Walk Fido

Why Do Dogs Bite Children?

As part of Dog Bite Prevention Week, we took a look at some important tips to keep in mind when managing your own dog and when approaching unknown dogs. Today we'd like to delve a bit further into the most talked-about issues surrounding dog bites: children.

According to the AVMA, young children are by far the most common dog bite victims and most dog bites occur while they are interacting with dogs that are familiar to them.  To better understand some of the reasons a dog may bite a young child, we've turned to Doggone Safe - a non-profit organization dedicated to dog bite prevention and dog bite victim support. They are a fantastic resource and they've put together an excellent set of things to keep in mind:

Why Dogs Bite Children

• The dog is protecting a possession, food or water dish or puppies.
• The dog is protecting a resting place.
• The dog is protecting its owner or the owner's property.
• The child has done something to provoke or frighten the dog (e.g., hugging the dog, moving into the dog's space, leaning or stepping over the dog, trying to take something from the dog).
• The dog is old and grumpy and having a bad day and has no patience for the actions of a child.
• The dog is injured.
• The child has hurt or startled it by stepping on it, poking it or pulling its fur, tail or ears.
• The dog has not learned bite inhibition and bites hard by accident when the child offers food or a toy to the dog.
• The child and dog are engaging in rough play and the dog gets overly excited.
• The dog views the child as a prey item because the child is running and/or screaming near the dog or riding a bicycle or otherwise moving past the dog.

How Dogs Warn Children They Might Bite

• The dog gets up and moves away from the child.
• The dog turns his head away from the child.
• The dog looks at you with a pleading expression.
• You can see the "whites" of the dogs eyes, in a half moon shape.
• The dog yawns while the child approaches or is interacting with him.
• The dog licks his chops while the child approaches or is interacting with him.
• The dog suddenly starts scratching, biting or licking himself.
• The dog does a big "wet dog shake" after the child stops touching him.

Doggone Safe provides several visual examples that illustrate the difference between happy, calm dogs and dogs that are sending warning signals. Highly recommended visuals to look at with your children to help them (and you!) better understand how to interact with dogs to stay safe. 

Overall, we find that being aware of warning signals is vital to safety. It's so easy to assume that your dog or a friend's dog is enjoying your child's company or play, but things can quickly switch from light-hearted to more serious play and dogs are not always best at recognizing that shift in time...so it's up to us to be aware of these shifts at all times.

How to Avoid a Dog Bite

Did you know that it's National Dog Bite Prevention Week? We didn't either! But...if ever there was a good reason for a week dedicated to awareness of something, we think preventing dog bites is infinitely worthy. We'll look at a few different aspects of dog biting throughout the week. Our first installment? The basics of dog bite prevention.

We work with all kinds of dogs and have seen it all - fearful dogs, aggressive dogs and just plain lovely dogs. What breaks our hearts most about all the news headlines that focus on the bite victims and not what led up to the bite incident is that it doesn't provide a chance for the public to truly understand how easy it is to avoid dog bites with a few simple tips.

These tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association are easy to follow and demonstrate how important it is to be sure your children are aware of how best to interact with dogs so they remain safe:

Dog Owners - Managing Your Own Dog

• Carefully select your pet. Puppies should not be obtained on impulse.
• Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals.
• Don't put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased.
• Train your dog. The basic commands "sit," "stay," "no," and "come" help dogs understand what is expected of them and can be incorporated into fun activities that build a bond of trust between pets and people.
• Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.
• Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug-of-war.
• Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.
• Keep your dog healthy. Have your dog vaccinated against rabies and preventable infectious diseases. Parasite control and other health care are important because how your dog feels affects how it behaves.
• Neuter your pet.
• If you have a fenced yard, make sure the gates are secure.

Strange Dogs - Managing the Situation

• Be cautious around strange dogs, and treat your own pet with respect. Because children are the most common victims of dog bites, parents and caregivers should:
• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.
• Be alert for potentially dangerous situations.
• Teach their children – including toddlers – to be careful around pets. Children must learn not to approach strange dogs or try to pet dogs through fences. Teach children to ask permission from the dog's owner before petting the dog.

The AVMA provides a range of other resources about dog bites, prevention & treatment so do check out their site and their links for more information.

Tomorrow we'll take a look at the reasons why dogs bite so following the tips above will be even easier!

