Teaching children to be safe around dogs

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Sacbee.com

Gina Spadafori's Pet Connection

year in the fall, I devote space to one of my highest priorities as a pet-care columnist: preventing dog bites, especially attacks on children. Many people imagine that the biggest threat to their child's safety is an attack by some vicious neighborhood dog and that the risk increases when children start walking to school in the fall. And while it's true those random attacks do happen (and are all over the news when they do), the fact remains that in most cases, children are bitten by dogs they know, animals belonging to family or friends.

Much of the risk to children presented by a family dog can be minimized by making sure an animal is just that -- a member of the family, an indoor dog both trained and socialized. The most common description of a dog involved in an attack: young, unneutered and socially isolated, often kept on a chain.

Reversing those risk factors -- with the help of a trainer or behaviorist, in some cases -- won't make your dog absolutely safe (any dog may bite), but it will go a long way toward creating a safer family pet.

If you've taken steps to make your family dog as safe as possible, the next step in bite prevention is to teach your child what to do if encountering a potentially hostile dog on the street. This is especially important because our instincts, when faced with a threatening loose dog, could not be more deadly. We want to scream and run, which may trigger predatory behavior in a dog.

The Humane Society of the United States suggests teaching your children how to behave around strange dogs and how to react if attacked. Be sure your children know the following:

Never approach a loose dog, even if he seems friendly. Dogs confined in yards -- especially those on chains -- should also be avoided. If the dog is with his owner, children should always ask permission before petting the animal and then begin by offering the back of the hand for a sniff. Pat the dog on the neck or chest. The dog may interpret a pat from above as a dominant gesture. Teach your children to avoid fast or jerky movements.

"Be a tree" when a dog approaches, standing straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Teach your children to make no eye contact: Some dogs view this as a challenge. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible response to a dog because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs just sniff and leave. Teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly out of the area.

"Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked, or use a bike to block the dog. These strategies may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting with flesh.

Act like a log if knocked down -- face down, legs together, curled into a ball, with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal. Role-play these lessons with your child until they are ingrained. Dealing with the dangers in your own yard and teaching your children how to cope may spare your child a bite -- and may even save a life.


Friendly pet? Choose a different sign

Many people use "Beware of Dog" signs to keep people out of their yards or protect their friendly pets. But these signs may not be your best friend. In fact, if your dog does happen to hurt someone -- even knocking someone down in a friendly greeting -- it may be argued that you knew your dog was dangerous with the posting of the sign.

A better option? A "Keep Gate Closed" sign may do the trick, but even better are the "Dog/Dogs in Yard" signs from The Original Pet Postings company (www.bigdoorproducts.com or 877-995-3667). The signs are $17, including shipping and mounting hardware, available in three different color combinations.

I like such signs -- and recommend them often -- because they can help keep both people and pets safe, while giving a potential intruder reason enough to move on.