Staying Safe Around
ANIMALS by Bryan Slaughter
Most kids are dog lovers, and their natural instinct is to immediately pet and play with our canine friends. Most of the time, such interaction is safe and fun, but there are certain times when it can become at best scary and at worst dangerous. One of my daughters had a bad experience when she was 4. A dog chased her and tackled her. The dog thought they were playing, and Libby was fine, but it scared her and, to this day, she’s scared of strange dogs. Unfortunately, each year hundreds of kids are not so lucky and are injured by dog bites or attacks. Here are some tips to keep your children safe:
t e ac h c h i l d r e n t o h av e a h e a lt h y r e s p e c t for dogs
Young children are often fearless, and this lack of fear often extends to dogs. This is especially true if a child has a friendly pet in the family. Children’s trusting nature can be very dangerous when it comes to dogs, however. Teach children to never approach a strange dog, and if they want to pet a dog that’s with its owner, always ask if it’s OK to do so before approaching the dog. t e ac h t h e wa r n i n g s i g n s o f ag g r e s s i v e n e s s
Most dogs your child will encounter are not aggressive, but it can be hard to tell a dog’s intentions. A wagging tail and loping gait signifies playfulness and curiosity, while a rigid body and tail is often a sign of aggressiveness. r e s p e c t a d o g ’ s p e r s o n a l s pac e
Dogs are much more likely to act aggressively if they feel threatened or are startled. Teach children not to make eye contact with dogs, especially if they are close to the animal’s head. Likewise, kids should know not to bother dogs while they are eating or sleeping. For some reason, when she was 2 years old, our youngest daughter always loved to try to play with the food of our black lab, Lucy. Fortunately, Lucy was as docile as can be and her only reaction was to back away from her food, but we still took the time to teach Cate that Lucy’s food was completely off limits. The importance of the lesson went beyond our house, because if Cate did the same thing with another family’s dog on a play date, she might not be so lucky. don’t run
An approaching dog can be scary for a child, and a child’s instinct is to run away. Running from a dog is the worst thing a child can do. Running away from a dog can trigger its “prey drive.” Prey drive is the instinctive inclination of a dog, or any carnivore, to pursue and capture prey, and so a running child can cause a dog to chase and 22 / THE SAFETY REPORT / VOL 5 ED 1
attack. If the child makes any movements, they should be slow and done while facing the animal. make like a tree or a ball
The most important thing a child can do if approached by a strange dog is stay calm and be still—like a tree—and to not make eye contact or smile (what humans see as friendly might be interpreted as teeth baring to a dog). A dog is much less likely to act aggressively toward someone who is calm and still. If your child is ever attacked by a dog, he should roll up into a ball, and shield his face and neck as much as possible. No matter how seemingly minor, seek medical attention for any dog bite that punctures the skin. be careful of a dog’s turf
Dogs can be very protective of their territory, and act aggressively if they sense it is being invaded. Thus, make sure your children know to be particularly careful when cutting across yards or going to front doors. Also, a child should never stick his hand towards or tease a dog that is fenced in or chained up. n e v e r l e av e a d o g a l o n e w i t h a s m a l l c h i l d
No matter how good natured a dog is, it is still not a good idea to leave it alone with a young child. A child could pull its tail or ears, or do something else to startle or injure it. A dog’s natural instinct is to fight back if it thinks it’s being attacked. n e v e r a p p r oac h a w i l d a n i m a l
No matter how cute or cuddly they may be, children should never approach or touch a wild animal. If a wild animal is acting strangely or approaches a child, he should move away as quickly and calmly as possible. Sit down with your children and go over these simple lessons. It will help keep them safe and greatly increase their chances of having safe and fun interactions with our canine friends.