Ask the Dog

It's Dog Bite Prevention week, although I personally believe that we should prevent dog bites every week throughout the year. 

The purpose of Dog Bite Prevention week is to educate people so that dog bites can be prevented.  I've been a humane educator for 9 years, and have gone through a lot of educational materials with this goal in mind.  The information I give children is constantly evolving as I try to decide what is most important.  I try to keep in mind that too much material will cause the message to be lost, and less is sometimes more.

A common aspect of most dog safety presentations is to ask the owner of the dog if a child want's to approach and pet the dog.  This is a really great habit for both children and adults to get into.  Some dogs are not comfortable with strangers and some are nervous around children.  Asking the owner first allows the owner to keep the dog safe if this is the case. 

Recently I've started to incorporate a new part to my presentation.  It's fantastic to ask the owner, but there's someone else who should be asked before a child pets a dog, the dog himself.  While a dog can't respond with a verbal "yes" or "no", it's true that actions speak louder than words.  I tell children that they should be standing several feet from the dog and owner, and after the owner has given permission they should pat their legs and greet the dog.  If the dog wants to say "hi" he will come to them.  If he doesn't he may stay where he is or walk away from the child.  Either way he's letting the child know if he wants to be petted or just isn't in the mood.

One of the things I like about this is that many times I've seen children approach the dog, start to pet, and ask all at the same time.  By telling them to allow the dog to come to them they truly have to wait for permission before they can pet the dog.  And it's always safer to let a dog come to you, rather than invade the space of a dog who may feel insecure or anxious about being unable to avoid the interaction. 

The other thing I like about this practice is that it allows the dog a choice.  Part of humane education is to help children develop empathy for living creatures.  Asking the dog shows them that dogs have feelings and preferences just like people, and will show children the feelings of others are important. 

(Don't) Smooch Your Pooch

One of the newest children's book releases is entitled "Smooch Your Pooch" and has an illustration on the front cover of a little girl planting one on a dog's cheek. Amazon has some great reviews from parents who state that it's a cute story, has great rhymes, and their kids really love it.

It's also come on the radar of veterinarians, dog trainers and behaviorists, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The biggest problem are the pages that advise children to: "Smooch your pooch to show that you care. Give him a hug anytime, anywhere."

While these words sound innocuous enough to most people, to a professional in the world of canines they evoke horror. A display of affection by kissing and hugging is a part of what we humans do. But this kind of display can and does end up with children getting bit. When a dog puts his paw over the back of another dog it is not a friendly gesture. And many dogs do not like being restrained -- which is what a hug really is. Kissing can also bring problems since it usually places a child's face right next to a dog's teeth.

Yes -- I do hug and kiss my dogs all the time -- and they tolerate it because I am their human, and because I know when they are not in the mood for me to do it and want to be left alone. I think many dogs are the same way -- willing to tolerate the silliness of the people they live with. And I think it's unrealistic to expect people - especially children, to NOT ever display affection by hugging and kissing their dogs.

Dr. Sophia Yin wrote a really fantastic review of the book on Amazon detailing why this is an inappropriate book and I don't want to use my blog to re-write something that she already put so concisely. I'd rather address some of the reviews that were written after hers and those who concurred with her concerns.

Many of these reviewers stated that the book does not advocate that children go up to strange dogs and hug and kiss them, and so didn't see why the book was a problem. The problem is that children should be taught that even THEIR OWN dogs really don't like to be hugged and kissed, and that children should respect their own dog's feelings. The line, "Give him a hug, anytime anywhere" doesn't take into consideration the fact that no one wants a hug anytime, anywhere!

Additionally it's my thought that children who have extremely tolerant dogs at home are more likely to get bit by dogs in the homes of others. They many times have not been taught that not all dogs are as tolerant as their own, and that they need to behave differently around other dogs.

Some of the Amazon reviews stated that the book was a good opportunity for parents to have a discussion about appropriate interactions with dogs. The problem with this comment is that many adults don't understand dog behavior and don't realize what inappropriate human/dog behavior is.

A case in point is the reviewer who stated that the book "...does not encourage kids to kiss strange dogs or dangerous dogs." Another stated that "...adults can take proper precautions by explaining that it is not a good idea to hug or kiss any strange animals." In their minds the only dogs that would take offense to their children kissing or hugging them are dogs they don't know, or dangerous dogs. Would they be surprised if kids were bit hugging the neighbors dog? What about a dog owned by a relative that they visit frequently? Most kids are bit by dogs they know -- not by stray dogs.

When I do education programs on dog safety I hear many stories of people who have been bit by dogs. They aren't all children - one parent told me that she had been bit by a friend's dog when she went to hug it, and a child told me that his Mom had been bit by a dog after she hugged it -- no, it was not the same woman! And most of the children who get bit by dogs were attempting to hug them when it happened.

