This video is circulating YouTube and many blogs. Most people think it's beyond cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIe_qswXfRI

What do you guys think?

I'm personally scared for the kids eyes with that lab throwing his paws on him. The kid is also clearly shoving away the dog or trying to move away from it for most of the video. I think it's sad that the parent isn't doing anything and just allowing the dog to force itself on the kid.

It's hard for me to comment on as I don't know enough about has the dog grown up with this kid? is it the first time they've come into contact? I also don't know much about people with down syndrome and how they react/deal with stuff? I can see your point but if these two had grown up together it's a different story. Personally I think it's cute,

I saw this video a while back and, from what I understood, this was a family dog.
I'm no expert on autism. I do have several friends that have autistic children, most in families with other siblings. From what I've seen, autistic children have compulsive tendencies, and those that care for them are constantly having to find ways to deal with it. Siblings and other children tend to lose patience with this, so finding people that are tolerant of this behavior is precious. It seems to me as an outsider, that these parents and caregivers welcome anyone or anything that is an outlet for the compulsion because it's easier to let it run its course than to quench it. Challenging interactions can be productive exercises, rather than exasperating battles of will.

That's what comes to mind when I see this. The avoidance of the baby and the "pushiness" (which, IMHO, isn't excessive) of the lab appear to be a game that they both know really, really well, and seem to enjoy. The fact that such a young (looking) dog would engage in this idle behavior with the baby for so long seems to me to be a blessing.

JMO, and only because you asked...

Actually, Duane, the child is a Down child, not an autistic child.


But anyway, yes, I see what Cathy sees, too. That is, I see much of the child pushing the dog away, lifting the dog's paw off him, and so on. I see "ownership" in the dog's actions.

We don't know much from the video, and I guess it's possible that they have an ongoing game.

But I would like to see the wishes of the child respected by the dog -- enforced by the parent.

I'd like to know more, as expressed by Brad. (For example, if this was their first meeting, I'd be pretty upset at the dog's repeated placement of his paw, head, etc., on the child, despite the child trying to move the dog off him. I wouldn't allow it at all.)

All JMO!

For my eye I think the dog is pretty gentle, more concerning to my eye is towards the end when the child half climbs on the dogs neck,with a less tolerant dog that could be a good way to provoke a bite. But I also think babysitting the kid is a humans job, not the dogs.

I don't know anything about the video or if this is a family dog.

Watching the video reminds me of the use of Assistance Dogs for children with Down Syndrome, Autism, or Aspergers. Many of these children can be extremely hypersensitive to touch.
What appears to some as the child not wanting the dog near, others, including his parent's, may see this as progress.

I used to work with Down's Syndrome kids and with them they usually tend to be over-affectionate, huggy, kissy types. Children in the Autism Spectrum, which used to include Aspergers, generally do not want physical contact and provoking such can bring on an escalation of behaviors.