Teach Your Child About Animal Behavior to Prevent Dog Bites
By Lisa Marie Metzler
What child doesn't love to pet a cute dog in the park? Unfortunately not all dogs want to reciprocate with a happy lick on the face. Some bite.
In fact, according to the National Association for Human and Environmental Education more than four million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs. About 60 percent of those bitten are children younger than 13 years old.
Dog bites aren't always from strange dogs. Dog bites can happen in the home, when you least expect it. Jaci Duffina’s son, of Temple, Texas, was just 3 years old when he was bitten by her sister-in-law’s cocker spaniel. Fortunately, the bite left only a small laceration.
Although not all dog bites can be prevented, understanding man's best friend can significantly reduce the chance of your child being bitten.
Dog Psychology 101 The best protection against a dog bite is understanding a dog's behavior. Stefanie Schwartz, a veterinarian and veterinary behavior consultant practicing in South Weymouth, Mass., says there are basically four reasons why dogs feel provoked to bite.
"Most often it is because of dominance aggression," says Schwartz. "For example, a child who spontaneously hugs or climbs onto a dog is unknowingly challenging the dog's social rank."
Another trigger is possessive aggression. This comes into play when a child disturbs a dog who is enjoying a meal, treat or favorite toy.
Irritable aggression can occur if a dog is disturbed while sleeping or ill. Fear aggression occurs when a dog is startled.
Most dogs will warn us when they are agitated. Some also will show warning signs using body language. According to Schwartz, dogs will give a low growl, flatten their ears or curl their lips. However, warnings can be very subtle and brief.
Training a puppy to socialize with adults and children is crucial and will go a long way in preventing a dog from biting someone. "Dogs are most sensitive to forming lasting impressions of people and other dogs between the ages of 6 to 13 weeks," says Schwartz.
Another important lesson to teach a puppy is not to jump on anyone, even if the puppy is just being playful. According to Schwartz, jumping is a very dominant way for a dog to say "hello." Instead, the puppy should be taught to sit and stay when meeting someone. With consistent and proper training, a puppy can be trained to interact and enjoy those who come into contact with him.
Interacting With Dogs Dog bite prevention begins at home. Even if you don't have a dog, your child should be taught how to safely interact with dogs. According to the National Association for Human and Environmental Education the following rules should be instilled in your children when interacting with a strange dog:
Before petting a dog, always ask the owner for permission.
Never pet a dog who is eating, sleeping or playing with a toy.
Understand dog language.
To pet a dog, approach slowly and speak softly. Avoid direct eye contact. Let the dog sniff the back of your hand. Pet gently on his back or sides.
If a dog growls at you or starts to chase you, stay still. Don't run. A dog is more likely to sniff you and go way if you stay still.
Although rare, there may be an occasion where your child may be threatened by a dog. The first thing to instill in your child is that she should remain calm if threatened. "Don't scream and don't look directly into the dog's eyes," says Calli Towne, community relations manager for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Nevins Farm in Methuen, Mass. "The child should try to stay still until the dog leaves or back away slowly until the dog is out of sight. If this is not possible, tell your child to try calling for help in as calm a voice as possible." Remember, running from the dog encourages him to chase.
Towne also advises that a child knocked down by a dog curl into a ball with his hands over his head and neck to protect his face. "It's not a bad idea to practice this at home," says Towne.
In fact, talking about dog behavior with your child in a matter of fact way shouldn't scare your child from interacting with dogs, but it should enable your child to feel safer and enjoy them more. Role playing at home can be a fun way to impress dog safety upon your children. You also can use opportunities that arise at the playground or park to show your child how to safely interact with dogs.
Perhaps the best thing for parents to remember is that no matter how loveable and gentle a dog can be, it is still an animal and any dog can bite if the situation is right.
To Stitch or Not to Stitch?
Anthony Snyder, of Naperville, Ill., has a 4-year-old daughter who was recently bitten by a dog while visiting her grandparents. "The bite left a 1-inch gash above her right eyebrow at least 1 centimeter deep. My wife and I rushed her to the emergency room," he says.
The doctor cleaned the bite and applied an antibacterial gel and put a bandage on it. The Snyders were concerned about the scar the wound would leave and were advised to have the wound stitched. However, when their daughter was seen by a plastic surgeon, she was taken into surgery and received two internal stitches and a clear skin adhesive, Dermabond, to bind the wound closed.
"Today the wound is healing amazingly well," says Snyder. "She may have a very small scar, but it will be very tiny compared to what it would have been had we left it covered with a bandage."
According to Dr. Raymond Pitetti, associate director of emergency medicine at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa., dog bites generally shouldn't be stitched if it can be avoided, as the risk of infection increases dramatically when the wound is closed.
"The two exceptions to this are large lacerations that impede and lacerations to the face," says Dr. Pitetti. "The latter is a matter of cosmetics. We will close lacerations to the face."
