Don't Confuse Your Dog!

As Bark Busters trainers, one of the most common things we hear from dog owners is "My dog doesn't listen to me".

If you have heard or read about the Bark Busters system of training, you will know that it is founded on communication; voice tone and body language. This leverages the natural communication which works for dogs and has done for thousands of years. Dogs tend to behave consistently and respond consistently to similar triggers. Very often it is we humans who cause the problems by using a combination of inconsistent commands and differing rules depending on how busy / tired / stressed / lazy we are feeling.

The result of this inconsistency is that your dog is probably listening very hard to what you are saying, willing to do as you ask, but is totally confused about what is expected of him.

So when you think that your dog doesn't listen, it could be that you are confusing him by using inconsistent commands and failing to praise his success. For example, you may use 'no' to tell him to stop doing something, your partner may use 'stop it', your children might just shout his name. All of these commands could be interspersed with the odd 'A-ah', 'put it down', 'get off', 'stop being silly'…the list goes on.

Add to this the likelihood that you all have different rules: Some of your family allow him on the couch, some don't, some allow him on the couch at night when they are tired and can't be bothered to tell him to get off: Some allow him to jump up, some don't, some encourage him to do it, some don't mind as long as they're not wearing their best clothes, and some don't mind unless he's muddy! Some of you feed him food from the table, some don't allow him to beg, some don't mind him begging as long as you don't have guests. All of these inconsistencies create a very confused dog!

The same rules around consistency apply to training. You must use simple, clear and consistent commands, and always follow with praise for success. So, if you are training your dog to sit, the 'sit' is his command, followed by 'good boy/girl'. The whole family needs to use the same command, 'sit'. There should be no 'sit down', 'are you going to sit for me?', 'sit down, please', as you will start to confuse your dog with too many different words. If you are starting from scratch, and your dog genuinely does not understand the command, then you can use some gentle manual pressure to place your dog in the sit position, accompanied by the verbal command and then praise when he sits. Your dog will soon get the idea.

Another important point is that your dog's name is not a command. So, if you are calling your dog by shouting his name over and over again, your dog will almost certainly hear you but not be certain of what you want him to do. He may come to you – or not. Calling him in this way from the lounge to the kitchen might work as he may be interested enough to come and see what you are up to or whether you have something for him, but it may not work in the park where he is more interested in new people, dogs and smells. Decide on a recall command such as 'Rover, come!', or 'Rover, here!', use it consistently whenever you want your dog to come to you, either in the house or out and about, and remember to praise him when he does come so that he understands he is doing the right thing.

We recently met a dog owner whose dog was 'not listening to him', and whose barking was driving the owner to distraction. When we met their dog, he was barking as expected. The owner's command for stopping this behaviour was 'sit!'. The dog did indeed sit, but carried on barking. The client was exasperated by the dog's failure to stop barking. But the dog WAS actually listening to the owner and sitting as requested. He had no idea that 'sit' meant he should stop barking - and why would he? Once we had explained this to the owner he could see immediately that he was not communicating well with his dog, and was soon able to change his own behaviour.

Most people's dogs will listen once their owners learn to communicate clearly and consistently. If it helps, write down your commands so that you, and the rest of the family, know what they are and when to use them. Don't allow variables to creep in.

Of course, if you need any help, you can call us and we would be delighted to help you with teaching you how to train your dog and be consistent. We know that your dogs will thank you for it!

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Managing your dogs fear of fireworks

Bonfire night takes place traditionally on 5th November but, as we all know, nowadays, fireworks can be seen and heard for weeks before and after that date. Whilst fireworks are attractive and exciting for humans, dogs generally are far less keen and are unable to make sense of the loud bangs and explosions taking place in their normally quiet lives.

Dogs can become very worried and even distressed by loud bangs. Obviously there is little you can do to prevent the fireworks going off around your home, but you can take some steps to minimise the stress for your dog.

Firstly, during firework season, it may be worth trying to alter your routine slightly so that instead of walking your dog during the evening, try to walk her before 7pm, or much later at night so that you are not out and about during peak firework times. If you are out when fireworks go off, keep a tight grip on the lead, but keep the tension down the lead loose so that you don’t let your dog think that there is something to worry about. If your dog is uncomfortable, return home.

