A Parent's Guide to Dog-Bite Prevention

Learning a bit about canine body language helps too. There is a set of behaviors—called calming signals—dogs display when they are stressed. These serve two purposes: they are an attempt at self-soothing, akin to thumb sucking, as well as a message to others that the dog would like the situation to defuse. Watchful parents can step in when they see their dog exhibiting these behaviors.

Lip licking
When a dog is a little anxious, he will often quickly stick out his tongue and lick his lips. It’s usually just a fast, little flick. Watch your dog; this is one of the most common signals I see.

Yawning
This is often mistaken for contentment.The dog is surrounded by kids, and he lets out a big yawn. Isn’t that sweet?Nope, it’s a sign that he’s in a little over his head and would appreciate your help.

Shaking off
We’ve all seen dogs shake off when they are wet, but this happens at other times too. I liken it to a reset button on a video game. Time to shake off and start over. It will happen right after something makes the dog uncomfortable, usually as he’s walking away.

Freezing
Watch out! Freezing is one step beyond a calming signal; it’s often a last-ditch attempt to tell you to back off. Dogs typically freeze right before they snap or bite. That may sound obvious, but one of the scariest things I ever saw was when an owner told me, “Lucy loves to have kids hug her. Look how still she is.” It was a heart-stopping moment for me. Lucy, thank goodness, did not bite, but she was definitely not enjoying the experience.

Spaying and neutering our pets helps too. Nearly 80 percent of dog bites come from intact males. It’s important not to blame kids for being kids or dogs for being dogs.Let’s be realistic; it’s impossible to control someone else’s behavior 100 percent, be it dog or child. We parents can, however, teach dogs and kids to enjoy each other’s company more by building an understanding of each other’s behavior—and in doing so, we will decrease that scary number of annual dog bites and help ensure that our children are not bitten.

 More Dog Behavior Articles
 Browse Dog Behavior Questions & Answers