By Teresa Lewin, Canine Behavior Specialist
In this article you will learn some dog bite prevention information that you probably have never heard of before. Did you know that dogs often yawn, not because they are bored or tired, but because they are tolerating a situation that they consider to be unpleasant? Here you will learn how to assess the emotional state of a dog and decide whether the dog is likely to be receptive or annoyed by the attentions of a child. This is important, since in most dog bite instances the biter is a family pet or a dog belonging to a friend, neighbor or babysitter.
Normally the children of the family would consider it to be safe to go up and pet the dog while he is sitting looking out the window at a cat on the fence. They would not be breaking any of the safety rules children are generally taught to follow, however, in this case it is not safe to approach the dog. The dog is focused on the cat and in this state of arousal is not interested in being petted by children. A dog is this frame of mind may snap if approached. In order to prevent these types of bites, children and parents need to learn how to assess the emotional state of the dog and determine whether the dog is safe for a child to approach. This knowledge should be used in conjunction with the advice given in a previous Parents Talk article written by Kate Kelly in order to keep children safe from dog bites.
Dogs cannot talk to us with words, but they are highly skilled in the use of body language. Some signals that dogs send are very obvious in their meaning. For example, a dog showing his teeth with raised hackles is clearly indicating that he will not tolerate the attentions of a child. Other signals are subtler, or are quite obvious, but most people do not know how to interpret them. Happy and calm dogs are safer for children to interact with than dogs that are anxious, scared or angry. Happy and calm dogs will present one or more of the following signals: panting with happy expression, ears and forehead relaxed, tail wagging enthusiastically or lying with one paw tucked under. A dog presenting this way is safe for a child to approach. If the demeanor changes and the dog stiffens, stops panting and wagging or raises his tail high upon the approach of the child, then the child should not approach. This applies even to the family pet. An anxious or fearful dog may wag his tail low or even between his legs, he may back away when approached or raise a front paw slightly. A common sign that the dog is unhappy with the situation is the pleading look that happens when a child is mauling the dog. This look involves the dog showing part of the white of the eye in a half-moon shape. Parents seeing this half-moon eye should intervene, since the dog is anxious and may not tolerate the child for much longer. Another danger sign which parents must take very seriously is the raised tail. If a dog raises his tail to a child when the child approaches the dog or when the dog comes near the child, this dog is saying "I am the boss, don't mess with me". This dog is likely to bite the child if the child takes an action that the dog considers to be insubordinate. Parents who see this behavior in the dog should seek the advice of a canine behaviorist.
Some dogs are more tolerant than others. Many people think that their dog is good with children and will tolerate any sort of poking, prodding and cuddling. These people should watch the dog for signs of displaced behavior that may occur while the dog is being "tolerant" . If there is conflict in the dog's mind and he wants to take one action, (say, biting or getting up and walking away), but instead he takes another less preferable action, (staying put while a child hugs him, he will often displace the desired action with some out-of-context behavior. Common out-of-context or displaced behaviors include yawning and / or stretching when not tired, licking chops when there is no food, sudden scratching, sudden biting or licking of paws or other body parts and 'wet dog shake' when not wet or dirty. When parents note displaced behavior during dog-child interactions, this is the time to intervene, since the dog is signaling that he may not tolerate much more attention from the child.
Some breeds of dogs always look worried, or alert, or carry their tails high or have so much fur that it is difficult to tell which end is which. Children should avoid interactions with dogs if they aer unsure how the dog is feeling. The simplest rule for young children to follow is that happy, panting, wagging dogs are safe and dogs with their mouths closed and intent expressions are not safe. Parents can be on the look out for key signs that the bite risk is increasing. These include: tail raised to child, half-moon eye, dog intently focused on something other than the child (cat, food, leash, etc.), or displaced behavior (yawning and licking of chops are the most common). Dogs displaying these signs are not in a suitable emotional state for interaction with a child and a bite could follow if the parent does not intervene. Terese Lewin, Animal Behavior Specialist
