Dog bites to children

[skinnydipper]

"Dog bites to children peak in the summer holidays and in hotter weather!
So now schools have broken up, it is more important than ever to be aware of the risk to our kids.
They are also more likely to occur in the early evening when the dog is probably tired and losing patience and the child is more likely to be around to bother them.
It is VITAL that all interactions between our children and our dogs are monitored and that we learn the signals our dogs give us when they are uncomfortable.
Dogs do not bite out of nowhere. They have either been ignored for so long they have no choice, or their telling us has been punished, for example a growl, so they skip that step and go straight for a bite.
Signs your dog is uncomfortable include;

Moving their head away, so not looking at the person near them

A 'whale eye' where the whites of the eyes are showing

A stiff facial expression with the lips drawn back and the eyes wide

Panting

Yawning

Licking their lips or giving the hugger little licks, these aren't kisses, they are trying to appease the person and are asking them to leave them alone

Growling, you must NEVER punish a growl, your dog is telling you they are unhappy, listen!

Snapping - where they don't actually make skin contact, it wasn't a near miss, they deliberately are avoiding biting

Biting - and these can be life changing or lethal, both for the child and the dog."

More here:
https://www.facebook.com/catthevet/...nn6xYKufV19Mjjhk9nBrxkeKjZLmHKPp9NoDnTzfxXHsl

 

[skinnydipper]

"If we want to see a reduction in bite statistics with small children we need to understand dogs better. Unfortunately, that means we may need to take off our rose coloured glasses.
Supervising children with dogs is not an effective way to protect them. Whilst it’s better than leaving dogs alone with small children, the truth is, many people aren’t able to see the subtle body language that communicate they’re uncomfortable. Dogs will use subtle cues but won’t necessarily move away if they’re ‘not heard’.
The idea dogs see children as their ‘pack’ is a romantic notion that doesn’t stand up (as discussed in the video).
It is not a dogs job to keep the peace or watch over/protect children. It’s a parents job. What many view as ‘protection’ is not.
Dogs are constantly being put in situations where they have to tolerate unwelcome attention or have their space invaded because we so desperately want to believe our children & dogs are ‘fur-siblings’. This is setting dogs up to fail & putting children in harms way.
Thinking ‘well nothing bad has happened’ is using luck as a strategy. Believing ‘my dog would never hurt my child’ is denial of natural dog behaviour.
A dog does not need to be an aggressive dog to bite. Biting is a natural behaviour for dogs when they reach their limit, like yelling is for humans.
Bites rarely come out of the blue and dogs are not unpredictable. The signs are there, but to see them we must first open our minds to TRULY learn about dog behaviour and communication, and then go to reliable sources to learn it.
And I’m sorry guys, but:
- it doesn’t matter how many dogs you grew up with
- if you worked at a rescue once
- of your dog ‘protected’ you & you were fine
Personal experience is anecdotal."

Video: https://fb.watch/eyvftCcYIa/

 

[misst]

Thank you for this. It never hurts to be reminded. I read somewhere that when a dog snarls small children often interpret this as a smile. So the communication lines are often very muddled.

 

[skinnydipper]

Risk factors and bite circumstances
There is an increasing body of evidence regarding the patterns and potential risk factors of paediatric dog bites which is being used to inform prevention schemes (see box 1). However, this is limited due to patient’s failing to seek medical attention and insufficient clinical documentation of the bite circumstances.10 Children aged <5 are most likely to present with injuries to the head and neck.5 27 This is thought to be a result of a number of factors including the child’s height and tendency to crawl or play on the floor.27 In particular, children aged <2 tend to place their face in close proximity to new or moving objects which may trigger a reaction from a dog.38 Children aged >9 are more likely to sustain injuries to their extremities, presumably due to their increased height and the limbs being the closest point to the animal during a bite.27 In most studies, boys are often reported to be more frequently bitten than girls,39–42 but not in all cases.43

Patterns in paediatric dog bites

• Children under the age of 2 years and between the ages of 9 and 12 years are most commonly bitten.
• Children under 5 years are more likely to be bitten in the head or neck.
• Boys are more likely to be bitten.
• Children are most commonly bitten in the home.
• The dog is owned by the family in the majority of cases.
• Paediatric dog bites tend to occur in the early evening or on the weekend, and are more common in the summer months.

