3. Teach Your Children About Dog Behaviours
Although babies cannot be educated about dog behavior and that is why they have to be watched and monitored), toddlers, young children and children can.
It is crucial that children are taught never to lie on top of a dog.
Never to hug a dog (dogs don’t hug each other in the wild; this is a very dominant behavior).
Never to run up to or away from a dog; frequently children are bitten when (after they have petted the dog) they turn to run away. Running makes children look like prey and you never want you child to be misconstrued as a prey animal by a dog.
If a dog runs at your child, teach him/her to “be a tree” being completely silent and putting their hands and arms flush against their body and wait for the dog to lose interest.
Never allow children to stick their hands, or face in a dog’s face and never to put their hand over the top of a dog’s head. Getting in a dog’s face is very dominant behavior. If another dog did this to your dog he would be met with a growl and a snap. And quick moving hands can be threatening to a dog.
Instead teach your children to put out their hand to be sniffed and then to pet dogs on their chest.
Teach your children never to pet a dog without you there. Children cannot read intricate dog body language and so they frequently incur bites by dogs who think they have given many warnings.
Never scream around a dog. Screaming can scare a dog and incite aggression in a fraction of a second!
Children should be taught to be quiet and well-mannered around dogs, even their own.
Never take your child to a dog park. Dogs that run in packs are even more terrifying than those alone and dogs at dog parks can perceive running, screaming children as prey.
Never enter the property of someone else even if the child has met the dog. Countless children are bitten when they wander into the backyard of a neighbor dog looking for their ball or something else.
Children should never go onto a neighbor’s property without adult supervision.
ALWAYS keep an eye on your child. If you see a dog staring at your child, calmly and quietly leave the area.
Staring and stiffening are often the first signs of stalking and attack!
