Children & Pet Safety

Children and Pets: Safety Tips
By Dr Karen Burgess

 

Newborn

  • Place dog in crate and make it a positive experience. Place a bone or favorite chew toy in with the dog
  • Brush up on obedience skills- use lots of food as rewards
  • Have the dog become accustom to varied feeding and walking schedules (as times will be hectic with a newborn)
  • Place a blanket the baby was using with the dog and allow to investigate
  • Bring the baby around only while the dog is calm- otherwise crate the dog with that favorite chew toy or bone
  • Make sure all experiences the dog has around the baby are positive

Toddler

  • Do not allow toddler around the dog while eating or sleeping
  • Dog crate or dog bed is off limits
  • Reward the dog with treats for being calm around the toddler
  • Recognize warning signs and place the dog in his safe spot before he gets to the point of snapping or growling

School-Age Children

  • Have the children become involved in the daily pet chores
  • Children should learn to stand still if the family dog is too frisky or any dog scares them
  • Teach children to avoid strange dogs and strangers with dogs
  • Clicker training with children is both great for the children and the pets. Even a child as young as three can learn to help with clicker training.

Bite Prevention

  • Teach children how to protect themselves with an overexcited pet by:
    • Rolling into a ball
    • Protecting hands and face
    • Calling for help
    • DO NOT run and scream

dog body language