/842176625. Although a bit advanced for the kids who’d receive Smooch a Pooch, it’s a great idea for older kids.
Thank you Pamela- that is fantastic. I really like that.
I too am another vet who has seen the perils of letting your dog hang out the car window. I had a cocker spaniel puppy come into my ER one night after falling out of a car window. She suffered a diaphragmatic hernia from the fall, a fairly serious condition that requires surgery to fix. When I went in surgically, I discovered a major vessel had either weakened or ruptured due to impact, and I was unable to save her life before she bled out on my surgery table. All this could’ve been prevented if the children had been instructed to not let their new puppy hang its head out the car window. Sigh. I second more well-written children’s books teaching them how to appropriately approach ANY type of pet. Why leave it at just dogs? Kitties, bunnies, small mammals and birds all deserve a mention as well, especially when coming into MY home 😉
Well shoot Megan, let’s get writing! 😀
Teaching kids to interact humanely and safely with animals is so important. “Some” parents don’t understand that when they allow their kids to poke, pinch, pull + their own dogs, they cannot yet make the distinction between what their own dog tolerates and any other. That is a set up for disaster and sadly, not only are they setting up their own kids to be harmed, it is the other dog that will take the blame. I see this all the time and it drives me batty.
I had no idea there were books to help this irresponsible teaching! UGH! Thanks for bringing this to light!
So question Dr. V, how do you teach your kids otherwise? I would really like to know some real world advice on this because I have friends that say things like, “there’s no way to stop them (the kids)” or “my dog is so good, he tolerates everything” and they just don’t take it seriously. Very frustrating.
LOL about petting New Yorkers on the head. That is hysterical.
With my kids, I take every opportunity to remind them how to approach animals and we practice on ours. Because Kekoa is so good, when we are out I use her to teach kids how to pet a dog since I know if they do it “incorrectly” she’s not going to bite them or get rowdy.
With my own kids, they know to ask for permission, and if the owner says no then they need to respect that, and about 50% of the time they say “Oh, he’s not good with strangers,” and that is that. Kids will get the message if it’s delivered enough, and of course you can stop them from doing something the wrong way. That’s as silly as saying, “Oh, he just runs into the street, there’s no way to stop him, you know kids.”
That’s a great analogy about running into the street! I’ll try that the next time friends say “well so-and-so is so good and tolerates everything”, or “I don’t know how to stop it”. Yes, they WOULD stop them from running into traffic, no matter what.
(Just got flashes of my father refusing to wear a seat belt because he says he’s “an excellent driver”, yet he lives in Las Vegas where half the people on the road are drunk!) Silly rabbits! Logic between 2 or more living being needs to look at all points of view, not just one!
I always try to teach children how to interact with (my) dogs on the street. For some reason, most people, including adults seem to think it’s okay to walk over to any dog and start touching them (usually on the head, right — the exact wrong place to go). I try to explain that dogs are not toys and to children I have tried explaining that if a stranger came up to them and touched them it would be really scary right? Well, it can be the same for dogs.
Last summer I was getting really annoyed with people touching Starr without asking and I started petting them on the head, when they did it to her. The message was very clear and I opened some eyes. Although, I was a little grossed out a couple of times so I stopped.
Yes! Thank you all for this. My dog Layla is lovable and playful with my husband and I, but very skittish around other people. So many times, we’ve been walking around the neighborhood and kids (of all ages) run up to pet her. She IS adorable, so I can see why they’re excited to see her. :o) Every time, though, I put out my arm and say “hey hey – Layla would love to meet you, but she’s not ready for petting yet!” If she’s behaving, I’ll let them toss her a treat. But I want to scream at their parents – don’t you teach your kids how to act around animals? All Layla sees is a 50 pound animal barreling at her with all it’s might, usually squealing and waving it’s arms. She gets scared. I can’t say I blame her. Now, after a few weeks, all the kids in our neighborhood know to stop and ask if they can give her a treat. Much better for everyone involved, especially Layla.
A lot of parents just don’t get it. But good for you- look at how well you have the whole neighborhood trained! 😀
I work with kids and books, and my #1 favorite title for helping young children understand their behavior towards pets is “Tails are not for Pulling” by Elizabeth Verdick. It features a variety of animals, and uses very simple language to ask children to be kind: “Fur is for petting, not pulling,” “Ears are for listening, not yanking,” “Pets are for loving, not teasing,”(giving examples of what teasing a pet might be). Very good illustrations, too.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781575421810
Other good titles:
May I pet your dog: the how-to guide for kids meeting dogs by Stephanie Calmenson. Very well done with good illustrations.
Please don’t tease Tootsie by Margie Cunningham (a sillier version of ‘Tails are not for Pulling’)
Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear by Mattthew J. Baek. A good dog is terrorized by a toddler.
Awesome list! Thank you so much for sharing that! I will have to go check those out.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Every time a child approaches Prudence and I and proceeds to as if they can pet her before making any kind of contact, I thank them profusely and thank their parents for teaching them proper dog etiquette. Luckily Pru is very good at tolerating a majority of fondling, so when there is a child, or even adult, who runs up to Pru without asking, I always remind them that not all dogs like to be petted and one should always ask first.
I just want to know if the editors or even publishers for this book had any hesitation in giving this book a green light. I mean, come on. Children are very impressionable! That’s not exactly a new thing.
your list reminded me of the Dave Letterman Top Ten from years ago – “Top Ten Books Least Recommended by the National Library Assocation” – number 5 was “Curious George and the High Voltage Fence” which still makes me laugh out loud every time I think of it (and then I feel guilty. And then I laugh again).
Ah, that classic Christmas tale of a reindeer gone mad. Your list cracked me up… and I totally agree about this book – horrible lesson to teach kids!
Double thanks to lin for the list… I’m going to check those out too. They would make great gifts for my friends who have both toddlers and pets.
Sophia has lots of good information, including free videos on how to train and counter-condition your dog, at http://www.drsophiayin.com.