January 31, 2023
I think many children dream of having a dog.
But when you bring a dog into a family with children, there is one very important thing to understand:
The dog is not the child's responsibility.
A child can love the dog, play with the dog, help with simple tasks and build a beautiful relationship with them.
But the responsibility for the dog's health, safety, training and behaviour always belongs to the adults.
A Xoloitzcuintli is not a toy and not simply a companion that we give to a child.
You are adding another member to your family.
Xoloitzcuintli can form very strong bonds with their family. They are affectionate with the people they know and can become wonderful companions for children when the relationship is built correctly. Veterinary breed information also notes that Xolos can be affectionate with children when children are taught to interact gently with them.
In our experience, there is something particularly beautiful about the way a Xolo interacts with children.
They often seem to understand that a child is different from an adult.
Children move differently. They speak differently, play differently and have different energy.
A well-socialized Xolo can learn the rhythm of family life and become deeply attached to the children in the household.
This is one of the reasons we love seeing our Xolo puppies grow up in families with children.
But a beautiful relationship does not happen automatically.
Both the child and the dog have to learn how to live together.
This is perhaps the most important rule.
Even if your Xolo is incredibly gentle with your children, even if they sleep together, cuddle together and have grown up together from puppyhood:
never forget that your Xolo is still a dog.
And children are still children.
A child may accidentally hurt a dog.
A dog may become frightened, uncomfortable, tired or irritated.
Neither the child nor the dog necessarily understands the consequences of the situation.
That is why young children should never be left unsupervised with a dog.
This is not because Xolos are dangerous.
It is because responsible adults protect both sides of the relationship.
The same principle applies to every breed.
Experts in canine behaviour emphasize that children need to learn to recognize when a dog is uncomfortable and that adults should intervene before a situation escalates.
A child should learn very early that a dog has boundaries.
For example:
And perhaps most importantly:
when the dog wants space, give them space.
Children should learn to recognize simple body-language signals.
A dog moving away, becoming stiff, turning its head away, licking its lips, freezing or growling is communicating something.
A growl should never be punished simply because adults dislike hearing it. It is a warning that the dog is uncomfortable and needs help.
It is not enough to tell the child:
“Be gentle with the dog.”
The adult must also teach the dog how to behave around children.
The puppy should gradually learn that children's movements, voices, games and activity are normal parts of family life.
This is where early socialization is so important.
Our own Xolo puppies grow up during their first months in a home environment with children. This gives them the opportunity to experience children as a normal part of everyday family life from an early age.
But socialization does not replace supervision.
A well-socialized dog still needs adult guidance.
There is another important aspect of living with a Xolo.
Xolos are intelligent, observant and strongly connected to their family. The Xoloitzcuintli Club of America describes the breed as strongly bonded to its owners and notes their primitive-breed intelligence and close interaction with people.
Because of this, a Xolo can become very involved in what happens at home.
They may watch the children.
They may react when children are running, shouting or playing roughly.
They may try to intervene when they perceive conflict.
This can look incredibly sweet — and sometimes it is.
But the dog should never be allowed to decide how the family behaves.
The adults set the rules.
The adults decide when play stops.
The adults manage conflicts.
The adults teach the dog what behaviour is appropriate.
If we leave this responsibility to the dog, an intelligent and protective Xolo may start making their own decisions about situations that are actually the humans' responsibility.
That is not fair to the dog either.
A dog should not have to become the parent of your children.
The best relationship between a child and a Xolo is not one where the child constantly plays with the dog.
Sometimes the most beautiful moments are much quieter.
Reading a book beside the dog.
Walking together.
Teaching a simple trick.
Giving a treat correctly.
Playing with a ball.
Resting together.
Learning to recognize when the dog wants affection — and when the dog wants to sleep.
Children can learn empathy, patience and responsibility through these everyday interactions.
There are also excellent resources specifically designed to teach children how to understand dog body language and interact respectfully with dogs. Books such as Dogs Have Feelings Too and Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind are useful starting points for parents.
This is something I would especially like every parent to think about.
If your child asks:
“Can I have a dog?”
the real question is not:
“Will my child take care of the dog?”
The real question is:
“Are we, as adults, ready to take responsibility for another living being?”
Because eventually the child will get tired.
The child will have school.
Friends.
Hobbies.
Vacations.
Teenage years.
Life will change.
The dog will still need care every single day.
So if you are considering a Xolo for a family with children, choose the dog because you, the adults, are ready to live with and care for a Xolo.
Then let your children become part of that relationship.
When adults provide clear boundaries, appropriate supervision and responsible care, children and Xolos can develop an incredibly close relationship.
The dog becomes part of childhood.
The child learns to respect another living creature.
They walk together, play together, grow together and eventually create memories that stay for life.
For us, this is one of the most beautiful things about having Xolos in a family.
A Xolo is not a child's toy.
A Xolo is not a child's responsibility.
A Xolo is a member of the family — and the adults are responsible for making that family relationship safe and healthy for everyone.
Is a mono-breed Miniature Xolo kennel.
We know everything about the Xolo breeding and even more.
We choose only the best Xolo bloodlines in the world for the breeding purpose in our kennel.
Our graduates live in more than 15 countries in Europe, the USA and Canada.
All our breeding dogs get tested for genetic diseases and are in excellent health condition.
