DOG BITE PREVENTION
We have a passion for keeping people and dogs safe by making sure both human and canine are happy in their daily lives.
Dogs and kids can be the best of friends at times, but unfortunately kids are the most at risk of dog bites. Teaching them the most appropriate ways to interact with dogs can be a great help to prevention. One of the ways we volunteer through UPAWS is by presenting the RUFUS program to children. This video presentation teaches kids to Respect Dogs, Understand Dogs, recognize Friendly Dogs, recognize Unfriendly dogs, and when to Stay away from dogs. (It's great to show in classrooms but the video is also available on Youtube: RUFUS Video for parents to show to their kids.) But it's also helpful for adults to educate themselves to be great advocates for dogs themselves.
As an adult one of the main things we can do is supervise ALL interactions between dogs and children. (Don't get overwhelmed, dogs and kids can certainly be separated when you can't keep your eyes on them, i.e. by use of kennels, play pens or baby gates). So what should you be watching for? There are a lot of rules to consider, here are a few.
-Kids should be gentle and kind to the dog: Dogs don't show affection the same way people do, and while some dogs tolerate things like hugs and kisses, most dogs don't actually enjoy these. (You don't have to guess if your dog is happy or not, more info below)
-Calm movement on the kids part can help prevent issues caused by running around: dogs may want to chase, nip and/or knock kids down; a child running around a relaxing dog may accidentally trip and fall over the dog causing the dog to react in an alarmed way. -Food should not be present: feed dogs and kids separately so there is no threat of theft on either end.
When you're watching kids and dogs together it can be easy to overlook the early stress signals that dogs send out when they are uncomfortable simply due to a lack of understanding of what they are. A dog may state that they aren't enjoying their current surroundings by doing some seemingly normal dog behaviors out of context.
For example:
Yawning
Panting
Licking of lips
Sudden Closing of Mouth
Whale eye/ Whites of Eyes
Shaking Off
Sneezing
Head turn/Averting eyes
Scratching
Blinking
Stiffening of body
Staring
If you see these it's time to become the dog's advocate, recognize that it's a good idea to call the child away from the dog. (If you think it's more likely the dog will come to you first, you may also call for them.)
Keep in mind, all dogs are individuals and while some may not mind certain interactions others definitely will not tolerate them, and that's perfectly acceptable. (For example: Some people are very affectionate via hugs, while others prefer handshakes)
Finally, it's important to remember that even adults get bit by dogs. We should follow all of the same rules that we expect children to follow. Remember to always use kindness and patience when dealing with the dogs in your lives or any that you encounter. Avoiding force and pain in training and daily life will create a dog that is more likely to trust that people are kind and mean no harm and biting isn't necessary.
Shout out to parents and childcare providers with dogs in their lives: "You can't learn enough about this topic!" In addition to the RUFUS program linked above you can find more information at:
http://www.doggonesafe.com/
Doggone Safe has information specific to any audience
http://stopthe77.com/
Stop the 77 is a campaign by the Family Dog to prevent the 77% of bites that come from dogs close to the person injured. They have several mind blowing cleverly designed videos and posters that leave an impact!
Worried you or your kids may be at risk? Contact us for a consultation today!
Dogs and kids can be the best of friends at times, but unfortunately kids are the most at risk of dog bites. Teaching them the most appropriate ways to interact with dogs can be a great help to prevention. One of the ways we volunteer through UPAWS is by presenting the RUFUS program to children. This video presentation teaches kids to Respect Dogs, Understand Dogs, recognize Friendly Dogs, recognize Unfriendly dogs, and when to Stay away from dogs. (It's great to show in classrooms but the video is also available on Youtube: RUFUS Video for parents to show to their kids.) But it's also helpful for adults to educate themselves to be great advocates for dogs themselves.
As an adult one of the main things we can do is supervise ALL interactions between dogs and children. (Don't get overwhelmed, dogs and kids can certainly be separated when you can't keep your eyes on them, i.e. by use of kennels, play pens or baby gates). So what should you be watching for? There are a lot of rules to consider, here are a few.
-Kids should be gentle and kind to the dog: Dogs don't show affection the same way people do, and while some dogs tolerate things like hugs and kisses, most dogs don't actually enjoy these. (You don't have to guess if your dog is happy or not, more info below)
-Calm movement on the kids part can help prevent issues caused by running around: dogs may want to chase, nip and/or knock kids down; a child running around a relaxing dog may accidentally trip and fall over the dog causing the dog to react in an alarmed way. -Food should not be present: feed dogs and kids separately so there is no threat of theft on either end.
When you're watching kids and dogs together it can be easy to overlook the early stress signals that dogs send out when they are uncomfortable simply due to a lack of understanding of what they are. A dog may state that they aren't enjoying their current surroundings by doing some seemingly normal dog behaviors out of context.
For example:
Yawning
Panting
Licking of lips
Sudden Closing of Mouth
Whale eye/ Whites of Eyes
Shaking Off
Sneezing
Head turn/Averting eyes
Scratching
Blinking
Stiffening of body
Staring
If you see these it's time to become the dog's advocate, recognize that it's a good idea to call the child away from the dog. (If you think it's more likely the dog will come to you first, you may also call for them.)
Keep in mind, all dogs are individuals and while some may not mind certain interactions others definitely will not tolerate them, and that's perfectly acceptable. (For example: Some people are very affectionate via hugs, while others prefer handshakes)
Finally, it's important to remember that even adults get bit by dogs. We should follow all of the same rules that we expect children to follow. Remember to always use kindness and patience when dealing with the dogs in your lives or any that you encounter. Avoiding force and pain in training and daily life will create a dog that is more likely to trust that people are kind and mean no harm and biting isn't necessary.
Shout out to parents and childcare providers with dogs in their lives: "You can't learn enough about this topic!" In addition to the RUFUS program linked above you can find more information at:
http://www.doggonesafe.com/
Doggone Safe has information specific to any audience
http://stopthe77.com/
Stop the 77 is a campaign by the Family Dog to prevent the 77% of bites that come from dogs close to the person injured. They have several mind blowing cleverly designed videos and posters that leave an impact!
Worried you or your kids may be at risk? Contact us for a consultation today!
