Dog Behavior Training - What Kids and Toddlers Need to Know
Every year, a staggering number of children suffer horrific injuries from a dog attack and many cases, the dog is known to the child.
Dogs are pack animals, where each dog understands its place in the hierarchy. Safe dogs are dogs that have been brought up to think that all humans, down to the smallest child, are higher than them in the hierarchy. Unfortunately, many dogs consider that children or adults that are not from their family pack are lower than them in the hierarchy and think they have permission to bite if a child or person does something that they dont like.
As we dont know how a dog is going to react to unfamiliar children or people, it is best to assume they may be nervous or defensive. As parents, we need to teach our children to behave appropriately around all dogs.
Children instinctively believe that a dog wagging its tail is friendly and can therefore be approached. However, no dog should be touched by a child without the owners permission - they know how their dog will react around strangers. A dog that has had little exposure to children could be nervous or afraid. If a dog is tied up or restrained in some way, and is unable to escape from a fearful situation, it may bite out of fear. Likewise, encouraging children to make friends with it could also provoke the same reaction.
Never allow your child to approach or touch an unknown dog while it is eating, especially if it is eating a bone as this brings out the wolf in almost any dog. This also applies to the family pet. Children love to feed their animals and this is a great way of establishing the relationship between your child and their dog. Teach your children to respect that the dog needs to feel safe when it is eating and therefore they need to keep their distance and allow their dog to eat undisturbed.
Supervise your children around strange dogs, even dogs you know quite well, as children are little balls of energy that can either over-stimulate or frighten some dogs. Encourage your child to be quiet and still around strange dogs as noise and activity may provoke the dog to jump up at them.
Because of a dogs pack instinct, you should teach your child to stay higher physically than a dog to keep themselves in a dominant position. They can still have loads of fun with a dog without lying on the ground and letting a dog jump all over them in rough and tumble play even a little puppy.
Dogs are fantastic animals and make great pets but even the most "child friendly" dog has the ability to defend itself or its family if it feels threatened. Children need to be aware of this and as parents, we need to teach our children how to behave accordingly for the dogs well being and their safety.
Deborah Taylor has been an animal welfare advisor for over five years. She has sites with information and resources on dog behavior training and puppy training.
Written By: Deborah Taylor
 USA TODAY | Super Bowl ads go to the dogs USA TODAY A dog that's been bad uses Doritos to persuade a man to keep his mouth shut about a missing cat in one of the Super Bowl ads liked by our ad panel. A dog that's been bad uses Doritos to persuade a man to keep his mouth shut about a missing cat in one ... Doritos Super Bowl commercials 2012: Dog Park, Hot Wild Girls, Sling Baby Dogs takes title for best Super Bowl ads Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Volkswagon Uses Dogs, Star Wars |
Mushroom pickers lost hope, considered eating dog Boston.com "She's that good a dog, she'd have done it, too," Conne said. But help finally arrived Saturday when a volunteer helicopter pilot decided to look outside the search area and spotted the family -- Dan, his wife, Belinda, and their 25-year-old son, ... |
 HereComeTheDawgs.com | Olekaibe leads 'Dogs past Aggies The Collegian By Angel Moreno | February 06, 2012 | Sports, Top Sports Story Kevin Olekaibe put on a paramount 28-point performance as the 'Dogs beat defending Western Athletic Conference champion Utah State 60-54 in Saturday's Heroes Night at the Save Mart Center. 'Dogs End WAC Skid Women Stay Perfect in WAC |
 MSU News | Dogs in race shoes finish 1st in MSU profs' picks Lansing State Journal The winner: Shoe maker Skechers, its dogs-racing-in-sneakers ad already the target of protests, edging out a slight victory over a humorous ad for M&Ms candy. "I'm more impressed this year than the last couple years," said Pat Huddleston, ... Skechers Super Bowl Ad Ignites Twitter Mark Cuban Goes To The Dogs In Super Bowl Ad Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Skechers Spot Has Mark Cuban Cameo |
 Reynolds Center | Handler, dog headed to Westminster Dog Show Lexington Dispatch Tamara Meeks holds her toy Manchester Terrier dog, Pati. They are getting ready to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York next week. By David Bodenheimer Pati, a 2 1/2-year-old toy Manchester Terrier, has been a show dog for most ... Wildwood dog show preps pups for the big contest in NYC Hundreds of dogs compete for top honours Coonhounds and Ceskys and Xolos, Oh My! |