Training for Safety
Dogs, like children, learn all the time. Teach safe games to your children. Before you adopt a pet, purchase your dog supplies, like a high quality dog food, appropriate size crate and safe toys for your dog, like a kong or sterilized bone. Find a local positive training class to enroll in while preparing your household for the additional family member.
The Two Most Important Lessons
to Teach Your Children
Dog's Do Not Like Hugs and Kisses - Hugging the family dog or face-to-face contact are common causes of bites to the face. Teach your kids to scratch the dog on the chest or on the side of the neck – most dogs do enjoy this. If your child is a toddler or does not follow instructions, then don’t allow access to the dog unless you have your hands on the dog.
Be a Tree if a Strange Dog Approaches - Teach kids to be a tree. Trees are boring and the dog will eventually go away. This works for strange dogs and even your own dog if he is getting too frisky or becomes aggressive. Dogs are excited and stimulated by movement and will chase a child that runs. The erratic movements and high pitched sounds that children make can cause some dogs to view them as prey and a chasing or wrestling game can suddenly become deadly. Do not allow children to play rough games with dogs.
The Two Most Important
Actions for Parents
Supervise Your Dog and Children- Do not assume that your dog is good with kids, even if it has never bitten before. Supervision means that you are right there paying attention, not on the phone or in another room. If a toddler interacts with your dog, you should have your hands on the dog. Even if your dog is great with kids and has never bitten - why take a chance?
Train the Dog - Take the dog to obedience classes where positive reinforcement is used. Never pin, shake, choke, hold down or roll dog over to teach it a lesson. Dogs treated this way are likely to turn their aggression on weaker family members. Involve children in training the family dog. Do not allow children to punish the dog. Train the dog to enjoy the presence of children using positive experiences.
The Dog Owner's Three
Most Important Responsibilities
Spay or Neuter Your Dog - Neutered pets are calmer, healthier and less likely to be aggressive than if they are left unaltered.
Condition Your Dog For the World - You can't prepare the world for your dog, but you can prepare your dog for the world. Give your puppy lots of new positive experiences. Teach your dog to accept human handling using positive methods.
Supervise Your Dog - Supervise your dog at all times around children - even if the dog knows the children. Do not allow children to hug and kiss or otherwise maul the dog. If visiting children are bothering your dog, put the dog away or send the children home.
Information written and complied by Christine Cruz. Sources provided by Doggone Safe, Best Paw Forward, Inc. and The Humane Society of Lake County. This free information does not guarantee children will be prevented from being bitten or attacked by their dog or other dogs. Dogs are animals and animal behavior is unpredictable. Children should be supervised at all times around animals.
Christine Cruz is a professional dog trainer at Best Paw Forward in Sanford, FL. She has won numerous titles and awards, is a board member of The Humane Society of Lake County and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT, member 71362). She regularly teaches group and private training classes and has lectured to thousands of adults and children about animal safety, bite prevention and about the benefits of positively training dogs. Her schedule for the year fills quickly, so please call or email as far in advance as possible for your events or training.