In 70% of dog bite cases, the dog is owned by a family member and children are most commonly bitten in the home.5 10 Paediatric dog bites are common in the summer months and occur most frequently between 16:00 and 20:00 and on weekends.5 44 This may reflect times where children are more likely to be around dogs, potentially unsupervised, during food preparation or meal times.10 44 Reisner et al45 reported that in 42% of cases where the dog was familiar with the child, the attributed cause for the bite was in response to food guarding. However, it is important to note that bites can occur in a number of contexts and in some cohorts, they most commonly occurred while interacting with the dog, including during play.13 46–48

https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000726

 

[Jenko109]

A friends dog bit one of our friends children the other day.

I was not present but from what I have heard from others, the children were running back and forward across the sofa (dog was on the floor) like wild things and the dog jumped up and bit one of them. Did not break the skin but left a nasty bruise.

She was absolutely mortified as she really didn't think that her dog had it in him. I told her not to beat herself up too much, from the description, it sounds like the dog just saw it fit to 'correct' the boisterous children in the only way he knew how. He's a staffy so if he was intending to hurt them then you would know about it! she has said she will not put him in that situation again which is good.

 

[skinnydipper]

Dog bites in children tripled during first lockdown, study finds

https://alderhey.nhs.uk/contact-us/press-office/latest-news/dog-bites-children-tripled-during-first-lockdown-study-finds?q=/contact-us/press-office/latest-news/dog-bites-children-tripled-during-first-lockdown-study-finds

 

[twiggy2]

A friends dog bit one of our friends children the other day.

I was not present but from what I have heard from others, the children were running back and forward across the sofa (dog was on the floor) like wild things and the dog jumped up and bit one of them. Did not break the skin but left a nasty bruise.

She was absolutely mortified as she really didn't think that her dog had it in him. I told her not to beat herself up too much, from the description, it sounds like the dog just saw it fit to 'correct' the boisterous children in the only way he knew how. He's a staffy so if he was intending to hurt them then you would know about it! she has said she will not put him in that situation again which is good.

The dog should not be in a position where it is overwhelmed by the behaviour of children. Dogs need space.
I also think you are humanising the dog, what do you behaviour do you feel the dog was trying to 'correct'?
To be blunt it is your friends fault.

 

[Jenko109]

The dog should not be in a position where it is overwhelmed by the behaviour of children. Dogs need space.
I also think you are humanising the dog, what do you behaviour do you feel the dog was trying to 'correct'?
To be blunt it is your friends fault.

Call it what you want. If I was humanising to make her feel better about it then so be it. I'm not sure what difference it makes to you or I.

 

[skinnydipper]

 

[twiggy2]

Call it what you want. If I was humanising to make her feel better about it then so be it. I'm not sure what difference it makes to you or I.

The post you out up reads like you feel the whole situation was normal and acceptable when in reality it was completely avoidable.
As you say it could have been a lot worse

 

[misst]

View attachment 97976View attachment 97977View attachment 97978

I cannot like this but like the sentiment in which it was posted! Terrifying especially the last picture.

 

[fetlock]

A work colleague was bitten in the face by her dog. I don't know the circumstances behind it, other than the dog is of the small yappy type and has literally taken half her face off. Her cheek and jaw area - basically the whole of one side of her face - is terribly disfigured, and she's had two lots of surgery so far.

Based on those injuries, a young child would have had no chance. Every time I see the colleague and her poor face that's what I think - what if it had been a small child instead (and/or a larger dog).

