Remember, safety first. Any dog or cat will bite if provoked. Children are fast-moving, loud and unaware of an animal’s body language. They are tempted to hug and kiss dogs or disturb a sleeping animal, which can lead to bites and scratches. Never allow your child to climb on a dog, pull his ears or tease him. Unfortunately, social media is full of photos and videos depicting children in unsafe situations with pets because parents unknowingly think it looks “cute.” 

Learn and teach children about animal body language. Make sure your puppy has some quiet time when he can decompress if you have a rowdy, active family. And never leave young children unsupervised with any pet no matter how well you think you know the animal.