My last concern about this book is that it apparently does have cute illustrations and the rhyming makes it fun to read. Kids are so impressionable and if they enjoy the book may want to act it out -- with perhaps negative consequences.

Again -- I want to state that I do think it's unrealistic that people and their kids won't kiss and hug their own dogs. But children and their parents need to be educated that dogs really don't like this type of affection, and they need to respect their furry family member's feelings and keep that kind of affection to a minimum at times when the dog is in the mood for it. And this book really doesn't help them do that.

Dog Safety

It's National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and so I thought I'd post an article that I wrote some time ago about keeping kids and dog's safe.

“I have the greatest dog in the world; my 2 year old son can lie on top of her, pull her tail or grab her lips and she’s just fine!”

As a dog trainer and Humane Educator, I shudder when I hear stories like this. While a dog like that is amazing and good for a family of small children, I find a number of problems with these stories.

First of all – most likely the dog isn’t fine with it all of the time. She may be giving off subtle communication missed by Mom such as lip licking, whale eye (where the whites of the dog’s eye show), yawning, or even freezing. These are examples of signals given off when dogs are uncomfortable or stressed. Someday she may stop giving off these subtle signals and simply bite the child out of self-defense.

Just because the dog puts up with it doesn’t mean that she should have to. This mother would most likely not allow the child to behave this way with another human. (Substitute the word “grandma” for “dog” in the first sentence of this article!) So why should the dog have to put up with harassment?

What is this child learning about interacting with dogs? Children assume that because they can behave in a particular way with one dog, it means they can behave the same with another. And this child will eventually meet a different dog who may be less tolerant of his actions.

I give dog safety programs to children of all ages, but it is not enough. Children need to hear the message many times before they really start to change their behavior. Parents are in the best position to educate their children about interacting with dogs.

A lot of what I teach children in my presentation is respect. If you don’t like something, then most likely your dog won’t either. Below is a summary of some of the things I discuss when educating children:

While people hug out of friendship, a dog walking up to another dog and throwing his paw over the back of the second dog is far from friendly. That is a status seeking gesture which can result in a dog fight!

Our dogs put up with our hugs because we have a relationship with them. And although I hug my dogs regularly, it would be rude on my part to do that to a dog that wasn’t mine, and it would also be dangerous. If the dog didn’t like it I could get bit in the face.

Unfortunately this is a very difficult message to teach children. Many times I’ll no sooner tell the children not to hug my dog, when they come up and do exactly that. Hugging is a natural behavior for humans, and especially for children. This is something that a parent will repeatedly need to remind their children not to do with dogs.


Some dogs will guard their food bowls, chew toys, or even random items from humans by growling, snapping or even biting. Children should leave dogs alone when they are eating or chewing, and call an adult if the dog has something in his mouth he shouldn’t.

Sometimes dogs don’t want interaction with children. Children should allow the dog to initiate interactions. If the dog doesn’t come out, children should respect him and not chase after him.

Many times kids think that only large, scary looking dogs will bite. But ANY dog will bite – even small and cute dogs, if he is afraid or is guarding something.

Dogs are predators, and children who are running and screaming can cause a dog to kick into predator mode. Some dogs can become over-excited and rambunctious and some can become dangerous. If in doubt, put the dog away from the kids when they are running and screaming.

And here are some things that parents should know about their responsibilities when it comes to dogs and children:
Small children need to be constantly supervised. If you aren’t in the room, then the dog and child should not be together – no matter how wonderful your dog is.

Just because the dog is safe around your kids doesn’t mean he’s safe with all kids. Dogs come to learn the behavior of kids living in their home and know what to expect. Visiting children may behave in a different way, or the dog may be less tolerant of behavior by strangers. Make sure visiting children and your dog are always supervised. If you can’t supervise, put the dog someplace away from the children.

There’s a reason reality TV shows with professional dog trainers have disclaimers. These methods may not be safe for someone without a training background. If you are having problems with child-canine interactions, don’t attempt to solve this yourself. You’ll have a better and safer outcome if you seek out a professional who can come up with a training program specifically tailored for you and your family.


For more information about children and dog interactions, I highly recommend the book “Living with Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind” by Colleen Pelar, CPDT.

Final note…Having your kids grow up with a family dog is priceless. There is so much to learn about love, responsibility, and respect when living with the canine variety. The way you interact and treat your dog is absorbed like a sponge by your children, just like anything else you do in front of them. Observing signs of canine frustration and learning when fido needs a break from the action will undoubtedly help ensure everyone stays BFF. (If you don’t know what that means…ask your kids.)