A teacher I had worked with for six years wanted to introduce his three-year-old daughter to my dog, Mina. They were considering getting a dog and wanted to test her reaction. We arranged a time, and he, his wife, and their young daughter, Jane, came to my house.
Jane immediately went to the huge German Shepherd and sat down in front of it. They measured each other for a moment, then Jane picked up Mina's much-loved, much-used, ever-present tennis ball.
My daughter drew this portrait of Mina with colored pencils. Mina's tennis ball is the small, round, blue object next to her leg.
Had Jane been an adult, she would have kept her fingers together to make it easy for the dog to grab the ball. But when she held out her hand to let Mina take it, her little fingers were spread all around the ball. We adults stood a few feet away, wondering how this little game would unfold.
Mina focused on the tennis ball, then turned her head first in one direction and then the other. Finally, she spotted a bald patch large enough to grasp the ball. Slowly, she opened her mouth and held the ball gently until Jane released it, then Mina took it.
The adults visibly relaxed and, even more visibly, smiled.
Well, it was a fun game all around, which was repeated for several minutes.
I don't know how Jane's parents felt, but I confess I had a little tear in my eyes as I watched this 90-pound dog play considerately with a little girl who weighed 30 pounds.
You know, Mina had never been around children, big or small. She had no experience, and yet she perceived Jane as a small child who needed special care, gentleness, and patience.
Editing:
I thought you might want to see the photo my daughter used to draw the portrait of Mina.