I have a wonderful Black Lab service dog, named Vida. She has been with me for over nine years. We go everywhere together. She comes with me to the nursing home when I visit my 94-year-old mother, she comes with me to the grocery store, and she comes with me to the YMCA when I swim in the mornings. Since I am in a wheelchair full time, she helps me when something is out of reach by picking up the item in her teeth and dropping it onto my lap - she is a wonderful canine companion and one of the gentlest souls I have ever known.
Because of her nature and her training, I never worry when children
come up to pet Vida. I tell them and their parents that it is best
always to ask first, but sometimes little ones just cannot resist
running up to Vida and enthusiastically throwing their arms around her
neck or her chest. But not all dogs are calm like Vida, and so I worry
that in another situation the outcome could be very different. Last
Saturday at the Geyser Elementary School's health fair, Vida and I sat
at the booth for the Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter and
I saw lots of children who wanted to meet Vida. Along with other
information and give-a-ways we handed out information sheets about
approaching dogs safely.
There are over one million dog bites annually in the United States. The majority of these bites involve children. Surprisingly, children are more likely to be bitten by their family dog or by the neighbor's dog than by a strange dog. There are some common sense rules that parents need to teach their children about approaching any dog, even familiar dogs owned by the child's family, and even with gentle Vida.
• Children should always ask their
parents and the owner of the dog
before approaching the animal.
• The owner should have the dog
sit politely before the child
reaches to pet it. If the owner
cannot control the dog in this
way, the parent and child should
abort the plan and move along.
• Kids need to be taught to let a
dog sniff them first before
reaching out to pet the dog.
• Children need to know never to
wake a sleeping dog because a
startled dog is more likely
to bite.
• A dog with puppies should never
be approached without adult
supervision.
• A dog behind a fence, a dog in a
car, or a dog on a chain should
never be approached.
• Kids need to understand that
teasing a dog with a stick or any
other object is asking for trouble.
• Children should be taught never
to try petting a dog when it is
eating because this can trigger
food aggression.
• Parents who walk with their
child in a stroller need to be
aware that their child's face is
often right at a dog's level and in
close range. It is best to steer
clear of passing dogs in this case.
• If a dog chases a child, that child
needs to know to stop, stand still,
resist screaming and avoid
looking directly into the dog's
eyes. Then they need to slowly
walk away facing the dog, but
again not focusing on the eyes.
• If a child is attacked, they should
drop, curl up like a ball and
cover their head and face with
their arms and hands.
Having these important conversations with children is a little tricky because you do not want the child to be terrified of dogs, but rather the hope is that they learn to respect dogs and they become a bit more cautious and smart about them.
Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter
All my stories about stray, surrendered, and adopted animals come from my involvement with the Friends of the Saratoga County Animals Shelter (FSCAS). This organization is dedicated to helping our county animal shelter to be a humane haven for animals in crisis. Unlike private shelters (some with impressive endowments), a county animal shelter is totally dependant upon money allocated by elected county officials, the county taxpayers, and occasional donors. And that is where FSCAS comes into action. This volunteer association is the fundraising arm of the shelter. It is through their efforts at raising money that sick animals receive costly medical attention so they can be adopted. FSCAS also raises money to provide educational programs for the shelter workers and for the public. It is in the interest of public education that my Whiskers and Tales column and other Pet Corner reports come into play.
To raise money for veterinary costs and education programs, FSCAS hosts several benefit events each year. This Sunday, May 3, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Saratoga National Golf Club is the annual FSCAS Brunch. It is open to the public and promises to be a wonderful affair for individuals and families who want to do something to help the animals. I hope to meet some of my readers there. It will be a great day for FSCAS, for the Saratoga County Animal Shelter and most importantly for the animals.
For further information on the Saratoga County Animal Shelter, visit www.saratogacountyny.gov or call (518) 885-4113. Also, if you have questions about your pets, pet adoption or other related topics send them to jsweet@skidmore.edu. If we do not have the answers, we will contact people who do.
There are over one million dog bites annually in the United States. The majority of these bites involve children. Surprisingly, children are more likely to be bitten by their family dog or by the neighbor's dog than by a strange dog. There are some common sense rules that parents need to teach their children about approaching any dog, even familiar dogs owned by the child's family, and even with gentle Vida.
• Children should always ask their
parents and the owner of the dog
before approaching the animal.
• The owner should have the dog
sit politely before the child
reaches to pet it. If the owner
cannot control the dog in this
way, the parent and child should
abort the plan and move along.
• Kids need to be taught to let a
dog sniff them first before
reaching out to pet the dog.
• Children need to know never to
wake a sleeping dog because a
startled dog is more likely
to bite.
• A dog with puppies should never
be approached without adult
supervision.
• A dog behind a fence, a dog in a
car, or a dog on a chain should
never be approached.
• Kids need to understand that
teasing a dog with a stick or any
other object is asking for trouble.
• Children should be taught never
to try petting a dog when it is
eating because this can trigger
food aggression.
• Parents who walk with their
child in a stroller need to be
aware that their child's face is
often right at a dog's level and in
close range. It is best to steer
clear of passing dogs in this case.
• If a dog chases a child, that child
needs to know to stop, stand still,
resist screaming and avoid
looking directly into the dog's
eyes. Then they need to slowly
walk away facing the dog, but
again not focusing on the eyes.
• If a child is attacked, they should
drop, curl up like a ball and
cover their head and face with
their arms and hands.
Having these important conversations with children is a little tricky because you do not want the child to be terrified of dogs, but rather the hope is that they learn to respect dogs and they become a bit more cautious and smart about them.
Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter
All my stories about stray, surrendered, and adopted animals come from my involvement with the Friends of the Saratoga County Animals Shelter (FSCAS). This organization is dedicated to helping our county animal shelter to be a humane haven for animals in crisis. Unlike private shelters (some with impressive endowments), a county animal shelter is totally dependant upon money allocated by elected county officials, the county taxpayers, and occasional donors. And that is where FSCAS comes into action. This volunteer association is the fundraising arm of the shelter. It is through their efforts at raising money that sick animals receive costly medical attention so they can be adopted. FSCAS also raises money to provide educational programs for the shelter workers and for the public. It is in the interest of public education that my Whiskers and Tales column and other Pet Corner reports come into play.
To raise money for veterinary costs and education programs, FSCAS hosts several benefit events each year. This Sunday, May 3, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Saratoga National Golf Club is the annual FSCAS Brunch. It is open to the public and promises to be a wonderful affair for individuals and families who want to do something to help the animals. I hope to meet some of my readers there. It will be a great day for FSCAS, for the Saratoga County Animal Shelter and most importantly for the animals.
For further information on the Saratoga County Animal Shelter, visit www.saratogacountyny.gov or call (518) 885-4113. Also, if you have questions about your pets, pet adoption or other related topics send them to jsweet@skidmore.edu. If we do not have the answers, we will contact people who do.
Main Menu
Leave a comment