Dogs are great playmates and family pets. But time and again, they also become a danger: an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 bite injuries require medical treatment in Germany each year, and far more than half of those treated are children. Bite injuries in children are more serious than in adults because dogs are more likely to bite young children in the neck or head, especially the cheeks and lips.
Number of dog bites on children increases in summer
Dogs are particularly likely to bite during the warm summer months. Why this is so, about it there are so far only assumptions: In warm weather, children play outside more often and thus perhaps spend more time with dogs, it could also be that the Verbeiner are also generally more irritable at higher temperatures and the “freely” exposed skin areas in the heat provide an additional stimulus.
Integrate the dog into the family
When dogs bite, the fun of having a pet is quickly gone. If dogs are to find their place in families with young children, then rules are needed that are followed. Children can learn to interact with dogs in a manner appropriate to their species, to respect them as animals with innate instincts, and to take responsibility for them. If parents and children correctly assess the behavior of dogs and spend enough time to educate their four-legged friend, the dog can become a valuable member of the family.
10 rules for dealing with dogs
1. consider each dog as an individual being! Every dog is different. The breed alone says nothing about how the individual animal behaves at certain moments. A good eye for the behavior of the animal helps to recognize critical situations in time. Children as well as adults should approach strange dogs with caution, because every dog has its own peculiarities and has had its own experiences with children. 2. Never tease the dog! Eyes, ears, muzzle and nose are very sensitive places for the dog. Some dogs do not like to be stroked, pulled or played with in these areas. 3. never disturb a dog while it is eating! Dogs react like hunting animals: When they have something to eat, they defend their “prey.” Any disturbance is considered an attack. The dog defends its food by growling and biting. 4. patent remedies do not apply! “Dogs that bark do not bite” – this rule is wrong, barking dogs also snap. Children should learn to keep an eye on the overall situation instead of blindly trusting supposed rules. 5. do not interfere when dogs are fighting! Dogs that get into fights are out of control. Children should not get involved in the fight because they are not strong enough to break up the animals. 6. keep still when a dog snaps! When a dog snaps at a child, the child should stay as still and quiet as possible and not look at the dog. If he or she yanks the snapped hand away, the dog will only reinforce the bite. Something that does not move, on the other hand, quickly becomes uninteresting to the dog and he lets go of it. 7. do not automatically pet strange dogs! A dog that is leashed in front of a store, for example, should not be petted. The dog owner should always be asked in advance. Children should only approach strange dogs slowly from the front and wait until the animal makes contact of its own accord. Even after the owner’s permission, the dog should only be touched if it looks calmly at the person and wags its tail. Carefully pet strange dogs at the front of the side of the neck, never at the top of the head. At first, approach the dog slowly from the side, keeping the hands lowered and letting the dog sniff them first. It is better not to stare directly into the dog’s eyes – it could feel threatened. 8. 8. do not run away from dogs! Dogs like to run and chase; they want to catch a child running away. Therefore, stand still and turn away from the dog; no yelling or frantic movements. A standing, motionless human quickly becomes uninteresting to the dog. If a dog approaches the child abruptly, the child should stop immediately, look away, not shout and let the arms hang loosely. If it has toys such as a ball or stick in its hand, it should drop them. Fell down? Then it is best to “play dead” – flat on the stomach or curled up like an embryo into a ball with hands clasped over the neck for protection.Don’t forget: Always walk or drive past a dog at a distance – out of “snapping range.” 9. baby on the way? Prepare the dog! When a birth is imminent, the rules in the house change – and the dog should be trained for this several weeks in advance, so that he is prepared and does not perceive the baby as competition. What the dog should learn:
- Playful biting in human body parts is taboo
- The children’s room may no longer be entered or only by explicit invitation
- Children’s toys are not dog toys
When the baby is there: never leave the dog alone with the baby. 10. children also need to be considerate! From the earliest crawling age, children need to learn that the dog is not always ready as a play partner and that there are some objects in the household that are only for the dog. The dog blanket or basket is off limits to the child, as are the dog toys and food bowl.