Search & Rescue Dogs in Haiti Save Lives

With all the news of the terrible destruction in Haiti & the ongoing relief efforts, we immediately thought of SAR (Search and Rescue) dogs and wondered what role they could play in helping to find survivors of the Haiti earthquake.  We've kept an eye out for stories of dogs that have been able to save lives so far - truly an inspiration and shows you the power & importance of SAR dogs:

• The Bark's three part series: SAR Dogs in Haiti, Relief Efforts in Haiti & SAR Dogs in Haiti: Update
• Discovery's Search and Rescue Dogs From Around the World Go to Haiti
• NYPD Dogs Join Haiti Rescue Effort
• Ventura County Search & Rescue Dogs Head to Haiti

Think your dog is up to the task & could be trained to save lives in the future?  Here are some resources for Search & Rescue dog training:

• National Association for Search & Rescue
• Search Dog Foundation
• Profile of an ideal SAR dog

We'll be tracking the Haiti SAR dogs continually & will provide updates.  We'll also be checking out some local SAR dog training options in the coming months, as we've got a few dogs who might fit the bill. 

8 Habits of Highly Effective Dog Owners

The November 2007 issue of Dog Fancy is worthy of a scan this month, especially the article on the 8 habits of highly effective dog owners. Ah, music to our ears...and something we stress with every Walk Fido client:

• "I pick the right breed for my lifestyle." -- So, so important. Before you adopt a dog, carefully consider your energy level and theirs. Do you like to run every morning for several miles? A working dog is for you. Would you rather take your dog out for a few potty breaks and little else? A calmer, lazier dog (we think here of our beloved English Bulldog) might be a better fit. Don't select a dog because you like how they look - first and foremost, it has to be about matching your energy level with the dog's energy level.  We love to hear from clients before they get a new dog and to work with them as they carefully consider what breed suits them best.
• "I crate train my dogs." --  This is something we stress with every owner. The importance of crate training cannot be under-estimated. Not only does crate-training help with potty training in puppies and make your life easier when you need to travel or when dog-fearing company comes over for dinner, crates providesa safe-haven for your dogs whenever they want to rest. Dogs are den animals and seek out cozy places. We leave our crates open during the day and our dogs come and go, as they wish. Often we're suprise to find how much they voluntarily go into their crate with a bone and stay in there, content, for hours. What's more, a lot of significant behavior challenges can be corrected through the use of crate training.
• "I make sure my dogs get exercise every day." -- Ah, we couldn't agree more! Hence, Walk Fido!
• "I socialize my dog to different sights, sounds, and places." -- Another very important point. When working with dogs on daily walks, we continually change up our routes to introduce dogs to different sights and sounds.  A few dogs who are particularly uncomfortable with large crowds or stairs can benefit from a walk through Union Station.  After a few walks through, their tension dissolves and they become comfortable with a very noisy, busy environment.  Great training for traveling or whenever you're with your dog and something unexpected happens.  A dog that is comfortable in all situations is a gem and it's up to us to continually place them in new environments to show them the way.
• "I take my dog to the veterinarian every year." -- Check.
• "I understand that everything my dog does, he does for a reason." -- Ah, so true, but also easily misinterpreted by many to mean "he did it out of spite" or "to get back at me", when really, a dog's reason for doing things is far simpler.  If a behavior crops up that you don't understand, there is a reason for it...you just have to find out what that reason is and develop a way to correct the behavior.
• "I set my dog up for success." -- Does your pit bull terrier have limitless energy and a nose that tracks scents from miles away?  Working dogs and other high-energy dogs need a healthy outlet and running around at the dog park isn't enough. These dogs need to do what they were born to do -- work!  Enrolling your working dogs in agility training, flydog competitions or any number of activities that utilize their skills and require mental and physical exertion will help your dogs flourish -- and tire quickly so they'll be well-behaved when they're done!
• "I train my dogs to potty on command when on a leash." -- We firmly believe in this and yet often get looks from dog owners as if we're crazy.  While going potty on command can be helpful when you travel, it also gives you another opportunity to establish yourself as pack leader. Some dogs (our English bulldog is a prime example) would happily mark every tree downtown if we let him.  If we did let him, he'd be in control. Instead, we wait until we reach a specific tree (different every time, so he doesn't develop a difficult-to-break habit of only being able to go potty on that one tree) and then tell him "Go Potty." Over time, this regular command ensures that you have control over all aspects of the walk - even potty time!