Intermountain Therapy Animals: Learn about Animal-Assisted Therapy

Health and Safety

Teaching Your Children to Relate Safely to Dogs and Cats

A bit of responsible training early on will make all the difference!

KEEP IT S.A.F.E.

Keeping a child and a dog and/or cat safe together is not so hard if you remember this “safe” acronym:

Supervise - When together, animals and young children must always be supervised. Even a wonderful pet may lash out if frightened. Even a wonderful child may squeeze too hard or lose their balance.

Anticipate - Cats are cats, dogs are dogs and kids are kids. If you anticipate that they will all act true to their natures, you will have few problems.

Follow Through - If you say no to your child about picking the cat up by the tail or trying to ride your dog like a hobby horse, make sure he stops doing so.

Enforce - Dwell on the positive whenever your child is gentle but brook no nonsense about him hurting an animal.

CATS

Never underestimate the power of a cat to inflict damage—for its size, a cat's weapons (its claws) are formidable indeed.

Teach your children the very first rule that will keep them safe with cats for the rest of their lives: Never try to hold a cat if the cat wants to go. If you always let cats go, they will always come back to you.

When dealing with strange cats (dogs, too), never touch them with more than one hand at a time. That way it's clear to the animals that they are free to leave if they want to, and they won't feel threatened. As long as cats can leave if they want to, they will never have reason to scratch. Cats scratch only as a last resort if they are extremely upset and frightened.

DOGS

Keeping children and strange dogs apart is the best preventative for avoiding tragic biting incidents. Caution your children not to approach strange dogs unless you are there, even if encouraged to do so by others. Many dogs fear children and vice versa, and the resulting conflicts can result in permanent damage.

One of the most effective phrases you can teach your children when encountering a strange dog is to “BE LIKE A TREE”—arms at the sides, no sudden or extreme motion.

Dogs trained in guard work learn to attack an upraised hand, so caution your children to stand still and back away slowly if menaced by a strange dog. They should not stare, as direct eye contact is a challenge in dog language. Above all, they should not scream or run away. Screaming and running will encourage the dog to attack. If you know of an unfriendly dog in your neighborhood, notify the owners—don't wait for an unfortunate incident to occur. Other good rules:

Never go up to a strange dog, particularly one that's confined in a yard, or tied up to a fence or a tree.
Never go into a house or a yard where there is a dog if the owner isn't there to supervise.
Never pet a dog without asking the owner's permission first.
Never pet a dog without letting it sniff you first. Teach your children to curl their fingers into their palms and let the dog sniff the backs of their hands, and to approach UNDER the dog's chin instead of OVER its head. The dog may also want to sniff other parts of their bodies. Explain to them that that's how dogs say hello and find out who someone is.
Never disturb a dog who is eating.
Never attempt to pick up or handle puppies when the mother is there.
Never approach from behind a dog to pet it. The dog may be startled.
Stay away from an injured animal.
Don't tease a dog, or take a toy or bone away from him.
Never reach into a car to pet a dog.
Never lunge at a dog.
Never try to stop a fight between two dogs (or cats) by getting between them—you could be seriously injured.

IF A DOG ATTACKS

Never rush past a dog or turn your back and run away.
Don't make fast, jerky movements.
Act cool and unconcerned.
Don't ever stare into a dog's eyes. It may anger him, because that's how dogs challenge each other to a fight.
If you're riding a bicycle, and can't outrace the dog past his territory, place your bike between you and him. At the same time, say “Go home,” or something similar, and pretend to throw something at him.
Jump onto a car hood or even climb a tree. Better to be embarrassed than bitten.
If you're walking with a small child, don't lift him or her. A child's dangling legs make an easy target for the dog. It's better to stand between the dog and the child. Speak softly, back away, and tell your child to stay directly behind you.
If all else fails and you're about to be bitten: Feed the dog your jacket, or your purse or anything else that can come between you and the dog. If that fails, lie still, face down on the ground. Fold your fists (don't interlace your fingers), and put them behind your neck while covering your ears with your forearms. Don't move, because continued motion can send dogs into a frenzy of attack. MAKE BELIEVE YOU'RE A LOG. Lying like this not only protects your face, but it's also a non-threatening position to animals.

We don't want to end on a sour note—so please remember, while dog bites are a serious issue, we have included this information primarily because good education is the best preventive we know. And teaching your children the right “etiquette” for relating safely to both dogs and cats will offer them the opportunity for a lifetime of shared happiness, companionship and—yes—health.