Recently, someone asked me two questions. Why do I hear stories about a dog that has never been aggressive attacking a child? Should I be afraid to have a dog around my children? As a dog lover and owner of a German Shepherd, one of those breeds often given wide berth, I do understand their concern.
When an attack happens, it saddens me for two reasons. First, it’s rarely the pet’s fault, but the pet takes the blame and looses its family and maybe its life. Second, the situation is completely avoidable with proper training and supervision of people and pets. So let’s look at how and why these events usually occur. Then, we’ll discuss how to avoid these tragedies.
When I hear such stories, they most often involve children playing, someone entering the dog’s territory without the owner present, or a dog that is not kenneled or on a lead and in an area he perceives as his territory. In a few cases, the dog is lost and scared, sick, or injured. Most of these situations can be avoided most of the time.
Children are loud. They scream and sometimes fight during play. Your dog views the family children as a part of his pack, which means they are to be protected. And, in most cases, the dog sees the human children as lower in pack rank. The only way to change that view is with proper training. Good trainers or behaviorists can tell you the proper way to help a dog understand the pack order in your home. The way puppies are raised and rules are established among dogs is very different from the play and rules we apply to human children.
Your dog does not know human rules and can’t tell whether the children are hurting each other. No dog should ever be around children without adult supervision. And, no dog should ever be tied up as a means of containment or in lieu of a fence. It is a proven fact that being tied up increases the chances a dog will bite anyone who comes into his limited territory. I highly recommend all dogs be kept out of play areas while children are at play. Even when an adult is present, they may not notice the warning signs, and dogs can move very quickly. Also, even well trained dogs may make a mistake and over-react in the chaos and confusion of a party or when a person they love gets hurt (such as when a child falls off a swing and breaks an arm).
In our busy times, many people ignore the warnings of trainers and animal behavior specialists who say never to leave children and animals unsupervised. The reason for supervision is not one sided. Children can also hurt the animals. The injury doesn’t have to be intentional. Pets only have one way to defend themselves. If an animal is in pain, it may injure the child in an attempt to protect itself. It is an adult’s job to protect the children and the pets.
If delivery people, pool cleaners, or other service personnel normally enter your property while you are away, it is your responsibility to insure the premises are secure and that there is no way for the animal to escape or come in contact with anyone. Everyone must be firmly instructed not to pet or feed your animals, no matter how friendly they seem. When you aren’t home, dogs view the territory as their responsibility. Even a friendly dog may display a different attitude when confronted with a stranger. The dog doesn’t have any way to decide when to protect his home and when to accept a stranger when you aren’t there, and he shouldn’t be penalized for doing his job.
Also, keep in mind that service personnel often change shifts or substitute staff without advising you. The person who enters your premises may be unknown to the animal. To compound the problem, many service people are afraid of dogs. Dogs sense the fear and distrust, and it is their nature to assume this means the person is up to something bad. No one except a trained, well-known pet sitter should have access to your pet while you are away. Again, this is a two-way protection issue. You don’t want to get sued over a dog bite, and you don’t want your dog lost, poisoned, or stolen.
I constantly see people in parks and in their front yard with dogs that are off lead (not on a leash), and I have to comment on it. First of all, in most cities such behavior is illegal and punishable with a citation and/or a fine. Leash laws are almost universal. Second, it is for everyone’s protection–including the dog–that the dog is required to be on a lead. Nothing is sadder than seeing a dog get hit by a car because he ran into the street chasing a Frisbee that went too far or because she tried to follow a child to school. Also, remember that you know sidewalks are public domain. Your dog doesn’t. To her the sidewalk is a part of your front yard, which makes it her territory to be protected from unfamiliar people and animals.
People have a right to be safe on the sidewalk, and that means it is your responsibility to control your dog. Walking may be the only means handicapped persons with guide dogs and service dogs have to get to trains or bus stations. They should not have to worry about their personal safety and the safety of their highly-trained canine companion because of others carelessness or disregard for the law.
Whatever species of pet you invite into your home, talk to a professional trainer or behavior specialist about what to expect and learn to understand how the animal/bird/reptile views the world before you take on this new responsibility. All shelters and kennels recommend behavior training classes for newly adopted pets and owners. There is no such thing as a pet that does not require time and effort. We must adapt to them, as well as expecting them to adapt to us. People who do not have time to supervise should carefully consider whether they really have the time and money for training, medical care, grooming, feeding, and more.
For more great information, check out the Doggone Safe program. They will help you find someone in your area, and they have an excellent selection of educational resources.
