How to Teach Your Kids to Behave around Dogs

Most of us can relate to the warm fuzzy feelings associated with the relationship between children and dogs. Movies and television have shown classic relationships of this sort for decades because of the popularity of dogs among children. Every time a dog walks by most toddlers and young children point and exclaim, “Look Mommy, puppies”!

While we love the idea of our children growing up with their special canine friend, the reality of its practice is not as perfect as it sounds. We have all seen the stories on the news. Every year in America dog bites are among the top 10 reasons for injuries to children. In fact, dog bites account for more emergency room visits per year than roller skating, skateboarding, all-terrain vehicles and horseback riding accidents combined. While there can never be a guarantee that your child will not be bitten by a dog; there are steps that you can take to dramatically reduce the risks.

First it is important to understand why dogs bite children in the first place. Most dogs are safe and loyal companions, but even the friendliest of dogs can bite if they feel threatened, afraid or hurt. Dogs can be protective over the things they care about including their dog bed and toys or spaces such as their yard, their owner’s parked car or their puppies. Children often make the mistake of inserting their arm into a fence to pet a dog who might be concerned about protecting his space and bite the unsuspecting child. Children need to understand that it is in a dog’s nature to be protectors. Another reason dogs bite children is because children have a tendency to crowd, chase, corner or stand too closely over a dog. These behaviors are all considered threats in the dog’s world. Children must be taught that they need to respect the dog’s space and avoid threatening behavior.

Now that we have a better understanding of why dogs bite children we can begin a step by step education program for our children. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and an national non-profit called Prevent the Bite have worked together to come up with a list of safety tips for children to avoid being bitten by dogs. Here is a basic list of the tips included in this guide:

1. Always remember that no owner means no petting. Your children should know that if there is no one with the dog or closely supervising the dog then it is never acceptable to pet the dog.

2. Always practice the WAIT theory when meeting new dogs
W – Wait to see if the dog is with its owner and the dog and owner appear friendly
A – Ask the owner for permission to pet the dog
I – Invite the dog to sniff or greet you first
T – Touch the dog gently to pet and never pet the face or head of strange dogs

3. Remember that hugs are for people and not for dogs. Children should not drape themselves around the dogs neck as the dog may consider this a threat. Hugs also place the children face to near the dog’s mouth and can result in serious injury.

4. Do not scream or run around dogs, this will agitate them. Dogs also have a tendency to chase running objects so this behavior can be dangerous.

5. Never go near a dog who is eating, sleeping, chewing on a toy or not feeling well. Children sometimes want to innocently play with the dog, but the dog might be protective of its food, toy or bed and choose to bite.

6. Do not go near a dog when he is in a car, behind a fence or tied up even if your child knows the dog as he will want to protect his space.

7. Teach your children what to do when being chased by a strange dog. They should stop running and stand completely still like a tree. If they have a bike or a skateboard they should put it between them and the dog and stand still while looking directly at the ground. Eye contact can sometimes antagonize an angry dog. If they have been knocked over by the dog teach them to lie on the ground with their knees to their chest, hands over their ears and arms covering their face.

This might sound scary to you, but most bite cases can be prevented by teaching your children about how dogs think and making sure they follow these tips.