Just last week was National Kids & Pets Day! In honor of this let’s talk about dog-to-children greetings. Did you know that, according to the Humane Society of the United States, about 50% of dog bites reported annually are directed towards children. Since typically breweries that are dog-friendly are also family-friendly, this is something we need to talk about!
Normally, a dog will give cues with their body language before resorting to a bite. It is so important for adults to know what body language to look for to ensure that our children are in a safe situation with the dog. So what should you look for?
The dog turning its head away from the situation
The dog having a stiff body composure
The dog backing up trying to get away from the situation
If you can see the white’s of a dog’s eyes this is usually an indication that they are uncomfortable or stressed
A growl or showing of teeth
What should you do if you see any of these signs when your child is greeting a dog? The most important thing to do is to step in before the interaction goes downhill. If you see any of these body language signs from the dog, don’t wait until you see another, but rather cut the greeting short and play it safe. Interrupt the current greeting and redirect. Discuss with your children why the dog might be uncomfortable and why we should always listen to the dog’s body language. Then, if the dog is feeling more comfortable with some space, you can redirect your children to play a game with the dog called Pat, Pet, Pause (we will discuss this game next month!)
Another thing to look out for is if the dog has a toy. While some dogs may be happy to share their toys, many dogs are not keen to share with a stranger. Many kids also think toys are fun, so you want to make sure there isn’t any grabbing of the toys as this may cause the dog to try to snatch it back, accidently resulting in an injury.
Moral of the story - if you see something, say something! While it can be an uncomfortable discussion to tell a parent their kid’s behavior isn’t okay or telling the dog owner that their dog looks uncomfortable, this could prevent a serious situation from happening. Keeping everyone safe is what is going to keep allowing dogs to be welcomed into breweries!
