Babies and dogs

Our dog is brilliant with children, the smaller children the better. He really respects and likes Sabrina and is super calm with her. Even when she cries he can calmly snore away on his cushion. I often wish that people who are scared of bigger dogs (trust me I've met a lot of petrified people) would just trust the owner of the dog a bit more than they do. I often meet mums (and yes it mostly is mums) with small children who nearly pick their kids up when they see Arnie, almost as if they are thinking that my dog is going to run over and eat their children. I sometimes meet those reactions with "there's no need for you to be scared, he is really friendly" and I round it off with "he's already had a baby for breakfast". Some get the joke, whereas others give me a fake smile and continue to live in fear (as well as to transfer it to their little ones). What most of them never realise is that it is their own fear and nervousness that often can cause certain insecure dogs to become weary and extra vigilant. My advice to anyone unsure/afraid of dogs is 1) don't touch the dog 2) don't talk to it and 3) don't give any eye contact.