Whilst you are all at home, keep the curtains drawn and the television or radio on. These simple steps can help to reduce your dog’s exposure to flashing lights and loud explosions. It’s also important to try to behave as normally as possible and not show any reaction yourself to the noise outside. Your dog will become more anxious if you show that you too are disturbed by the noise. Similarly, don’t over fuss your dog. Your dog will see this as abnormal behaviour and will think that there must be something to be worried about.

If being in the room with you with curtains closed and the television on is not sufficient to keep your dog calm, she may take refuge under a table, behind the sofa, or in her crate. If she does this, just leave her alone, and don’t stress her more by trying to coax her out. Just behave as though everything is normal and she will pick up on your demeanour and feel more comfortable.

Ensure that your dog has no access to outside doors as she may bolt in fear once the door is opened. In case this does happen, make sure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag so that she can be reunited with you.

Make sure your garden fencing is secure and that gates are locked to prevent your dog escaping in panic from the garden. It’s preferable to keep your dog indoors when you know there will be fireworks. It’s a good idea to ensure that the door to the house is left open for the dog whilst outside so that she can make the choice to bolt into the house rather than out into the road.

Taking steps to ensure that you shelter your dog as far as possible from the noise of fireworks will help to alleviate the potential for extreme stress, and will also help to keep your dog as safe as possible throughout the firework period.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Don't let the Halloween fright turn into a bite

Halloween is fast approaching and, as dog trainers and behaviour therapists, we know that this can be a particularly difficult time for dogs. Most dogs don't like change because they are used to the routine and association they have built and are most familiar with. Their environment may be different because of decorations in the house and the street, and the people around them can change in both appearance and behaviour. We’ve put together some useful advice for anyone who owns a dog, or who may have contact with dogs over the Halloween period.

• Your children may enjoy dressing in Halloween costumes, but your dog may not! Please don’t dress your dog in costume unless you know they are comfortable with this. Trying to force your dog into an unfamiliar (and possibly uncomfortable) costume could result in a stressed dog who may react aggressively towards you and other people he encounters.
• Once you are dressed in Halloween costumes, particularly those that include masks, your dog may not recognise you, and may respond to you very differently to normal. We would recommend that you never wear, or allow anyone else to wear, a mask in the presence of your dog. If you or your children are going to wear costumes, make sure that your dog has a chance to sniff them before wearing them, and that you behave in your normal way around him whilst wearing them.
  
  You cannot assume that your dog understands that you are wearing a mask or a giant spider costume. Dogs will struggle to make sense of the changes. Furthermore, if you set about deliberately shocking your dog by wearing ugly masks and screaming at him, you risk stressing your dog and, at worst, you may get bitten. Similarly, if somebody else does this and gets bitten, you will be responsible!
• Don’t be afraid to control children, or any other visitors, to manage their behaviour around you dog.
• Sweets and chocolate can be poisonous to dogs – ensure that all confectionery is out of reach of your dog.
• Trick or treat is great fun for children but not necessarily so for dogs. He may become anxious about the number of people knocking at your door, wearing masks and making Halloween noises. Again, you can’t expect your dog to understand that it is Halloween. To him, this is behaviour that he didn't expect, does not understand and he may feel that you are under threat, and react accordingly. Make sure your dog has no access to the front door or the hallway during the times when trick-or-treat groups are likely to visit. By doing this, you will be protecting him from a stressful situation and ensuring the safety of both your pet, and the ‘visitors’.
• In case your dog does panic and escape whilst you have the door open, ensure that he is wearing his collar and ID tag, and that the details are up to date.
• Be careful when using candles in the house. Make sure they are high enough to avoid the risk of them being knocked over by a wagging tail, or use electric or battery-operated candles instead.
• Unless you are 100% sure that your dog can cope with the added excitement, or the stress of being out amongst ghoulish figures carrying lamps in the dark, don’t take your dog trick or treating. Leave your dog at home with the television on and the curtains closed, or pop him in his crate with a tasty dog treat.
• If you are someone who doesn’t participate in Halloween dressing up or trick or treat, try to remain as normal as possible around your dog. Don’t over fuss your dog as this can send him a message that there is something to be worried about. Consider leaving a pot of sweets outside your door with a sign for trick or treaters to help themselves. That way, you won’t be disturbed.
• If you meet a dog whilst dressed in a costume, behave sensibly. Keep your distance from the dog as you address the owner. Don’t attempt to stroke the dog, and never try to deliberately scare the dog. Your actions may leave the owner and the dog in serious trouble if you get bitten as a result of your actions.

