Children should not be left alone with dogs

[Doondoo]

Children should not be left unsupervised to play with a dog, according to British researchers.

Every year 250,000 people who have been bitten by dogs have been attended to for minor injuries at emergency units in the United Kingdom, and half of all children are reportedly bitten by dogs at some time -- boys more than girls, say researchers Marina Morgan and John Palmer.

The researchers advise that children should be taught not to approach an unfamiliar dog; play with any dog unless under close supervision; run or scream in the presence of a dog; pet a dog without first letting it sniff you; or disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or caring for puppies, according to the report published in the British Medical Journal.

In an accompanying article, Rachel Besser says it is clear that not all dog owners appreciate that children should not be left unsupervised with a dog, and just as some parents are obliged to take parenting classes, she would like to see equivalent mandatory classes for expectant dog owners to teach them about the responsibilities of dog ownership.


http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/33800.html

[ulysses]

1. much agreed. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. I think this would depend on how well the child and dog knew each other

If the dog has been in a family a long time, and is a placid one, it's safe. And what age child are we talking about? It would have been absurd to tell me at the age of 11 I couldn't be left alone with our 12 year old dog.

The other points about what children should be taught about dogs are mostly good, though (run in the presence of a dog? Well, that depends on the dog. If you know it, it will probably enjoy you running and playing with it).

[zanne]

3. Safety for the child and the dog.

I wouldn't leave any children, especially small children, alone with a dog or a cat. Kids don't really understand that dogs and cats don't react as humans do when they're poked with a stick or something similar. A large percentage of cats in animal shelters are there because there was unsupervised play with a child and a cat.

[cali]

7. Really? You wouldn't leave a 10 year old

to play with a dog unsupervised? How about 11 or 12. It all depends on the child and the animal. I felt no qualms whatsoever letting my son go for a ramble with his dog when he was seven or so. Yes, he even went out of my line of vision. He was allowed to walk through the woods to the neighbor's house. And by the way by the age of five he knew not to tease the dog.

[zanne]

10. That's great.

I'm glad that you taught your son not to tease the dog. I'm just saying kids are kids and I remember teasing a dog AND a cat when I was a kid. I paid for it both times. Unfortunately, some kids just aren't taught about these things. I think pre-school kids are especially vulnerable. (And I have three cats who are deathly afraid of kids, so that tells me something, too).

[lonestarnot]

4. This is crap! I was raised by dogs!

heh Oh.

[helderheid]

9. Hoooowwwlll!

[lonestarnot]

11. arrr arrrrr arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[helderheid]

14. pant pant!

:hi:

[rebel with a cause]

5. Or, dogs should not be left alone with children.

I have known more children who were abusive to dogs than I have known dogs who were a threat to children.

Oh, and the don't run or scream when in the presence of dogs is a message that most children, even teenagers, do not have the ability to learn it seems. I use to live in an area where the dogs and children ran free, and when I was walking my dog they (the children) would run by her screaming. Then when she reacted, they would become angry at me. Mind you, the dog was on a leash in my yard and never harmed anyone. But that did not stop some of them from threatening me because my dog barked and tried to chase them. After explaining to them several tiems that dogs did not understand this type of behavior, and either thought they were playing with them or was a prey I finally gave up trying to educate the uneducatable. Needless to say they soon learned that I didn't take to their behavior any more than my dog did, and they learned to stay out of my yard and away from my dog. But I still saw and heard them screaming and running from other dogs.

Edited to add: My own children were taught to care about animals the same as they cared about humans, and were taught how to behave around our pets as well as strange animals. They were not unteachable and I am sure that children with caring parents are not unteachable either. Also, our dogs slept on the bed with my kids and would protect them and me from anyone who wanted to harm us.

[Scout]

15. dogs should not be left alone with children

agreed. protect the dogs from the kids ... when there is an altercation, you know who always loses in the long run.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. Young children should not be left alone, period. As to being left alone with dogs, the dog

I grew up with, a wonderful boxer, who used to protect my crib when I was a baby, and was literally my faithful companion until we had to put her sleep when she was 13. She was the fifth member of my family.

The big problem is that people are getting dogs that have been bred for viciousness (fighting, guarding) and trying to make family pets out of them. I think people who bring pit bulls, rottwilers, etc, into households with children, are playing with fire.

[hobbit709]

8. Agreed

Young children should not be left alone, period. Way too often you hear about a young child left unsupervised in the yard and found drowned, run over or just hurt bad from a fall. These incidents are far more common than attacks by dogs.

[distantearlywarning]

12. I grew up with a black lab named Jezebel.

She was my father's engagement present to my mother, and became my faithful companion and protector from the day I arrived 5 years later. She made it her personal mission in life to be next to me 24-7 and she saved my life more than once. One time when I was about 3 or 4, I wandered out of my mother's sight and went outside and climbed up a ladder that a workman had left leaning against the house. I got up on the roof and sat there with my legs dangling over the edge, as happy as could be 15 feet up. Jezebel went to get my mother immediately and barked at her and ran back and forth until my mother followed to see what was wrong (yes, it was a classic moment of "Timmy's in the well!"). Jezebel was extremely patient and loving with me and would no more have hurt me than one of her own puppies. She was a member of the family and I was totally devastated when we had to put her down at the age of 13.

That being said, one of my little friends was bitten quite badly on the hand by my grandmother's dog (a collie mix) one summer. We were by ourselves out in the garage playing next to the dog. My friend went to pet him and the dog snapped at her. We weren't teasing him, and he wasn't eating, so I'm not sure exactly why that happened. My best guess is that it was very hot and he was cranky or something. She had to have stitches and was afraid of dogs for many years after that.

[Autobot77]

13. I really thinks this depends on the dog or the child.

I know my dog would be fine around a small child, she would want to be the kids friend. Also she is a beagle, and beagles in general tend to be real sweet. However I could see a problem if the kid tried to tease her or hurt her, I can see her snapping.