Dogs Biting & Their Body Language (kids too)

[Pam & Trixie]

I thought this was a timely (and good) article with the Dog bite thread yesterday.

For Doodles & all dogs.

In my mind set No dog can ever be trusted with kids (even the very best dog)

On Outings Trixie gets pet by alot of kids (like 5-30) during a walk- depending on where we walk.
I am always right beside her when this happens. I trust her very, very much. But one can never be 100%. A hurt dog or scared dog can bite.
I am going to start watching for these signs in her & in other dogs....to see if I notice any

http://www.robinkbennett.com/2013/08/19/why-supervising-dogs-and-ki...

[Amy & Albee]

Thanks for sharing! I stumbled across a youtube video once showing a room full of dogs and they broke down some of the cues they were giving (yawning, lip licking, avoiding eye contact, etc). And because they were dogs, they picked up on it and left them alone. It has to become second nature for dog owners to spot these signs, because dogs are trying to let us know!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is a good article. I would add that sometimes, loud breathing/panting can also be a sign of stress in a dog, especially when it ramps up suddenly with no apparent reason. 

That photo of those kids crowded around that dog with their faces up next to his and their arms around him made me nervous just looking at it. Kids need to be taught never to hug a dog around the head or neck, and no faces up close to the dog's. 

It's also important to teach children never to approach a strange dog head on, and never to reach out their hands to pet his head. I don't let strange adults approach JD that way, either. You should always approach from the side. Many, many dogs do not like being petted on their heads, even though they may tolerate it. It's much better to pet them along their sides or on their chests. 

[Pam & Trixie]

good advice Karen.

So what does one do when you are in a public place with your dog.  We take Trixie to lots of places..

And kids run up to her all the time.  it has not bothered her- but I also know that that might now always be the case.

How can I get them to approach her in a safe way.  I have her sit, Most kids want to pet her head.  I have them put their hand down- palm up so she can smell them- Is this a correct thing to do?  She is not real kissie- so she usually smells their hand & gives 0-1 kiss.  I have tried directing them to pet her side- Sometimes they do, sometimes they try to pet her head again.

I have learned that she does not like kids screaming around her, usually it is an excited Scream at seeing her. 

Can I condition her to get more used to this with a screaming kid & treats from me & the kid?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The way that you get children to approach Trixie in a safe way is to not worry about hurting their feelings or not seeming "nice", lol. That's your dog, and you get to tell strange kids how to behave around her. You can see the kids approaching, so you get their attention and direct them with words or gestures before they get to her. You can smile and be nice, but also point to her side and say "Would you like to pet Trixie? Come over here next to her. She likes to be pet on her sides, not her head. And she likes soft voices, loud voices scare her." I usually get a laugh when I tell them that JD likes his butt scratched, kids love that. I would totally avoid any kids who are so young or out of control or unaccustomed to being around dogs that they scream...whether I had a dog with me or not, lol. 

That thing with the palm up is an old idea really intended for dogs who are hand shy, the idea is that the dog sees that you don't have anything in your hand that might hurt him and you are not going to hit him. It doesn't really work very well, though. JD doesn't like a hand coming at his face or head, even mine, and it doesn't matter if the palm is up or down. After all, the dog can smell the hand either way, and it smells the same, lol. 

And you can definitely work on getting her more comfortable around screaming kids, but that needs to be eased into. Start by walking her past school & daycare playgrounds at recess time. You can also work on having calm children give her treats in an environment where there are other kids who are screaming. But I think that when a kid (or anyone) is in such an excited state that they are screaming, treats from that kid will not work, lol.  

[Becka]

Another thing that Sadie and I learned at puppy school was to never let people touch your dog without your permission, which means getting between them and your dog if you need to. If it's a kid, I always feel comfortable saying "you should always ask the owner's permission before you pet a dog." Fortunately, that seems to be a lesson almost every child we've ever encountered has already been taught.

[Pam & Trixie]

Yes, it amazes me how many kids ask to pet Trixie before they pet her.  So it will give me that opportunity that Karen suggested where I show & tell them how she likes to be pet

[Sally S Miles]

My husband told the neighborhood kids that our dog was in training, that it was important for them to help. It worked!

 

I agree that kids need to be taught many things about the real world and greeting dogs is on that list. Many adults need far sterner verbal corrections however - -

[Pam & Trixie]

Thank you Karen!

Yes, I thought the palm/hand thing might be old school...As it is what I was taught as a kid : )

[Robin & Josie]

I don't know why this is, but, invariably, every ADULT that approaches Josie, puts their hands in her mouth. Does anybody know why that is???? It makes me crazy. I have to try and beat them to it as they're, literally, putting their fingers in her teething, sharp teeth, puppy mouth. It's just so stupid. I usually say, "You probably don't want to put your hand in her mouth. Her teeth are sharp." Some people do it anyway. Sigh.

As for children, most ask before approaching her, fortunately, and I always instruct them to pet her gently BEHIND HER HEAD. I also hold her tight, because she LOVES children and, I believe, considers them another puppy, and will try and play with them. Obviously not a good idea. We are not at a place (4 and half months) where I can get her into a reliable sitting position. She's so cute that she draws a ton of attention, so this is a very legit topic.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Putting their hands in the dog's mouth is something I usually see men do, but not women. I don't know why, either. 

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Wally and I volunteered at a dog-safety event at the Children's Museum in Boston, which was run by the MSPCA from Angell Animal Medical Center.  They taught children to ask the dog's owner for permission first, and then to let the dog smell the back of their hand.  Afterwards, they were shown that the best place to pet a dog is along the side of its body or neck -- never on the dog's head, and never to hug a dog.  Wally was the demo dog, so to speak, and they practiced on him.  

At the same event, parents and youngsters were taught how to read dogs' body language, in order to be safe.

[Robin & Josie]

Yes, Laurie. That's what I mean when I say "behind the dog's head". As she gets older, I will encourage petting her on her side. Now, she's so quick that she might be able to reach the hand if it's there rather than on her neck which is a little harder. Trying to protect those little fingers! We are from Needham too. And spend weekends on the Cape. Maybe we've seen you around?