You hear about dog bite incidents on the news, but you never believe that it could happen to your children. After all, you keep your children close, take them to safe places to play, and your neighbors all have friendly pet pooches. Plus, your own family has a dog, so your child knows how to interact with dogs without being fearful. Unfortunately, as parents, we can sometimes become complacent and take our children’s safety for granted. There are many different scenarios in which your child may find themselves in danger of being injured by a dog, even one that you know. But that doesn’t mean that these incidents have to happen. Here are some of the most important things that you can do, or know, as a parent to keep your child out of harm’s way.
Never assume that a dog your child knows will not bite them. Just like people, dogs can get scared, angry, and defensive. If a dog in your neighborhood or at a family member’s home is acting out of the norm, baring its teeth, sleeping, or eating, don’t let your child approach it.
Dogs sometimes bite out of excitement. If you’ve ever had a dog, especially a puppy, then you know that they nip or bite out of excitement frequently. If this scares your child, they may be tempted to hit the dog, which could lead to a serious bite incident as the dog will become scared.
Large dogs should never be considered immediate friends, even if the owner is nearby. One of the most important things to teach your children is to never approach a dog that they do not already know, and that they should always have the owner’s permission (even with dogs they know) to pet or play with the pooch.
Teach your children the “tree” stance and practice it with them. Standing straight and still in a bad situation can help calm down an aggressive dog.
Teach your children about bite safety. Sometimes there’s nothing that can be done about an accident. But there are ways for your child to protect themselves against serious injuries. Teach your child the proper positions for protecting their face and neck in the event a dog knocks them down.
Remember, it’s up to you to remember that some dangers aren’t immediately visible and to teach your children to play it safe at all times to avoid a bad situation with a dog.