Teaching Young Kids Respect Around Dogs

Most children naturally gravitate towards dogs, which is why it's so important to teach them how to safely interact with dogs and to understand boundaries to keep everyone safe and happy.

Kids are loud, energetic, and often have random outbursts of energy as well as little to no awareness of personal space - all things that can put dogs on edge. Dogs sense things like sound and movement more deeply than humans, and the results can be disastrous if children are left unattended or have not been taught how to safely interact with dogs.

Teach them respect and boundaries at an early age. There are some general rules which are very obvious to you but maybe not to them, help them on their journey to loving a dog by teaching them to:

·       Not pull on a dog's tail or ears

·       Not disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or sick

·       Not approach a dog that is tied up

·       Not yell or scream around them (which can either excite or annoy them)

·       Not look them directly in the eyes when they're approaching them

·       Not approach a stranger's dog without permission from the owner

There are also important skills that you should be teaching them about reading body language and reinforcing the right behaviours:

·       Learn to read body language: If a dog is hiding away, growling, baring teeth, or has a raised spine, it is uncomfortable with the situation. Children should be taught to immediately leave the dog alone at this stage.

·       Speak quietly and gently: Loud voices and screaming can elicit negative responses from dogs

·       Gentle patting: Teach your children how to gently pat the dog and avoid putting their hands over the face and head on first approach.

As much as we consider our dogs to be another member of the family, we can't forget that the only way they can protect themselves is with their mouth – if they get frightened, they can accidentally bite somebody, simply because it is an instinctive reaction even though they mean no harm. It goes without saying that you should supervise as much as you can and, if ever in doubt, put your dog in a crate.