What’s wrong with this picture? Quite possibly -a lot. If this woman is meeting a stray dog, off-leash & without his owner, she shouldn’t pet him. She and/or her child could be bitten. It’s never a good idea to pet a strange dog (or a dog you’re meeting for the first time) on the top of the head. Many dogs will bite if they are approached this way. You can tell from this dog’s body language (paw up, looking & turning away, mouth closed), that he’s not comfy with the interaction. Set a safe example for your kids. Learn a better approach to the dogs you meet:
May 18 – 24 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. According to ASPCA.org:
“…. 50 percent of all children in the United States will be bitten by a dog before their 12th birthday” and ”800,000 bites a year are severe enough to require medical treatment, while 1 to 2 million go unreported”.
“The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog known to the child—his or her own pet, a neighbor’s or friend’s. You can help prevent this from happening to your child. Please discuss with him or her the appropriate way to behave around dogs.”
Visit the ASPCA’s website for a list of pledges you can rehearse & recite with your child to keep him/her safe from “potentially dangerous interactions with dogs”. Download the ASPCA’s activity sheet, “May I Pet the Dog?” . It’s a fun, colorful quiz for your kids based on the above pledges.
John Woestendiek of The Baltimore Sun blogs in “Mutts” about bite prevention. He lists the American Veterinary Medical Association’s “Top 10 Ways to Prevent Dog Bites“, and adds a few fabulous tips of his own.
Learn more about dog body language. Check our recommended reading list.
Wishing you & your family a safe, dog-friendly summer!
© 2008 CritterConsulting
Your pets’ diets affect their well-being: emotionally, physically & behaviorally. Stay on top of the latest news on pet food safety, and educate yourself about what goes into your pets’ food. Fluffy & Fido are counting on you! (I’ll be revisiting this topic often in future posts.)
