We owe a lot to animals, especially to those who are always there by our side prepared to protect us, help us in our work, accompany us or to do anything and it is that dogs are the most emblematic case for all this kind of activities and it is that they are not called "Man's Best Friend" for anything.
Since the beginning of its domestication, the dog has gone on to form part of the human family, enjoying the same warmth that practically corresponds to each and every one of the members of the family group.
In some cases, living with dogs can lead to development of strong emotional ties on the part of the dogs, which generates certain impulses towards the members of the family. One of these impulses is to protect babies, one of the most noticed by families in many dogs.
Despite being a domesticated species, dogs still tend to retain their survival instincts, as well as the need to predominate over a specific place, therefore, it is possible that the protection of the people who live with it frequently becomes one of the main behaviors observed in these, especially when it is about the smallest.
During the creation of these bonds that are generated according to the coexistence, the dog will be able to recognize the family group as a herd, a herd in which the strongest and weakest live. In this sense, the dog will be able to determine which are those members that deserve greater protection and indeed, dogs learn to determine that babies are usually the ones who need the most protection.
When it comes to children, dogs can increase this sense of protection, since they are able to deduce the levels of dependency and projection that each member of the family can present based on their observed behavior.
In this way, dogs become one of the main protectors of the little ones from the house, which can be a great advantage, since there are indicators that are not possible to distinguish with the naked eye, while in the case of dogs it would be possible. An example of this could be hormonal changes that some organisms can present when they prepare to attack, a situation that can be discriminated by the dog's senses.
From this, there are many scenarios that we can recreate in which the dog could determine the existence of a potential threat for babies.
If we want this to prevail over time, it is necessary to make use of reinforcers, stimuli that, in one way or another, manage to reward the dog behavior, which would be done with the purpose of maintaining said repertoire of conduct.
In a more practical sense, it's worth it reward the games that the dog has with the baby at some point and it is not necessary to use sweets or complex foods, since sometimes just use affectionate gestures on the dog, in such a way that it receives some kind of emotional reward from its owners.
Despite the bond that is being promoted, it is necessary not to lose sight of this type of interaction, since the baby's curiosity, as well as its progressive growth, can give rise to certain types of interaction between baby and dog, generating a situation of confusion in which the dog feels the need to defend itself, which is why it is advisable to maintain this type of interaction under constant monitoring when putting together these two playful ones from the house.