A Guide To Keeping Your Kids Safe From Dogs

Follow These Tips

• Don’t grab the dogs face, tail or body

• Don’t disturb a dog who is eating or sleeping

• No chasing the dog or getting the dog to chase

• Realize that a wagging tail doesn’t necessarily mean the dog is happy and friendly- it can mean the dog is ready to be assertive (bite, lunge etc)

• Don’t touch injured spots on the dog

• Put the dog away if kids are running around, screaming, crying –this can make dogs VERY uncomfortable or cause arousal (dogs don’t make good decisions when aroused)

• Don’t let your kids run up to any dog, even your family or friends dog

• Never leave your child alone with your dog, ever!

It is your responsibility to control your kids around your own and other dogs! Dog’s give many signs that they are uncomfortable. These are the some of the more obvious signs you should look out for and end any interaction if you notice the following: • Lip licking

• Panting with ears pinned to head

• The dog gets still all of a sudden-we call this “the freeze” – stop whatever interaction is happening immediately!!!

• Turning the head away

• Showing the white parts of its eyes (whale eye)

It doesn’t matter how “good” or “well-behaved” your dog is. We’ve seen it time and time again where the owner thinks there dog is not capable and will never injure their children. Unfortunately this is not the case. When a dog has had enough and its stress signals have been ignored, it WILL go over threshold and it will bite.

All it takes is one time. Kid in the hospital, scarred physically and mentally, and your dog to the pound and in serious cases euthanized. Is it worth the risk? That’s up to you to decide but for us absolutely not. Just remember it won't be the dogs fault if something does happen.

Any and every dog IS capable and WILL bite if it has had enough.