Dogs
and Kids
Q:
What can I do to be sure my kids are
safe around dogs?
A: Over four million
people suffer from dog bites every year
in the U.S. alone. If this statistic isn’t
bad enough, over two million of them are
children. Seventy-five percent of these
bites are from dogs that the victim knows.
These injuries often cause significant
trauma and many require hospitalization.
A
dog who is trained using positive methods
is less likely to be aggressive. Also,
the risk of a bite can be reduced dramatically
when children and adults are taught how
to approach and handle dogs, read the
warning signals, and avoid risky situations.
Here are the safety rules I share with
kids in my Paws For Peace™ school
programs. Of course, they work for adults
too.
1. |
Always
ask permission before approaching
or petting a dog.
|
2. |
Don’t
pet or approach an unfamiliar
dog, especially if food or toys
are involved.
|
3. |
Don’t
approach or pet a strange, untrained,
or injured dog. Also, don’t
approach a strange dog if the
dog’s exit is blocked or
if the dog is up against a wall.
|
4. |
Stay
out of other people’s yards.
|
5. |
Never
tease a dog.
|
6. |
Don’t
blow puffs of air into a dog’s
face, pull a dog’s tail,
or try to lift a dog off the ground.
|
7. |
Don’t
wake a sleeping dog.
|
8. |
Instruct
children never to run through
the house waving their arms. This
can excite some dogs who then
want to join in the fun and chase
the children, which could lead
to an accident.
|
9. |
Never
leave a child alone with a dog
and if food is used in training,
err on the side of safety. Never
use food if the dog gets uncontrollable
or aggressive. Call a professional
trainer. |
|
