Bite-Proof Your Child: Elementary Safety Precautions for Dogs and Children

I will never forget the day. An adorable looking dog was wagging his tail, and I just had to bend down and pet him. Chomp! A bite that took several weeks and plenty of expensive medicine. When I complained to his owner, he replied, "Who told you to pet him? I didn't tell you that he was friendly."

With any luck your children won't have to learn the hard way. Wagging tail means excited dog, not friendly dog. One of the first rules of dog safety is to train your children never to touch a dog without asking the owner's permission first. Some dogs have poor temperaments, have been abused or are service animals helping the blind or deaf. If the owner says no, leave it alone.

If your child does get permission to pet the dog tell him to leave a growling or frightened animal alone. I once had a friend whose tiny Yorkie was fine with adults, but absolutely terrified of children. Such a "fear-biter" may be dangerous around certain people, but not others. Look out.

The first approach to a strange dog should be cautious. Show your child how to fold down his wrist and let the dog sniff it before petting it. Offering a down folded wrist instead of an open hand will make it more difficult for the dog to do damage. The animal will also want to check for signs that you are angry or fearful before letting you touch him. The smell of fear does indeed exist. It is produced by adrenalin in your body.

Movements around a strange dog should be calming and the voice should be low-pitched and quiet. Screaming, yelling and running are all triggers to attack. If a child encounters a loose dog, he should be taught to edge away slowly without making eye contact if at all possible. Running or high-pitched shrieking will provoke a savage attack. The child should only run if he can reach higher ground such as the top of a wall or tree branch before the dog can attack.

Prevention is very important here. It is a good idea to avoid short-cuts through alleys or walks in suburban areas after dusk. These are often places where feral dogs may be found. Carrying a large stick to fend off attack is a good idea, but a better idea is avoiding the situation entirely.

What about the dog you bring into your home? Before you select a dog do your research. Books on specific dog breeds are available. Many breeds of dog exhibit odd behaviors that may make them unsuitable for your home. For example, there is a beautiful breed known as the American Eskimo who look like every little girl's dream, but this dog is dominant and may be more suitable for an adults-only household.

Border collies are another breed that may be problematic. They are lovely, intelligent and sweet-tempered animals, but this will instinctively try to herd children by snapping at their heels. Although they will not actually bit the children, I am sure few children would like to be on the receiving end of this.

A dog owner complained to me about her attempts to keep her terrier from digging. Guess what? Terrier comes from the word for "earth" and they are bred for, what else, digging. Specifically, digging into the burrows of farm pests such as badgers, rats and moles who eat grain or create hazards for cows and horses. Terriers as a class are among the breeds most likely to nip a child as well.

My personal favorite is a shelter dog, preferably mixed breed. Mixed breed dogs are less expensive than pure bred and often exhibit more robust health. Unless the dog is destined for a show ring or specific work for which it is bred such as hunting or guarding, there is no advantage to springing for an expensive dog from a kennel or breeder.

If you go the shelter route, speak to the workers about the animal's history. You don't want an abused or damaged dog as they can be dangerous. A friend of mine had a beloved pet, a chocolate lab, that she had to put down after it was hit by a car. Although the animal was not severely injured in its collision with the car, its personality changed and the formerly sweet animal became unpredictable and dangerous. After it jumped up and bit her son in the face, the dog was put down. To avoid this start by getting as much information as possible about the proposed addition to your family. Observe how the dog interacts with other dogs and people.

Lastly, raise your hand as if to strike the dog. The dog you want will look at you with a puzzled expression and no sign of fear. If the dog cowers or bares its teeth, this is a sign of an abused animal and one to leave for professionals.

Before you take that animal home ask yourself whether the child understands that the dog is not a toy. Dogs need to be walked, fed, given water and entertained. Don't bring a high energy dog into a household where everyone is a couch potato. He will get bored and start tearing things up. Don't hit your dog or allow children to do this either. This is the first step to creating a vicious animal. Make sure your children know not to pull a dog's tail or fur, grab its food, or tease it in any way.

Dogs can be terrific companions and an important step in teaching children responsibility and empathy, but safety, for both child and dog comes first.

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Sources:
dogs.about.com/cs/childrenanddogs/a/child_safety.htm
www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/biteprevention.html
www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/dogbitetips.cfm