How To Keep Dogs And Children Safe
77% of Dog Bites come from the family dog or a friend’s dog. It’s not for lack of love, it’s for lack of understanding.
PAT, PET, PAUSE
Ask parents, Ask owners, Ask dog!
Pat your leg to invite dog into your space, Pet with one hand from collar to tail, Pause to see if dog is still keen on the interaction.
The Yellow Zone, Tolerance, is where wise parental guidance really improves kids and dogs' relationships! Look for the following signs: Lip Licking, Turning Away, Half-Moon Eye, Shaking Off, Yawning, Mouth Closed.
Growling, snarling, nipping, snapping, and biting are all Red Zone Behaviours.
But ...So are all forms of escape and avoidance. Whether politely or rudely expressed, the red zone is when the dog wants the interaction to end.
Red zone behaviours mean we missed the earlier signs. They are a failure of management and supervision. When you see red zone signals, intervene immediately and give everyone some down time.
Do not punish red zone behaviours. They are the symptoms of the problem, not the problem itself. Make a plan for preventing similar stressful situations in the future.
