Safety & Kids

Buy a dog from a reputable breeder.
A responsible breeder emphasizes good temperament when selecting breeding stock. Breeders who do not have adequate knowledge of dog behavior may not understand what a correct temperament is and breed unsuitable dogs. Irresponsible breeders may deliberately breed dogs with poor temperaments. Remember, some dogs are just like some humans that are mentally disturbed or have an illness or physical defect that affects their behavior.

Dogs are not little people dressed in fur.
Dogs aren't people and don't think like people. Dogs usually act from instinct and they react to a situation from this instinct unless they have had consistent, quality training and socialization. Most dogs, even those that are well-trained, do not consider children as figures of authority. Furthermore, since children frequently stare intently at animals, a dog may feel threatened by this short person who is trying to catch him. Even the best-natured dog may bite to protect himself in these circumstances, especially if he feels cornered.

Teach your child a dog's warning sounds and body language.
There are different types of warnings a dog can give. Some dogs will just "walk away" from a child. This is a warning that the dog does not want to play or be with the child. A growl is a warning. Sometimes a dog will "stiffen" its body. Your child should be taught these signals. Remember that what is clear to an adult usually is not apparent to a child.

Screaming, running, and startling a sleeping dog may lead to a bite.
Very few bites happen without provocation. Remember that the provocation may be ONLY in the dog's mind. Watch your child and teach him/her how to move and play around a dog. A running human frequently says "prey" to the dog and triggers the chase response in the dog's brain. Once triggered, this response is very difficult to interrupt. The dog is reacting to chemical stimulus, not rational thought, and is extremely hard to sidetrack.

Obedience Training and Socialization are "musts" if a dog is to be around children. Dogs will act according to their instincts if not properly trained.
Dogs act according to instincts if proper training is not given or if training is not regularly practiced. A family dog needs to be taught to obey commands under all conditions no matter how distracting. Responding to the command to come could save the dog's life, and a response to the command to stop could save a child from serious injury.

Adult supervision is essential. NEVER leave a small child alone with a dog. Telling a toddler or young child to stay away from a dog is not supervision.
Often children do not recognize when the dog has given a warning. Adults are responsible for keeping a child safe from the dog and the dog safe from the child. Children should be taught to never hit dogs with their hands or an object, to lower their voices when playing with the dog, to leave the dog alone when he's sleeping, eating, or ill, and to never tease a dog in any fashion. Many dog bites occur because the child teases the pet beyond endurance.

What your dog accepts from your own children may not be what he/she will accept from a neighbor's child.
Again, ADULTS are responsible for the safety of their dog and other children from the dog. Children should never hug a dog that is not their own.

Please do not leave a dog chained unattended in a yard.
Dogs are better off in fenced areas where they can see the barrier between them and the world, where they can feel somewhat safe from noisy, frolicking children. In addition, many dogs instinctively equate the high-pitched sounds of children with the distress sounds of prey animals, and they react by biting the child as they would have bitten the prey animal in the wild. If the dog has access to a fenced yard, owners should make sure that neighborhood children cannot accidentally or intentionally tease him. Kids often begin by goading the dog to bark, then to snarl. Or they may throw things at him to chase him away from the fence. However it begins, the end result is usually the same: the kids learn that teasing the dog gives them a feeling of power tinged with the possibility of danger and the dog learns to hate kids. This hatred may be manifest as fear or as aggression, and may end when a child is bitten and the dog is taken to the pound to be placed in a new home, (if lucky). Again, never tie a dog in the yard. Children tend to tease tethered dogs even without realizing it, which can lead to aggressive behavior. Many instances of dogs attacking children occur when the dog is tethered in the yard and a screaming or running child enters its space.

The dog should have a place he can call his own.
Dogs need a retreat, a private room, a den. This can be a pen in the back yard or a crate in the house. The children should never be allowed to bother the dog when he is in his place.

The potential relationship between a child and the dog who considers himself the family guardian is precious, and it needs to be nurtured and guided.