They think alike, they act alike and they even train alike. All this creates an understanding between a dog and a child that is beyond the conception of grownups. Unless the dog actually fears children and wants nothing to do with them, which is sometimes true if the dog is shy or has never been around children, he will usually take to the child the moment he enters the house. We have all witnessed a dog being mauled to such a degree, that were such treatment attempted by an adult, it would bring disaster. Children can step on a dog's paws, pull his ears, his tail, and his hair, and all but put the dog's eyes out, and he will take it like a martyr.
Dogs have a natural instinct to guard and to protect children.
When a new baby appears, often the dog, favored pet of the household, may become jealous. This is natural, but the owner can prevent this if when the owner is fussing over the baby, he takes only a minute or two to give the dog a pat on his head, and I wouldn't worry about the germs. A kind word, too, is all that the dog needs to feel just as important. I have often been asked how old a child should be before he has a dog of his own. A dog can become a member of the household while the child is still in the crib.