We want you to enjoy the Halloween celebrations whilst remaining safe, and ensuring that your pets are safe and happy too. Giving a little extra thought to your four-legged friend will give you the best chance of a happy Halloween with no unfortunate, unforeseen incidents.
Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Jumping Up - Dog Training Tips

We often get called to see dogs who are in the habit of jumping up at people. It may be that they jump up at their owner, or visitors, or anyone they pass in the street! It’s a behaviour that can be, at best, embarrassing for the owner or, at worst, putting the owner at risk of criminal charges and an expensive fine.

When dogs greet each other (besides the rear end sniffing), they do so face to face. This is the accepted etiquette between dogs. The problems arise when your dog offers this behaviour to all humans he wants to say hello to. Jumping up at you in order to get his face close to yours is not good manners in the human world, and it certainly won’t go down well when your dog chooses to do this to the first person he passes after a run through a muddy field! So jumping up to say hello is a prime example of a behaviour where communication is key to teaching your dog that what is acceptable in the dog world is not acceptable in the human world.

To avoid confusing yourself as to how far your dog needs to go before his behaviour is considered anti-social, apply this rule: “My dog should have four paws on the ground when greeting people”. This benchmark is completely unambiguous. It will eliminate any doubt in your mind, and will enable you to know exactly when to praise your dog. Even if you decide that your dog needs to be in a ‘sit’ in order to greet people, he will still have four paws on the ground.

So how do you teach your dog to stop jumping up? Bark Busters trainers do not condone using painful methods to deter a dog from unwanted behaviour, so we do not hold with methods such as kneeing your dog in the chest, or causing pain in any other way. These methods are cruel and do not communicate to your dog what you want him to do instead. Rather, we would suggest that you teach your dog through communication and leadership to offer an alternative behaviour, either standing or sitting, but with all paws on the floor. You must start simply, using yourself as the stooge. Teach your dog that he is highly praised when he remains on the ground, and that jumping up will earn him no attention from you other than a vocal correction. Be alert, and be ready to issue your vocal correction as soon as the paws start to leave the ground – don’t wait until his paws are on your shoulders to do this. As soon as his paws are back on the ground give lots of praise, but try not to be too physical with your praise as this may encourage him to jump again. By consistent repetition, teaching him that remaining in the sit or stand position when visitors arrive will earn him your praise, you are positively reinforcing that behaviour.

What you must understand is that we, as humans, often overcomplicate the communication between ourselves and our dogs and so we slow down the training process. When you set out to train your dog either in to or out of certain behaviours, you must be consistent. Dogs are consistent creatures who tend to respond in the same way to the same triggers. Humans are inconsistent, and respond differently to triggers depending on what mood we are in/how much time we have/ whether or not we can be bothered. By behaving inconsistently, you will only confuse your dog and slow down any progress. For example; you may accidentally encourage your dog in his jumping up habits by being animated and friendly when he does this to you, but then you might scream in horror when he does it to your five-year-old niece and knocks her over. The rule is simple…if you don’t want your dog to jump up at everybody then he must not jump up at anybody – including you. A dog cannot make the judgement as to who he can and cannot jump up at, so you must teach him never to jump up at anybody. He is greeted and fussed when he has four paws on the ground.

Spend some time putting your training into practise before you go out, or before visitors are due to arrive. Your dog will learn more quickly when there are few distractions and he is not excited, as he will be better able to listen to you as you teach him and praise him. Training your dog also helps you build a bond, entertains your dog, and teaches him to use his brain. A trained dog is a pleasure to be around.

