Dog Behavior Training

What Kids and Toddlers Need to Know

Every year, a staggering number of children suffer horrific injuries from a dog attack and many cases, the dog is known to the child.

Dogs are pack animals, where each dog understands its place in the hierarchy. Safe dogs are dogs that have been brought up to think that all humans, down to the smallest child, are higher than them in the hierarchy. Unfortunately, many dogs consider that children or adults that are not from their “family pack” are lower than them in the hierarchy and think they have permission to bite if a child or person does something that they don’t like.

As we don’t know how a dog is going to react to unfamiliar children or people, it is best to assume they may be nervous or defensive. As parents, we need to teach our children to behave appropriately around all dogs.

Children instinctively believe that a dog wagging its tail is friendly and can therefore be approached. However, no dog should be touched by a child without the owner’s permission - they know how their dog will react around strangers. A dog that has had little exposure to children could be nervous or afraid. If a dog is tied up or restrained in some way, and is unable to “escape” from a fearful situation, it may bite out of fear. Likewise, encouraging children to “make friends” with it could also provoke the same reaction.

Never allow your child to approach or touch an unknown dog while it is eating, especially if it is eating a bone as this brings out the wolf in almost any dog. This also applies to the family pet. Children love to feed their animals and this is a great way of establishing the relationship between your child and their dog. Teach your children to respect that the dog needs to feel safe when it is eating and therefore they need to keep their distance and allow their dog to eat undisturbed.

Supervise your children around strange dogs, even dogs you know quite well, as children are little balls of energy that can either over-stimulate or frighten some dogs. Encourage your child to be quiet and still around strange dogs as noise and activity may provoke the dog to jump up at them.

Because of a dog’s pack instinct, you should teach your child to stay “higher” physically than a dog to keep themselves in a dominant position. They can still have loads of fun with a dog without lying on the ground and letting a dog jump all over them in rough and tumble play – even a little puppy.

Dogs are fantastic animals and make great pets but even the most "child friendly" dog has the ability to defend itself or its family if it feels threatened. Children need to be aware of this and as parents, we need to teach our children how to behave accordingly for the dog’s well being and their safety.

By Deborah Taylor. Deborah Taylor has been an animal welfare advisor for over five years. She has sites with information and resources on dog behavior training and puppy training.
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