How to Teach Children to Safely Interact with Dogs
A dog can be a child’s best friend, but other times dogs can be a deadly danger to children. Often, the difference between these two scenarios is how you teach your child to interact with dogs. Here are some tips for teaching your children to safely interact with dogs so they can avoid dog bite attacks.
Teach Respect, Not Fear
First, it’s important to teach children to respect dogs, not fear them. Dogs can be dangerous, and it’s important to respect the potential danger, but that doesn’t mean that children need to fear dogs. Think of it like teaching your children safety around the stove. You want them to know that a stove can be dangerous, but if you teach them to fear the stove they might never learn to cook.
With dogs, fear can even be dangerous. A child that fears dogs might not remember how to act when encountering one. This might make your child decide to run or otherwise incite an attack by a strange dog.
As Much as Possible, Supervise Interactions
Whenever possible, supervise the interactions between your child and dogs. Both children and dogs can be unpredictable, and it’s important for you to be there to intervene in case interactions begin to turn dangerous.
Over time, you might gain confidence that your child knows how to interact with dogs. You might decide to leave them unsupervised, especially with known dogs. Start with short unsupervised times, then gradually allow them to spend more time alone together.
Teach Kids the Proper Way to Greet Dogs
Make sure kids understand the proper way to greet dogs. The recommended approach for greeting a new dog is:
- Ask the dog’s owner if you can pet the dog
- Give a greeting to the dog in a friendly voice
- Approach the dog slowly
- Hold your hand out a short distance from the dog
- Let the dog decide to close the distance and sniff your hand
A dog’s owner always knows best whether a dog can have a positive interaction with your child. Ask them first to know if the dog is a potential danger or otherwise shouldn’t be disturbed. Teach your child to avoid loose dogs when their owner is not present.
Speaking to the dog before approaching physically gives you an opportunity to gauge a dog’s mood. No matter what the owner says, if a verbal greeting gets an angry response, leave the dog alone.
If the dog still seems friendly, approach them slowly, but give them a little space. Don’t crowd or loom over a dog.
Extend your hand to the dog with the palm down. Either close your fingers together or make a fist. Don’t shove your hand directly in the dog’s face – continue to give them space.
Let a dog decide if they want to sniff your hand and encourage more interaction. Trying to force a dog to sniff your hand can scare them.
Also teach your children never to surprise a sleeping dog or try to take food or toys from a dog.
Teach Kids How to Deal with an Aggressive Dog
Although most dogs are friendly, it’s important to prepare your child to deal with an aggressive dog. If a child encounters an aggressive dog, they should:
- Walk away calmly
- Stand still if a dog starts to come after them
- Speak calmly to the dog – try telling them to “go home”
- Don’t smile or look the dog in the eyes
- Respond properly to an attack by:
- Making fists
- Shielding yourself with anything you have handy (coat, purse, toy)
- Climbing up out of a dog’s reach
- If you can’t get out of reach, curl in a ball and protect your head and neck
Never run from an aggressive dog, it will only make them chase. If walking away encourages a dog to follow, stop and stand still, then try to issue a calm command to the dog. Don’t yell or use an angry voice since they might take this as a challenge. Similarly, looking a dog in the eyes and smiling at the dog might be seen as you baring your teeth to attack.
In the event of a dog attack, making fists protects your fingers – they are not for fighting. Instead, it’s best to shield yourself from a dog bite and try to climb out of reach. If you can’t get out of reach, curling into a ball and protecting your head and neck will reduce the risk of a deadly injury.
Arrange a Meeting with a Dog Known to Be Friendly
No matter how much you tell a child how to act around dogs, nothing teaches as well as experience. Give your child the opportunity to practice interacting with a dog that you know to be friendly, such as the dog of a friend. Practicing the proper techniques will help your child retain the lessons.
Pushchak Law Can Help If Your Child Suffers a Dog Bite Attack
As with many things in life, teaching kids the way to act safely can’t always keep them safe. In the event that your child suffers a dog bite attack, they might have serious injuries that require extensive medical attention. You need help in holding the owner of an aggressive dog responsible for the injuries their dog caused.
At Pushchak Law, we’ve focused our practice on just a few areas of law, including dog bite lawsuits. We understand how to handle these cases, which can increase your chances of getting a successful resolution to your case.
You will also benefit from our exclusive Informed Decisions™ Approach. This starts with us listening to you determine your goals for your dog bite lawsuit. Once we know what you’re hoping to achieve, we will know better how to advise you, and we’ll put the full weight of our expertise and experience at your service. We care about our clients, and we’ll give you our personal contact information. You can call us whenever you have questions about the progress of your lawsuit. Plus, you don’t owe us any fees unless we win your case for you.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Pushchak Law serves clients in Denver and the surrounding areas of Colorado.
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