Keeping Children Safe Around Dogs
June 8th 2009 13:12
When it comes to making the decision to bring a dog home in a family with children, you want to make sure that you do the best thing for the dog and the children in order to keep everyone safe. Dogs do not look at children as people because children, especially younger children do not sound, smell, or act like adults. Children are usually more rambunctious, high pitched, messy, which is why there are more dog bites to younger children than older children or adults.
Dogs need to be socialized around children, but at the same time children need to be taught how to treat dogs, as they do not understand how to interpret dog behaviors and language.
Tips for keeping your child safe around dogs are for the most part common sense and basic, but even still not many parents follow them.
1. Never leave a dog alone with a child less than 5 years old. Even if it is a family dog, a young child may harm the dog accidentally, which can end badly for the child. Younger children do not understand dog behaviors and language, so when a dog is telling the child to stop, he may not understand and continue anyway, which can also end badly for the child.
2.Give the dog a private area. Make sure that your dog has a place that he can call his own, whether it be an open kennel or a special room, and make sure that the child understands that he's not allowed in that space.
3. Make sure that all fences kennels are secured and locked. You want to make sure that no matter what your dog can't get out and harm a child. You'll find that when outside, if a child is constantly pestering or teasing the dog through the fence, the dog just may find a way out. Dogs that are constantly harassed by children, may develop a fear or aggression.
4. Make sure that the child understands the rules of the house and how to treat the dog. Because dogs do not understand children, they are more prone to being attack, which is why you need to make sure that your child understands how to treat the dog- no ear pulling or tail tugging.
5. Do not leave dogs tied in the yard. Dogs who are unattended, especially tied in the yard, can easily develop aggression and high territorial traits, which can lead to a child getting attacked or bitten if running through the dog's space, especially if running and screaming like children tend to do.
You want to make sure that even if you have a family dog that has grown up with your child(ren) that you never leave a child unattended with the dog. You cannot protect your child and make sure that he's kept safe if you cannot see him or the dog.
Most dog bites toward children occur when there is not an adult there to supervise the actions of the child or dog. Remember that dogs do not see children as beings they should respect as to a dog, they are much different than adults.
Dogs need to be socialized around children, but at the same time children need to be taught how to treat dogs, as they do not understand how to interpret dog behaviors and language.
Tips for keeping your child safe around dogs are for the most part common sense and basic, but even still not many parents follow them.
1. Never leave a dog alone with a child less than 5 years old. Even if it is a family dog, a young child may harm the dog accidentally, which can end badly for the child. Younger children do not understand dog behaviors and language, so when a dog is telling the child to stop, he may not understand and continue anyway, which can also end badly for the child.
2.Give the dog a private area. Make sure that your dog has a place that he can call his own, whether it be an open kennel or a special room, and make sure that the child understands that he's not allowed in that space.
3. Make sure that all fences kennels are secured and locked. You want to make sure that no matter what your dog can't get out and harm a child. You'll find that when outside, if a child is constantly pestering or teasing the dog through the fence, the dog just may find a way out. Dogs that are constantly harassed by children, may develop a fear or aggression.
4. Make sure that the child understands the rules of the house and how to treat the dog. Because dogs do not understand children, they are more prone to being attack, which is why you need to make sure that your child understands how to treat the dog- no ear pulling or tail tugging.
5. Do not leave dogs tied in the yard. Dogs who are unattended, especially tied in the yard, can easily develop aggression and high territorial traits, which can lead to a child getting attacked or bitten if running through the dog's space, especially if running and screaming like children tend to do.
You want to make sure that even if you have a family dog that has grown up with your child(ren) that you never leave a child unattended with the dog. You cannot protect your child and make sure that he's kept safe if you cannot see him or the dog.
Most dog bites toward children occur when there is not an adult there to supervise the actions of the child or dog. Remember that dogs do not see children as beings they should respect as to a dog, they are much different than adults.
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