Let us consider a scenario where a kid gets bitten by his beloved pet dog. It might sound terrible initially, but you can avoid such a situation. The atmosphere of the home becomes grim and sad, especially when a kid gets bitten by a canine companion.
The whole family is surprised by the behavior of the dog. Generally, the dog is well-behaved with the kids and family. Even the dog allows the kid to use him as the couch. Still, this happened. No one can understand why the beloved and trusted companion suddenly bit an innocent child.
A dog expert or a person who understands the body language of any dog will view this situation from the dog’s perspective. Hence, he may not be surprised in such instances.
If you go through this biting episode deeply or thoroughly, you will find the significant reason for this biting. Indeed, it is the child’s rude behavior toward the dog that the family members fail to notice or ignore. They considered the rudeness of the child as cuteness towards the dog.
It is because the dog didn’t react to it mostly. The dog was tolerating this nuisance act by their child. But when the tolerance tipping point gets crossed, the dog acts like this. Many of us always take the presence of the dog for granted.
Remember that if your kid is behaving this way with you, it may happen that you may also explode in anger. So, why blame the dog?
Is it safe to have dogs around children?
Understanding the trigger that helps the dog to react is very easy. We can learn it from our daily routine. For example, we don’t like any disturbance at mealtime even though they are our kids. Understand that dogs deserve a peaceful meal.
As we teach our kids not to steal anybody’s materials, such as toys, likable materials, etc. Thus, we should teach our little ones not to steal the dog’s toy. Also, you should train the dog to leave the toy against some treat.
Kids often appear to your face all of a sudden to surprise you. In the case of the dog, you should teach him to keep a safe distance from the dog. Doing such an act by the kids over the face of the dog makes him feel irritated though the dog is part of the family.
We must provide our dog with a calm and undisturbed place to sleep and rest and teach our child not to disturb. Kids should be taught not to disturb the dog while it is resting. Mishandling of pet dogs by the kids is a prime reason they get bitten by the dogs.
Generally, the pet canines can tolerate this; however, if the dog’s mood is not well, it may attack in any instance. We should guide our kids in the proper handling of dogs. Kids should stop some bad steps. These include climbing, stepping, or entering the pet dog’s personal space.
Yelling is unbearable for us. Just think about what happens to the sound-sensitive dog. Some love gestures irritate the dog, like hugging, kissing, etc. You can also train your dog to accustom to these gestures if it is not socialized.
Keeping Kids and Dogs Safe Together
Body language
Dogs can’t communicate verbally like us. It is essential to know or understand their body language. It sends us a message regarding their emotional status. Generally, kids mix up with the dog without their parents. So, it is significant to guide them.
Let them understand the body language of the dog. Never try to steal their goods even if they don’t use them. If the kid knows the dog’s irritation symptoms, it helps them keep a distance from bad things happening.
The symptoms include ear turning in the backward direction, lips licking, staining and striding around, yawning, showing their teeth aggressively and barking loudly, becoming ductile, and cowering. Teach your child to leave or keep a safe distance if these signs occur.
Communication
Small kids majorly yell, hug and kiss the dog. Sometimes, these actions make the dog irritated and stressed. In this situation, they act defensively. Better to keep the little kid far from the dog because smaller kids are unaware of the limit and signs of the dog.
When a trained older kid knows how to behave around the dog, it creates a safe surrounding for both. Keep an eye on the situation. Immediate steps require to be taken if any such symptom occurs. If you ignore such signs, it can escalate to worse conditions.
How to move toward a dog?
Always ask the owner before going toward the dog. Allow the dog to come and smell you. Put a soft touch on the chest, not on the head. Never put your hand forwards in the direction of the dog.
They consider it as threatening. If a dog approaches your kid, it will be best to keep quiet and keep a closed hand to the body. Allow the dog to smell and pass by.
Introduction of the dog in the family for the first time
Make sure the dog is suitable for your family, especially for kids. Some dogs are suited for kids. Some are not so good. Try to understand your kids to know the body language of the dog. For a newborn, make one new schedule for your dog.
Maintain it from the first day. Keep the initial introduction between dog and kid short and do it when the kid is quiet. Regular interaction will accustom the dog to kids. If still, it doesn’t work, consult a vet or behaviorist.
