Play by the RULES

By SUSAN TRIPP & DR. ROLAN TRIPP Universal Press Syndicate

A dog will be a child's ever-ready playmate and confidant, as long as parents set up good guidelines for all.

Dogs are wonderful family pets and great companions for children, always ready to play or just to listen. And for the overwhelming majority of children, the experience of having a family dog is a good one.

 

But not all interactions are of the storybook variety. Every year about a thousand people a day turn up in emergency rooms with dog bites, from pets of all sizes, shapes, breeds and mixes. Most of these victims are school-aged children, with bites to the face being the most common, and boys being seen more often than girls.

Many of these bites could have been prevented, with some parental guidance and care beforehand. How can parents help dogs and children to get along? Make sure your children know the basics for enjoying time with dogs safely:

• Play by the rules. Children and dogs benefit from the exercise and enjoyment of playtime. Rough play and dog wrestling are against the rules. So is running around shrieking and waving arms wildly. Your children must learn to be calm and relaxed around dogs, and that play must stop if a dog gets wound up or is uncomfortable with the level of activity.

Teach your children that they are the ones who start and end all games with the family dog, so the dog comes to see the children as being in control of the situation. Fetch is one of the best games for children to play with dogs. Have your child start the game by asking the dog to sit or lie down, and to end the game by making sure the dog drops or otherwise gives up the toy. Tug-of-war games are not allowed unless the dog will sit and release a toy immediately at any time when asked.

• Let sleeping dogs lie. When a dog is asleep, a dog is off-limits. Never let your child be unsupervised around your dog until you are certain he or she has learned not to lunge at or surprise the dog with hugs and kisses. Children should also learn to leave a dog alone while the animal is eating.

Instead of allowing your children to wake up a dog, teach them to call the dog to them. Show your children how to offer the back of a hand to sniff before petting a dog.

• Help with the training. Let your children feed your dog his meals instead of leaving food out for "whenever" feeding. This lets you and the children use feeding time as a training time. Have children hand-feed the first five to 10 bits of food in exchange for having the dog following an instruction such as sit, lie down, shake, watch, etc.

Having children participate in dog-training gives them and dogs a solid foundation for interacting with each other. Stand behind your child as a backup, to make sure the dog responds correctly.

Training with food and praise helps dogs to associate children with goodies. Set the example for children by giving the dog lots of praise for good behavior. Encourage children to do the same. (And praise your kids, too!)

• Walk the dog, but don't let the dog walk you. Dogs need daily physical and mental exercise, and walking the dog provides both. Adult supervision is a must away from home, always, because you cannot control who or what your child and dog may run into out there.

Use head collars or front-clip harnesses (the Premier company makes good versions of both) to keep dogs from pulling on the leash. You want the dog to associate your child with these fun excursions. Bring treats along and have part of the walks become training activities.

That's it! Just a few simple guidelines and you'll be doing your part as a parent to help your child get the most out of having a family dog. Leaving things to chance may lead to the emergency room, while being a proactive parent will lead to happy memories.

Don't take chances: Do your part to keep children and dogs safe and happy.