It's terrifying how common tales are of dogs savaging young children. You might think that it’s just Pit Bulls or certain breeds that do this kind of thing but it's common across all breeds. Children have the uncanny ability to make dogs angry without intending.
Most families will luckily never have to deal with anything remotely as traumatic but if you own a dog and have children; or have children visiting often - then you too must take some responsibility for their actions and behavior.
You want to prepare your children by teaching them a few simple rules about playing with the dog.
The first step to understand the aggression. So, what causes dogs to become aggressive? There are a few different kinds of aggression that dogs experience. If they are scared they become aggressive, if something threatens their territory or family and as an act of dominance assertion.
An aggressive dog's ears will pin back; their tail might stand up and they will growl. The growl is a warning.
What’s the best way to deal with an aggressive dog?
If you have the luxury of realizing before something happens that the dog is upset and about to hurt your child or you there are some things you can do:
- It's most important to try to keep as calm as possible; the dog will sense your fear
- Speak in a soft voice - remove the disturbance if possible.
What can you do to prevent an aggressive dog?
- Teach your children that the dogs have feeling too and are to be treated with care. This means no rough playing with the dog. Some breeds of dog become agitated and roughhousing can greatly upset them. Enough to bite your child!
- If your children are very small you will need to take care to supervise them at all times. You cannot leave a toddler with a dog without risking something going wrong. Very young children do not understand how to treat animals yet.
- The importance of having a well trained dog cannot be stated enough. When you get a puppy take them to obedience classes straight away. Even if you don't have children it's important to have a well trained dog. You don't want your beloved pooch to harm someone else's children.
If you have children and are considering buying a dog; there are some considerations that can make it far less likely for an aggressive dog. Choose carefully - some breeds are known to have a low tolerance and others are known to be child friendly.
Dogs have a long standing relationship with humans - dogs love people and visa versa. By following these pointers you should be assured of a happy calm dog that won't harm anyone. A carefully trained dog will give you peace of mind and most importantly - become an important part of your family life.