Teaching kids to mind their manners around Fido
With the holiday season upon us, your children might be visiting neighbors or relatives with dogs they’ve never met. Or perhaps you have a dog and will be hosting friends or relatives with young children. In either case, it’s important for kids to learn how to behave safely around a dog.
Whether it is a dog they know, one they’ve never met, or even a new dog in their own household, there are lessons to teach your child when approaching a dog.
The American Kennel Club’s Meet the Breeds website ( meetthebreeds.com) provides information for dog lovers to learn about the predictable qualities and needs of each breed. It also includes these steps that children should learn before petting any dog. In fact, this is great advice for adults to follow too: Ask permission: It’s important to ask a dog’s owner for permission to pet her dog. Not every dog reacts the same way to strangers petting it, and the owner will know if her dog is friendly and, subsequently, if it is safe to approach. Approach calmly: If the owner agrees to let you pet the dog, make a fist, extend your hand slowly to the dog, and let him sniff the back of your hand. Dogs recognize people by scent, so this lets him become familiar with you. Where to pet: Once a dog has sniffed your hand, pet it gently under the chin or on the chest. Don’t hug dogs: Kids should never hug a dog. Dogs don’t hug each other, and they don’t equate hugs with love and affection like humans do. Wrapping your arms around a dog can stress it out and lead to an unnecessary bite. Keep your chin up: Never put your face down in front of a dog. This can be threatening to dogs and cause them to react aggressively.