toddler drowning pet dog

Today my 4 year old daughter went outside at her sisters (22 yrs old) house to play with their small dog. When we went out a short time later to check on her, she was holding the dog under water in the kiddy pool. The dog is going to be fine, but I think that she would have killed him had we not checked on her. Is this normal, and how should a parent deal with this behavior?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

No, it cannot be regarded as normal. It has to be viewed in the context of her overall development and, without additional information, I really can't offer you much perspective. On the behavior management front, it goes without saying that you have to set a clear, firm, unambiguous limit on behavior that is hurtful or aggressive in any fashion. She should apologize to your sister's family and then do something nice for the dog (e.g., go to a pet store and have her buy a little treat to give to the dog).