In this situation, you need to teach the child as well as the dog what is expected. Children need to learn how to handle a dog, and the dog needs to know how to behave around children.
A dog generally will not accept leadership from a child. Your pup will view your children as littermates. Be cautious. Play between children and dogs should be supervised by adults. Do not permit roughhousing, chasing or wrestling games, which encourage the pup to be more oral, excited and fight against you. Children sometimes view the dog as a toy. They must be taught not to ride the dog like a horse, pull on its ears, slap, tease, punch and generally mistreat the dog. Some dogs can handle it, others get nasty. Dogs can become withdrawn, nervous, irritable, defensive and possibly aggressive if the child persists. Most dogs will give a warning to back off. Unfor¬tunately, there are countless number of dogs that have lost their lives because of children’s unwitting abuse that led to bites.
Teach your children to be kind, gentle and respectful of the dog. Let them know that the dog has feelings just like they do and rough treatment will hurt the dog. In so doing, you will be teaching your child the true meaning of caring for a living creature.
Never startle a sleeping dog or try to take its possessions or food. Include your children in obedience lessons if they are old enough so they will understand dogs. Do not leave your new dog in the com¬pany of children unchaperoned.
Safety — Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Children
Children are the most frequent victims of dog attacks. Dog attacks are the number one reported health problem for children in the United States. It is imperative that you teach your children how to behave around dogs. Not all dogs are friendly. Make sure your dog is spayed or neutered. The Centers for Disease Control in a 1994 study found that biters tended to be male and unneutered, and were more likely to live at the home of the bitten child.
1. Don’t approach dogs you don’t know without the permission of the owner. Not all dogs are friendly and some may bite.
2. If adults tell you it is OK to pet their dog… Do not run toward the dog or scream.
Do not hug, poke, grab or pound on the dog’s head.
Do approach slowly and quietly.
Do allow the dog to sniff your hand first.
Do pet the dog gently under his chin or on his chest.
3. Do not attempt to touch or pet any dog that growls, snarls or runs away from you.
4. Do not play roughly with any dog.
5. Do not try to pet a dog through fences, car windows or cages. Do not approach a dog that is tied up.
6. Do not attempt to take bones, food or toys from a dog.
7. Do not frighten or startle any dog, especially when it is sleeping.
8. Do not attempt to punish a dog in any way.
9. If a dog you don’t know comes up to you…
Do not run or yell.
Do not look directly at him.
Do stand perfectly still.
Do watch the dog out of the corner of your eye.
Do walk away slowly after a minute or two.
10. Do treat all dogs, cats and other animals kindly and humanely.
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