If you need any help with this or any other issues, give us a call. Your local Bark Busters Home Dog Training therapist will be delighted to help you and teach you the techniques you need to cure your dog’s ‘anti-social’ behaviour.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Bereavement: Coping with the loss of a dog

Dogs are with us for just a short period of our lives and yet, during that time, they become a major part of our family. Many people would describe the attachment they feel towards their dog as just as strong, if not stronger, than that felt towards some human relatives. So when it is time for our beloved pet to leave us and cross over the "Rainbow Bridge", the sense of grief and loss can be overwhelming. What is worse, many other people, those you work with or those you know socially who have never owned a dog and never experienced that particular bond of love and affection, simply cannot comprehend the depth of your grief.

As well as affecting you personally, it will also affect the whole family and your other pets if you have them. So whilst you are grieving, you also have the difficult task of dealing with the grief of the rest of the family, and the change in behaviour of your surviving pets as they try to cope with the loss of a member of their family group and the changes in your emotional state. This can leave you in a maelstrom of emotions, and make coping with the loss of your pet even more difficult as you struggle to maintain your day-to-day life amongst those whose sympathy is limited. For those who lived alone with their dog, the sense of loss is particularly heightened as their beloved dog has been their full-time companion and friend.

People who comment that “it’s just a dog” are not going to be any help or support to you during this traumatic time. They are probably not wishing to be harsh, but they simply to do not understand the bond of family and friendship that a dog brings. So, although there will be those who will not comprehend the depth of your grief, this does not mean that should not allow yourself to mourn the loss of your dog. It is important not to feel ashamed or guilty about the grief that you are feeling. You need to go through this process in your own time so that you can eventually move on from it.

Coming to terms with the death of a dog is a process that can take some time. The duration and unfolding of this process will vary from person to person and can last from weeks or even years. The process will be as individual to you as was your relationship with your dog. Waves of emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt or even depression will bring emotional lows that will last for varying lengths of time. Accepting that these emotions are a normal part of the grieving process, and allowing them the freedom to come and go will mean that, eventually these emotional lows will become shorter and less painful as time goes by.

Accepting that your feelings of grief and sadness are normal responses, that should not be denied, is the first step in your healing process. Don’t try to tell yourself how you should feel, and certainly don’t allow other people to do so either. Where you can, reach out to other people who have shared similar experiences and are willing to share on social media, forums, or on-line support groups. These people will be helpful and supportive to you, won’t judge you, and will share their own experiences too, allowing you to feel less alone. Also, by listening to their stories, you can draw some comfort from the knowledge that you are helping others along their journey of mourning.

During the process of mourning, it is also important that you try to maintain your physical health and well-being. Your emotional energy can drain your physical reserves so it is important to try to maintain your eating, exercising and personal hygiene habits. For those in employment, maintaining the regular routine of going to work can be beneficial. It is probably a good idea to let your employer know what has happened to you. They may not be able to offer much in the way of structured support, or time off, but alerting them will help to avoid potential criticism of your commitment and/or concentration levels. Also important is to try to maintain the regular routines of any surviving pets. Make sure their feeding routines are maintained, and also maintain or Increase the amount of exercise and interaction. This can help re-establish your relationship and break the overwhelming mood of sorrow that you all share.

Holding a funeral, or remembrance service is something that can allow time for the family to come together to grieve and share their personal feelings and experiences about your pet. You will probably experience many tears and overwhelming grief at such a ceremony, but there will also be laughter as people share their stories from the dog’s life. Laughter and joy are ways of celebrating your dog’s life and are as valuable as sorrow throughout the grieving process. You may also want to think about creating a memorial, whether that be in a pet cemetery, pictures around your home, a book of memories, or by planting a tree or erecting a bench in your dog’s memory. All of these things are positive actions that allow you to invest your emotions into a physical activity, and may help you to process your grief.

