Dogs and Kids

by Lisa Cochran, from the June 2002 Newsletter

The evening couldn't have been more beautiful out at Mountain View Park. Spring was evident any direction you looked, and as the sun began to dip low on the horizon, the wind picked up to a gentle, but consistent breeze.

"Hey, let's see how your new kite does with this wind," I said to my little girl.

Within minutes, we had the kite sailing high and steady. After about 15 minutes, Madysen informed me that she wanted to go to the playground area while I held onto the kite. The playground area wasn't far from where I stood, so I nodded my head and off she went--running with excitement to hit the slides and swings. Suddenly, from out of the corner of my eye I saw a dog shoot away from its owner's side and head full speed directly toward my running child. Immediately my heart began to race as I instinctively let go of the kite string and began to run toward her.

In a moment of panic, Madysen saw the animal heading toward her and began to shriek. I yelled at her to stand still while the owner called out for their dog. Thankfully, at the last moment, the dog turned back to its owner, who immediately put it on a leash. A dangerous situation was averted this time, but not without making me realize how I need to take more of a heads-up and proactive attitude to protect my child from possible injury when a kid/dog encounter goes bad.

Each year, there are approximately 4.7 million reported dog bites in the United States. About 800,000 of those require medical attention. Children make up approximately 60% of dog bite victims, and incredibly, it is estimated that approximately half of all children in this country will be bitten by the time they reach 18. With some 52 million dogs living in the U.S., it is obvious we could all use some common sense when it comes to owning and training our canine pets. But perhaps more importantly, we as parents need to be extremely vigilant and responsible by monitoring our tots as well as teaching them how to be safe around dogs.

In a perfect world, dog owners would all have obedient, well-behaved and trained canine companions, either under perfect voice control or on a lead at all times. However, even in the best of situations there can be all sorts of scenarios where dogs will be dogs and kids will be kids.

Descended from wolves, dogs are instinctual hunters and running after prey is what they're wired to do. They also have build-in protective mechanisms that will become evident when they feel frightened or threatened. On the flip side, children may often act like prey or behave in threatening or provoking ways. Responsibility falls not just on dog owners but on parents too, to ensure safety for both animals and children.

Besides the obvious limits of not poking, pulling, hitting, kicking, or yanking a dog, here are some important rules to teach your child:

• Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Stay perfectly still when around an unfamiliar dog or one who is approaching.
• If knocked down by a dog, roll into a ball, cover your face and stay still.
• Don't pet a dog if the owner is not around.
• Don't pet any dog who is on a chain, tied to anything, behind a fence or in a car.
• Don't pet a dog who is backing away or looks frightened.
• Don't move quickly near a dog.
• Don't ever run from or scream at a dog.
• Don't pet a growling or barking dog.
• Don't play with a dog unless an adult is supervising.
• Don't try to play with a dog unless he has been allowed to sniff you first.
• Don't hug a dog or try to kiss his face.
• Do not stare at a dog or look directly into his eyes.
• Don't grab at, hit or chase a dog.
• Don't bend over or step over a dog.
• Never disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
• Never leave an infant or young child alone with any dog, even if it is the family pet.
• If you believe that a dog is about to attack, put something between yourself and the dog, such as a bicycle, backpack or whatever.

In warmer weather, it is a sure bet that children as well as dogs will be enjoying the outdoors. Dog bites can often be prevented by using your dog-smarts. Hopefully, these tips will help ensure that encounters remain positive and safe. For more information, go to the American Veterinary Medical Association website or contact Sharon Granskog at 847-925-8070. Make educating your entire family about dog bite prevention a priority.

Lisa Cochran is a longtime Moscow resident who owned dogs for 17 years prior to motherhood.

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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