Nearly 800,000 people a year have to have medical treatment for a dog bite and Victoria Stillwell teaches the right way to treat a dog to try and stop being bitten, which is especially important for children.
When meeting a dog for the first time, stretch out your arm, with your hand making a fist and allow the dog to sniff you. Always pat the dog first under the chin and not on top of the head as this can be thought to be aggressive.
Don’t smile, as the dog may think you are baring your teeth and don’t make eye contact as some see this as a threat.
If the dog moves away, do not follow it as this is their way of saying they have had enough and do not want to engage with you.
Never allow a child to put its face near a dog, nor allow a dog to sleep with a child as often when they awake, the animal may be confused coming out of sleep and snap at the first thing closest to them, which could be your child’s face. They say, “Let sleeping dogs die. Let eating dogs eat.”
Be aware of the signs that a dog is uncomfortable which include yawning, licking their lips, a tense body and erect or slowly wagging tail.
Remember that size does not matter; even a little dog can inflict severe damage, especially on a child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q-JUZzAJtE
