Why do 500,000 Americans children need medical attention for dog bites each year? And what can we do about it? Supervise your child and your dog when they are together. Here are some helpful hints . Watch your dog’s body language: Your dog should be loose, relaxed, and wiggly. If he stiffens up, holds his breath or tightens his body, remove him from the child. These are early signs that your dog is not comfortable. Don’t allow your child to act inappropriately: Never approach any animal, even your own, when he or she is eating, sleeping, chewing on a toy, in its crate or caring for its young. Don’t make loud noises or sudden moves when approaching an animal. Don’t climb or ride on your dog. Don’t let your little one pull a dog’s ears, tail, or poke or prod the dog. Your dog’s patience is limited. Don’t test it. Be thankful your dog has good bite inhibition. But you should intervene before it’s too late. Dogs are stressed if they: Yawn outside the context of waking up Show a half-moon eye – this means you can see the whites on the outer edges of your dog’s eyes. Lick their lips when not eating Watch for avoidance behaviors: If your dog moves away from a child, don’t allow the child to follow. A dog that chooses to move away is making a great choice. However, when you fail to support his great choice and allow your child to continue to follow him, it’s likely the dog’s next choice might be to snap Listen for growling: Growling is an early warning sign of aggression. If growling doesn’t work, the dog may escalate to snapping or biting. Growling is a clue that you should intervene between the dog and the child. Do be safe: Always pet an animal gently, with no pulling or tugging, and never from behind. To safely pet a dog, reach out your hand with the palm facing up and gently move it towards the pets nose for sniffing. Remember not to touch the animal’s eyes, ears, nose mouth or genitals. Remind your child that pets are living creatures that have needs and feelings. We must respect and care for them always. If you want more information, read Robin Bennett and Colleen Pelar’s book Living With Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:00:01 +0000
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