Each year about 800,000 people are bitten by dogs. Nearly half of these are children and most of their bites were inflicted by the family dog or a dog belonging to a neighbor. The Centers for Disease Control indicates that the highest risk is for children between the ages of 5 and 9, with boys more likely to bitten than girls. A recent study by veterinarian Ilana Reisner, published in the October 2007 issue of Injury Prevention, indicated that dogs that bite children often have shown previous signs of fear-based aggressive behavior, especially guarding of food or objects. More than half of the dogs in this study also had medical problems that contributed to their discomfort.
There are several reasons that children are likely targets for dog bites. One is that their behavior and body language can be confusing or frightening to dogs. Dogs don’t like to have their space invaded, to have objects taken away from them or to be touched roughly. They also may be scared (or aroused) by children’s unpredictable movements or high-pitched voices. For these reasons, parents must always supervise their children around dogs, even the normally well-behaved family dog.
Here are some tips for keeping your kids safe around dogs—your own or someone else’s:
- Teach the kids to walk, not run around your dog.
- Encourage them to use a quiet, calm voice; no yelling and screaming.
- Show them how to respect a dog's space; teach them to walk around your dog when it is eating, chewing on a toy or bone or sleeping
- Ask your children to keep their faces away from a dog's face. Most dogs do not like direct high contact, and, unless they have been taught to accept body handling, do not enjoy hugs.
- Show your children how to identify signs of stress in a dog such as panting rapidly, drooling, yawning, freezing, widening its eyes or tucking its tail. These are indications of anxiety that can precede a bite.
There is a terrific game called Doggone Crazy! That teaches children how to identify signs of stress in dogs and also how to tell when a dog is safe to approach. You can find it at many pet stores and at our favorite online site, Sitstay.com.
There are also some things that your kids can do to be safe from dogs that they don’t know. Here are a few rules:
- Do not approach an unfamiliar dog; don’t play with or pet a dog without permission of the dog’s owner and the child’s responsible adult
- Avoid looking directly at a dog’s eyes
- If an unfamiliar dog approaches, do not run away or scream; stay still like a tree until it goes away.
- If a dog jumps up, roll up into a ball; they can try to get an object like their backpack between them and the dog if possible
- Children should report stray dogs or dogs that are behaving strangely to an adult; they also should report any dog bites immediately.
We recommend two great sources of further information:
Our colleague Colleen Pelar has written a wonderful book called Living with Dogs and Kids (without Losing Your Mind). It’s available from Dogwise.com.
For expectant parents the Dogs & Storks program is a terrific resource on preparing your dog and family for the new arrival. Our good friends Michelle Douglas in Connecticut and Marjie Alonso in Massachusetts are Dogs & Storks presenters. You can find their contact information at dogsandstorks.com.
If you have any concerns about your dog’s behavior around children, or would like to set up a session of Dogggone Crazy!, please call or email us; we’d be glad to help.
Be safe and have fun with your dog and your kids! |