As much as you would hate to see your child being bitten by a dog, it’s difficult to underscore that dog bites can transform into an emergency in just about no time. It’s one of those fatalities, which are beyond our control. Statistics show that 1 in 5 million dogs deliver a lethal bite. Unfortunately, more than often children fall prey to such events.
The pain associated with a dog bite can have harmful effect on your child’s health. It can leave behind physical and mental scars that can easily jeopardize a child’s wellbeing for a long time, post the bite. That being said, many of these unfortunate incidents can be avoided by coaching your child to behave sensibly, when the dogs are around.
First and foremost, make it a point that you do not leave a 10-year-old or below child alone with a dog. No matter how well behaved and trained a dog is, children are vulnerable to attacks as they can unintentionally injure a dog, or lead to a situation that can result into an unfortunate event. Besides this, children should not be permitted to hug dogs as most dogs do not appreciate such behavior. An obedient dog might behave normally, but allowing a child to hug a dog is nothing short of a risk factor, considering the fact that most animals are considered as “unpredictable creatures”.
Majority of the dog bites are a result of uncanny behavior displayed by human beings. In order to keep the stray dogs at bay, children should be taught not to wave hands or toys at them as these actions can serve as an open invitation for dog bites. Also, teach your child to approach the dog from the side, and not from the front, as some dogs may consider frontal approach as potential threat. One of the important lessons to be taught to your child is that they should never try to gain limelight by taking away the dog’s food or toys. Most dogs are very protective by nature, and they might bite the person to protect their personal belongings.
Screaming and running past the dog is a common mistake most children do, thereby inviting troubles in their lives. Such acts can frighten or alert the dogs, and they may respond by attacking your child, of course without giving a second thought to the possible consequences. Also, in trying to have some fun, children end up irritating the dog, thereby falling prey to the dog’s uncontrolled aggression.
Children should be trained on how to react to attacks. Instead of running away from a dog, try to curl into a ball and lay down as a dead person. Children can’t afford to flee from the spot as they won’t be able to match the dog’s speed. Running away from a dog will only heighten the dog’s natural instinct to chase the prey with more determination.
In conclusion, if children are taught to behave appropriately when in company of dogs, they will be able to create a good bond with the animal, thereby reducing the chances of getting bitten.