Dog Bites and Children

Dog bites and children are unfortunately all too common in the family home. All too often we hear of another child bitten by a family dog. But it’s not the dog that’s always at fault.

Unfortunately, so many people are misguided about the importance of managing family pets around young children.

More children are hospitalised in Australia each year resulting from dog bites than car accidents.  You may be surprised to know that most dog bite incidents occur within the family home with small children by their family dog.

Advice from John

As a behavioural specialist and professional dog trainer in all of my years of dog training, I am yet to see or work with a dog that could be trusted 100% around small children.

Children have no understanding of dogs and the potential of danger, nor do many adults.

Dogs are not humans.  Humanising of dogs is not necessarily kind it is often cruel and confusing to dogs. Dog bite incidents are often a direct result of humanising dogs and is in many cases the cause of so many behavioural problems in dogs.

Unfortunately  the pet industry as a whole has a lot to answer for in encouraging humanising of dogs. We have found misinformation to be the predominant cause of confusion with owners and their dogs.

If you are going to obtain advice check out the source and give it a bit of thought. Anyone can write a book or put anything on the net, does it make it correct?

Advice from John

This is not to say you should be paranoid about dogs. However the use of simple common sense along with the correct information and education provided by professional trainers on how to manage your family pet around young children in order to avoid dog bite incidents occurring in the first place.

Very few people are qualified to advise you on the correct rearing and training of dogs to become safe suitable family companions.

At AUSDOG that’s what I do and have been doing successfully for the past 30 years.

As a professional dog trainer and behavioural specialist, I educate owners how to correctly manage their family dogs around small children, so  they remain a much valued member of the family for years to come.  To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call for a no obligation discussion.