Of course, the manner of your dog’s passing can also contribute to the emotions you are feeling. When a dog is put to sleep by a vet, the decision is one that has been taken with the advice of the vet, and is in the best interests of your dog. In other words, you have been guided into an informed choice that reflects your love for your dog. Sometimes a dog’s passing may be sudden and completely unexpected due to an accident or an attack. These latter situations can prove more challenging as you may blame yourself or start to think ‘if only’. If only you hadn’t left the gate open, if only you hadn’t taken him to the park at that time. These types of thoughts will bring feelings of guilt and even self-loathing into the mix of emotions, and can be very difficult to deal with. If talking with people who understand and empathise with your emotions is not preventing you from slipping into despair and depression, then you should speak to your GP to help you seek professional help.

If you are thinking about getting another dog, don’t do it too soon. The decision is personal and yours to take, but rushing into the next relationship with another dog may not be the best thing for either you or the dog. You may find that you constantly compare the new dog to the old one, and the new one will not come out on top. Allow yourself to mourn your old dog and, only when you feel emotionally ready, then allow yourself to love another. Also, consider your age; Are you fit enough for a large dog? What is your life expectancy? Be honest with yourself about what type of dog you will be able to handle.

During this difficult time, and if you don’t have any surviving dogs, do allow yourself to appreciate the benefits of not having a dog. Try to have days out, holidays, evenings with friends where you are not tied to the needs of a pet. Constantly repeating all of the behaviours that you used to do when you had a pet will not help you move on.

The journey through grief can be a long and difficult one, and you may feel that you are making the journey alone. Allow yourself to be present on the journey, don’t allow other people to try to direct you or try to speed you through it. Allow those who are willing, to support you as you move through the stages of your grief until, ultimately, you are able to move on.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Introducing a new puppy or dog

If you have decided that the time is right to add a new dog to your family, you will probably be feeling really excited to introduce the new addition to the rest of the family. There will be reasons why you felt that this was the right dog for your family…right age, right size, right temperament, good with children, good with other dogs etc., so you are confident that this new dog will easily slot in to your family group.

Whether you have decided on a puppy, or an adult dog, you should take time to consider that your resident dogs may not be quite as excited as you are about the prospect of a new dog moving in. In fact, this change in the family group can prove quite stressful for your dog, so it’s worth taking care to manage the introduction and so minimise potential problems.

We’ve put together a few tips to help you:
If you are adopting from a dog rescue centre most rescues will ask you to bring your existing dog to the centre where you can all meet your potential adoptee. The staff, and you, will then be able to see how the dogs interact with each other before agreeing that you should take your new dog home. Even if you aren’t adopting through a rescue centre, it is still a good idea to allow the dogs to meet on neutral territory first, as your dog may react to a new, unknown, dog arriving on his territory. Also, if you already have more than one dog, it’s worth introducing them singularly to the new dog so that you don’t overwhelm the new dog with an already established group.

Once in your home, ensure that the new dog has its own sleeping area, and its own food bowl. Don’t expect your existing dog to be willing to share its bed or food bowl with the newcomer. Feed the dogs in separated areas, and remove food bowls after each meal time as dogs can be possessive over food bowls even when empty.

Use a crate or safety gate to ensure separation. Allow your existing dog to roam freely, but secure the new dog. This gives the existing dog time to get used to the new dog being there, and to accept that he has not lost his place in the family group.

Never leave new your new dog unattended with your existing dog until the dogs have got to know one another, as the situation can sometimes deteriorate quickly. At times when you do allow the dogs together in one room, make sure you are on hand to deal with any issues as the situation can change very quickly. Also ensure that any prized possessions and toys are removed so that these don’t cause any sort of potential rivalry. The dogs should have their own toys that are only brought out for them to play with when they are separated.

Always remember that your existing dog needs to be confident in his status and where he fits within your family group in order to accept the newcomer. Treat him the same way as you always have done, and be fair about sharing your attention. In fact, share everything equally, including your time and attention, as well as treats and toys. Never favour your new dog over your existing dog. Your new dog will learn a lot from your existing dog about how the household works, so doing your utmost to maintain routines will help both of them as they adapt to each other.

