Dog Safety Tips For Children

Ever since our childhoods, my husband and I have hardly ever been without at least one dog. At times, home was more like an animal farm. The presence of dogs in our lives has nourished our souls immeasurably. Dogs were meant to love and to be loved.

Over time, one of the most important things I've learned about dogs is that it's foolhardy to say with a certainty that one's dog will not bite.

Although my family's own dogs are so loving and so sweet that I could just squeeze them to pieces, the only thing I can truthfully say about their biting is that they've never bitten anyone "before." What the future holds is a whole other matter.

Dogs can resort to biting or attacking when they are frightened, when they feel threatened, when they are in pain, and some are even taught to bite.

When meeting a strange dog, we can't know what his reaction to us will be. So, it's better to know what to look for when meeting up with a new dog.

The following are ten dog safety tips that I've written for children.

• 1Wait until an adult is with you before meeting any dog that you are unfamiliar with. Always ask the owner if you can meet the dog. Then, move slowly; let the dog sniff the back of your hand and get used to you, through your smell, before you pet it.


• 2Screaming or running around in the presence of any dog can get him stirred up. In the wild, dogs chased and caught their prey—just as you have heard that such animals as lions or tigers do. This instinct is still alive and well inside the dog. Screaming or running can wake up that instinct. Do not run around and scream in the presence of dogs—especially if there are no adults around.


• 3If a dog attacks you or knocks you down, roll your body up into the tightest little ball you can get it into.


• 4Do not play with any dog you don't know without an adult being there with you.


• 5Staring into a dog's eyes can make him think you are challenging him. Avoid direct eye contact, especially with dogs that you do not know and with dogs that you know to be aggressive.


• 6Do not go near any dog that is eating; sleeping; caring for her puppies; sick; tied to a chain, leash or rope; inside a fence; in the back of a parked truck; inside a parked car.


• 7If a dog nips at your face or bites you anywhere, immediately tell your parent or caretaker.


• 8Don't stand over a dog, even one you know. For some dogs, this is considered a direct challenge.


• 9If you are out riding your bike, or roller-blading, or skateboarding, and you find that a dog has begun to chase you, stop, hold the bike, board, whatever you have available, between you and the dog. Keep him in your peripheral vision, but do not look him in the eye. Be patient. Remain still. Wait until the dog leaves, or you can very slowly back away, always maintaining no eye contact.


• 10Unfamiliar dogs out in the neighborhood, running around together, should be reported to an adult. Stay away from these dogs. If dogs are running in packs, they can develop a "group" or "pack" mentality—what the pack leader in the group does, the other dogs will do. For instance, if the leader wants to chase you, instead of one dog chasing you, there might be three or four. Or five or six. Stay clear, no eye contact, no running, and tell an adult right away.

Hackles are the hairs along a dog's spine, from neck to tail. When these hairs are standing straight up, it means the dog is ready for combat.

Your next move is to diffuse the situation by not looking into his eyes and slowly backing away. You want to give the dog the room he needs to calm down and reassess his fighting mode.

Canine Body Language by abbyk9 at Zazzle.com
See also: How To Greet A Dog poster by lilita

Images © Sonya Etchison - Fotolia.com: Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3