Safe behaviour around dogs
Posted in: Companion Animals
| Getting a dog is a big responsibility and having them well trained and socialised from an early age is essential. We run regular Puppy Classes where you can learn about how best to care for your pup and we teach you the basics of training and socialising so your pup grows into a happy and confident member of your family. It’s also important that we learn how to read our dog’s body language, as this is how they communicate with us. When dogs are not happy, they may cower or tremor, they may put their tail between their legs and try to make themselves very small. The next step from here may be a showing of the teeth or a growl and if all these cues go unnoticed a dog may bite as a very last resort. |
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| ACC figures show that dog related injuries are on the rise, increasing by 50% in the past five years. Many of the victims of dog attacks are children, which makes it so important to educate children about how to behave around dogs. Regardless of the breed or size of dog, the approach is the same. Never approach a dog when the owner is not around. If a dog is tied up and unaccompanied, leave it alone. If the dog is loose, don’t approach it, avoid direct eye contact and slowly back away. If you do want to pat a dog, always ask the owner first. Some dogs might be painful or not well socialized, some can be fearful of situations they are not familiar with. Many dogs are not used to children. Children are often at eye level with most dogs and the direct eye contact and attention of children can be intimidating. Let them sniff you first. Dogs have huge noses for a reason, and they like to get acquainted by sniffing each other. Offer the dog the back of your hand for them to sniff. When you go to pat them, ‘chin and chest is best’. Most people approach a dog by reaching out to pat it on the head. This is quite an aggressive move to a dog that doesn’t know you and can cause a fearful dog to bite. Patting them under their chin and on their chest is the way to go, and if they roll over, by all means, give them a scratch on the tummy! As much as it is important to train and socialize your new puppy, it’s also important to teach children how to behave around dogs to keep everyone safe. |