“If my dog ever bites my child, he’s out of here!” I hear that all the time. It just makes me want to scream, “But that will be too late!”

Each year nearly 2.8 million children are bitten by a dog. Most of these bites are not coming from some scary dog that got loose. Sensational stories make headlines, but most dog bites are more commonplace. Half come from the family’s own dog, and another 40 percent come from a friend or neighbor’s dog. Read the rest »

Hosting a puppy party is a great way to help your new puppy begin enjoying and feeling at ease around kids. Puppies under 5 months old can learn a lot in an easy 30-minute play date. Here are a few tips.

Send Invitations to 5-10 Kids. Write something like this: “We have a new dog! Bailey is a 3-month-old beagle/Labrador mix, and she loves kids! You are invited to her first puppy party where you can help us teach her how to play nicely with kids. Join us on Saturday at 2:30 pm.” Read the rest »

It is very important to teach kids how to interact with dogs they are interested in. Childish excitement could be interpreted as a threat by inexperienced dogs.

Good kids and good dogs will have miscommunications every day. By teaching children and dogs how to interact with one another, we laying the groundwork for happy, healthy relationships between them. Take time to help your child practice meeting a variety of dogs.

Step 1: Ask the Owner
Teach your kids never to rush up toward a dog. Tell them to stop about 5 feet away and ask the owner, “May I pet your dog?” Read the rest »