How to keep your kids safe around dogs, part 3

Rule #3 Never bother a dog while they are eating or sleeping

This should be the holy grail of rules in a house with kids. I have personally worked 7 cases where kids were bitten while trying to snuggle a dog while they are sleeping. My own husband saw the title of this blog and said “oh yea, I got bit by my family dog when I got too close while he was getting into the trash.”

Give your dog plenty of space when they are eating, sleeping, or they have a valued resource (think bone or toy.) Allow for 3-6ft of space. Okay, I totally just made up those distances, but it’s still a good rule of thumb. According to the book Decoding Your Dog (page 153), “children under the age of six were most often bitten when they approached a dog who was near a resource, or while the dog was resting. Usually the dog was not moving and was approached by the child.” Let’s learn from other peoples’ mistakes and develop good boundaries between kids and dogs during this time.

Having worked with families whose kids have been bitten, I can tell you that they’re the scariest clients I will ever take on. Putting me at risk is one thing, but putting someone else’s child at risk is a whole other level. I will gladly lose money to promote good boundaries with kids and prevent these common situations from happening.

If you’re having trouble finding that kid/dog balance in your household, please reach out. I can help.

I hope this knowledge finds you well.

Have a Barking Good Day!