Interactions between dogs and children can change in a split second. The majority of the bite cases that I deal with could have been prevented. People usually come to us saying “I never thought my dog would actually bite.” The truth is, every dog is capable of biting. Even the most tolerant dogs have a breaking point where they say enough is enough. When you know the warning signs, preventing a bite is a lot easier.
I have found that the easiest way to help people understand a dog’s body language is through visual examples. We are all more observant and critical of another person’s dog since most already have the “my dog would never” mentality. The first question I always ask people who have had a bite incident is where were you when this happened. Majority of the time, they were not present for the incident. The most important thing to remember is that a responsible individual who is familiar with the dog should always be present when children are interacting with the dog. Dogs typically react after displaying several warning signs so being able to recognize when a dog may need a break from a certain situation is crucial.
Before a child interacts with a dog, whether it be their own or a friends, the rules and appropriate behaviors should be discussed. It may seem like a tedious process, but taking a few minutes to go over some rules is a lot easier than dealing with the aftermath of a bite. I find that the best way to introduce a child to a dog is through strict, supervised and short interactions. When doing this, treats, food bowls and bones should not be present. I am a huge fan of the three second rule. Of course, the child should always wait and see if the dog wants to say hello. If the dog is not interested (or the child) you MUST respect this decision and let them walk away. Interactions should never be forced. If the dog does choose to say hello, allowing your child to gently pet the dog in areas that you have previously described to them as acceptable petting areas (avoid the face, ears, tail and paws) is crucial. They should be given three seconds to pet the dog and then their hands should come off. If the dog walks away, respect that they want to be left alone, if they stay the interaction can continue while being closely monitored.
I have attached some of my favorite visual aids for interactions between kids and dogs. These illustrations make it much easier for a child to understand why they may or may not be allowed to do certain things with a dog. Pass these along to friends and family so that everyone is educated on proper interactions between children and dogs because we never want you to have to deal with a dog bite.