Introducing a puppy to an adult dog.
Not all dogs will welcome a new puppy into the home. Puppies are notorious in looking for attention and can easily overwhelm your existing dog. Supervision is needed when introducing so as not to get them off on the wrong foot.

Very young puppies may not understand and pick up on your existing dogs body language that says he's had enough. A well-balanced adult dog may growl to tell the puppy to back off and to say he's had enough. This can be a natural behaviour and establishes the ground rules and helps the puppy learn the boundaries. However, an adult dog with poor social skills may not growl and can snap out and harm the puppy. Try to observe the body language of your existing dog and if the situation looks to be uncomfortable remove the puppy for a period of time. Don't leave your dog and puppy unsupervised and unattended. Be mindful and respect your existing dog's need for a puppy free time and also spend some one-on-one time with your existing dog too.

Handle the puppy-to-dog introduction with care as you would when you introduce two adult dogs. Observe their body language, allow brief sniffs, ensure they don't overwhelm each other and place them on leads if you feel it's safer. Don't forget to praise them when they are calm and they are well behaved.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Read More

Dog Bite Prevention | Avoiding Dog Bites

Dog bite prevention week takes place on the third week of May annually and aims to educate people in how to avoid being bitten by a dog. It's a sad fact that dog bites, in the UK, increase more and more each year. Over the past 10 years, dog bites have increased by over 40%. The latest NHS figures appear to show that there has been an increase of over 6% on 2014 compared to 2013*.

Thousands of people in the UK are bitten by dogs every year, and many of these bites result in the need for medical treatment and admission to hospital. Children between the age of 0 and 9 years are the most likely to be bitten, with the injuries being on the face and shoulders. Their bites often occur whilst the child is playing with a " familiar" dog too.

Bark Busters believe that the vast majority of dog bites or attacks can be avoided. To minimise the risk, dog owners should take care to train and socialise their dog and feed a good quality diet. They should also educate children in the appropriate way to behave around dogs. Below are some guidelines on child safety in the presence of dogs:

• NEVER leave children alone with a dog.
• Educate your child about dog safety just as you would about road safety. To get you started, you could ask your child to visit our Dog Safety for Children website to watch our "Dally Says" video with an important message.

• Don’t allow your child to approach a strange dog. If the owner is present, you may ask the owner if it is ok for your child to approach the dog. Only then, and under the guidance of the owner , you may supervise your child in a gentle approach to the dog. Allow the dog time to sniff you first before any attempt to stroke the dog. You should only stroke the dog if the owner is confident that it's ok to do so. Unless you supervise this greeting, children often rush up to dogs whilst asking the owner if they can stroke the dog, but are often reaching out to the dog before the owner has registered the question.
• Never allow a child to approach a dog whilst it is eating or sleeping, and don’t allow children to feed a dog as dogs can be protective of food. Furthermore, don’t allow a dog to take food out of a child’s hands.
• Never allow a child to approach a dog with puppies. She will be very protective over the puppies, and may bite if she feels that her puppies are at risk.
• Don’t allow children to approach a dog who is tied up. If a dog is frightened or scared it has two options, fight or flight. If they are tied up, they have lost the option to flight and may bite if they feel threatened and can’t escape.
• Children should never be allowed to run around or scream around dogs. This can excite the dog and can lead to heavy play or may alarm a dog and can lead to a bite.
• It goes without saying that children should never be allowed to pull a dog’s ears, mouth or tail etc. Dogs feel pain, children can be heavy-handed and although they don’t mean to, can cause pain which may result in a bite. Children should never sit or lie on a dog. Even hugging a dog should be discouraged.
• Ensure that your dog has somewhere to go where he can escape the attention of a child. A crate can provide a place of safety or a quiet area under a table. Children should never approach the dog in his crate or area of safety, and should certainly never try to enter the crate.
• Whenever you have children over to visit, make sure that your dog is under control on their arrival, giving you time to explain your rules about approaching your dog. Be vigilant and be ready to remove your dog from a situation where you are uncomfortable, or where your dog appears uncomfortable. This may mean that you need to learn to observe your dog’s body language . We have resources to help you with this on our website.
   

* NHS statistics

 

Read More