Most dogs tolerate this but do NOT enjoy it. Many dogs politely ask with their body language for this to stop. Sometimes when no one listens to dogs, when their cries for assistance go unheeded, bites can happen. Please teach your children to NOT sit on dogs! No matter how cute it seems or how "good" your dog is being, do not do this. It is not fair to dog or child, it is NOT safe!
Great Resources for Parents and Kids
Living With Kids & Dogs Website an amazing and thorough resource for parents and kids! Everything you need to know for a safe dog and family household. From Child and Dog Safety Expert, Colleen Pelar.
Selecting a Dog for Families with Children Great tips from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) on how to choose a family dog and lots of other resources on keeping kids and dogs safe!
Family Paws Parent Education from another great parent educator, Jennifer Shryock, her website focuses on the need for safety for expectant families and families with newborns and toddlers. Do you need individualized help? We are proud presenters of the Family Paws Parent Education Programs! Ask us about scheduling a group presentation or an individual consult.
Success Stations! Keep baby and kids safe with success stations. Crate, Gate, and Rotate to different areas. Indoor Tethering is another option. Click HERE to learn more about tethers. Also click to learn about Dogs and the Wonders of Baby Gates!
DoggoneSafe.comA website loaded with safety tips for kids and families
Dog Decoder iPhone AppThis well illustrated downloadable iPhone App would be a fun way to teach kids to read dog body language. The pictures could be used like flash cards. The explanations provided support the learning. Then make a fun game with the kids asking them to guess what their family dog is saying! This really is a must have for families with dogs.
Victor & Victoria's Pet Town iPhone App a free iPhone App all the way from down under in Australia! The Aussie accents may be new to your kids but the information and fun presentation style presents a great way for small children to learn to be safe around dogs.
Contrary to popular opinion and Internet videos, most dogs DO NOT like hugs and kisses.
Teach children to pet with one hand, collar to tail. Teaching children that one handed petting is the right way to pet a dog avoids the urge to hug the dog and take or invade its space. Teach children to avoid reaching over the dog's head which appears scary and rude to the dog.
Kissing Dogs and Licking Faces
This is NOT always a good indicator of how a dog might be feeling.
Both happy dogs as well as anxious & overly aroused dogs will wag tails & lick faces.
Kissing may NOT mean love!
A "KISS" might mean to "DISMISS"!
Look for other signs, ears back, tense face, stiff posture, lip licking, head turning away, tight mouth.
Caution is advised, allowing this is often NOT safe, why take a chance?
Supervision is a must, but not just any supervision, it must be interactive and 100% awake adult supervision. Watch for signs of tension in your dog by learning dog body language. Dogs are incredibly tolerant even when we don't respond to their requests for a bit of space or peace and quiet. But don't stress out your dog needlessly, intervene when body language changes from happy and loose to stiffer signs of tolerance. Don't push things to the danger point!
Click the pictures above for more details! Learn about the Dog Behavior Continuum from Child & Dog Safety Expert, Colleen Pelar
Learn how to read your dog's body language by viewing this video from the great trainers at family dog:
Distracted supervision is not safe. Parents live busy lives and it is easy to lose focus when multi-tasking. Teach your dog to be ok with alone time with a tasty food toy and utilize crates and gates when you are too busy to monitor interactions between kids and dogs.
The Go Crazy and Freeze Game: A fun game taught with guided supervision that is full of important lessons to help keep interactions between children and dogs safe!
Mindware for Kids: Make your own Doggy Day Camp Getting children involved in Positive Training can be a fantastic relationship building experience for the whole family. This is a great kit to get you started!!
Dogs are loyal! Dogs are fun! In other words, dogs make awesome BFFs, or Best Furry Friends. Follow a leading dog expert as she uses comics to show you how to develop a great and lasting friendship with your dog. Book includes eight training activities and games; all with fun, illustrated steps. Teach your BFF how to bow, ride a skateboard, and so much more! Puppy Training for Kids by Sarah Whitehead. A great book to learn how to involve children with dog care!
Dogs Like Kids They Feel Safe WithFrom Dog Trainer, Madeline Gabriel, this is her entry to the 2011 Canis Film Festival, sponsored by Karen Pryor Clicker Training. This film shows ways both dogs AND kids can learn behaviors to help each other feel safe and comfortable together! To learn more dog and child safety tips visit Madeline's website at DogsandBabiesLearning.com
Grumble and Growl ZonesFrom a great educator on safety for families with pets, Jennifer Shryock of Doggone Safe and FamilyPaws.com. Jennifer explains and illustrates on her Pinterest board about how often conflicts happen in predictable locations in homes. She refers to these areas as "grumble zones" and "growl zones". A grumble zone is a crowded space with an exit and a growl zone is a location were there is a potential valued resource (a toy, a bone, food or a chew toy, a person, a spot on the couch, etc) or where there is no exit. Learning about grumble and growl zones and avoiding them with children can prevent conflict and bites to keep everyone safe.
Holiday Child and Pet SafetyTips Video Planning a party with family and friends? Dog owners, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles should all watch this video with an important safety message to help keep the festivities fun and safe! More tips for holidays and party times from Jennifer Shryock and FamilyPaws.com
Dogs should be allowed to eat in peace. How do you feel if a waiter keeps taking your plate away before you are finished? If you ask nicely for the waiter to stop taking your food but he keeps doing it you might get pretty grumpy. And that is how dogs can feel too! Feed dogs away from babies and young children. Teach kids to NEVER approach a dog when it is eating or if it has a chew toy or bone!
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Make sure your dog is allowed to sleep in peace. Teach children to never approach a dog that is sleeping. Teach children to stay away from dogs in resting places such as on couches, or in dog beds.
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