Dogs are not a toddler’s best friend

By Whitney

Sunday afternoon, after a lovely tea party in a café with another 3-year old and her mom, my daughter and I were walking back to our car. We passed by a dog, who my daughter spontaneously decided to pet. The dog, snuggled up next to his owner’s legs at a café table, was taken by surprise and barked loudly at Scarlett, simultaneously sinking his teeth into her face.

We have written before about being bitten by dogs, but with this experience so fresh in my mind, I wanted to share my difficult feelings of guilt.

I didn’t blame the dog, although he is the one who did the biting. I didn’t blame the owner, as he never placed his dog in the path of my child. She approached him.

I didn’t blame my daughter, who knows the rule is that we must ask an owner’s permission before petting his dog. And then we must hold our hand out for the dog to get to know us first. She is only three, and a natural-born rule breaker.

I blamed myself. I am responsible for keeping my child safe. I see no other explanation for this situation.

And if my daughter were with another caregiver, for example, her grandmother, I don’t know what I would have done. Her appearance in the days that followed was stomach-turning. Her eye was nearly swollen shut and one quadrant of her face was bruised. I get anxious just thinking about a scenario in which someone else might be responsible for her injury. I’m relieved it was me.

All I can do is forgive myself and move on.