 

[skinnydipper]

I cannot like this but like the sentiment in which it was posted! Terrifying especially the last picture.

All dogs are giving clear signals that they are not happy. What is scary is that the person who took the photo (? the parent) couldn't see this.

 

[meleeka]

I do pride myself that I managed to keep a dog that didn’t really like children in a small house with children and they never got bitten. It was quite funny looking back, that when I went to the toilet the child stayed safely somewhere downstairs (in playpen when they were small and behind a gate when they were bigger) and the dog came with me. I could have done it the other way, but the dog was easier to control ?. My children knew to give the dog space and he had his quiet place that nobody went in. Those photos posted are something that would never have happened in my house and that meant there was no stress. It did help that we could be out with the horses a lot, so they weren’t together 24/7.

 

[CrunchieBoi]

Unpopular opinion but I don't really believe that small children and dogs are generally a good mix no matter the breed of dog or how well trained the dog and child are.

Seen too many instances of dogs being forced to interact with small kids that were clearly making the dog feel uncomfortable.

About 15 years ago we got a wee collie-cross dog from the Dogs Trust in Glasgow and his back story was that he was owned by a wee old couple, one of whom passed away suddenly and the other was having to move into sheltered housing and couldn't take the dog.

We were told when we adopted him that he was good with children the couple's grandchildren liked to play with him.

Luckily for him, we had no children because he was utterly terrified them.

 

[skinnydipper]

When you look at the number of dogs in rescue centres where it says not to be homed with children and wonder what the poor things had to put up with in their previous home before they had finally had too much and bit a child.

And they are the lucky ones, they only lost their homes. Others lose their lives.

 

[bonny]

When you look at the number of dogs in rescue centres where it says not to be homed with children and wonder what the poor things had to put up with in their previous home before they had finally had too much and bit a child.

And they are the lucky ones, they only lost their homes. Others lose their lives.

Rescue centres will always say not to be homed with young children unless they know for sure that the dog is ok with children, usually the ones that have been fostered or else they don’t have much to go on. It’s safer for the potential home and safer for the centre if they don’t make statements that they can’t be certain about.

 

[skinnydipper]

Rescue centres will always say not to be homed with young children unless they know for sure that the dog is ok with children, usually the ones that have been fostered or else they don’t have much to go on. It’s safer for the potential home and safer for the centre if they don’t make statements that they can’t be certain about.

I have adopted quite a number of rescues over the years. Only one had been fostered, she was from a small rescue and to my knowledge had not been fostered with children. The others adopted through rescues came from a variety of backgrounds, picked up as a stray, removed from a breeder, dumped by travellers, one spent her first year in kennels due to being deaf, I could go on. None of them were "not be rehomed with children".

What's your personal experience? That's mine.


ETA. As far as I know there isn't a test that dogs must undergo before they can be rehomed with children. The "not to be rehomed with children" is likely to be based on the history given by the people giving up their dog.

 

[bonny]

I have adopted quite a number of rescues over the years. Only one had been fostered, she was from a small rescue and to my knowledge had not been fostered with children. The others, adopted through rescues, came from a variety of backgrounds, picked up as a stray, removed from a breeder, dumped by gypsies, one spent her first year in kennels due to being deaf, I could go on. None of them were "not be rehomed with children".

What's your personal expereince? That's mine.

Absolutely tiny compared to your vast knowledge ?

 

[CrunchieBoi]

A friend of our daughter works as a volunteer at DT Glasgow and said they pretty much only ever home puppies to folks with kids under a certain age. A policy no doubt contrived with safety in mind that they get utterly slated for on social media by the "Rescues don't let ANYONE adopt from them!" brigade.

 

[Clodagh]

Unpopular opinion but I don't really believe that small children and dogs are generally a good mix no matter the breed of dog or how well trained the dog and child are.
.

It would create an awful lot of homeless dogs if it became law. If you assume that some people have a modicum of intelligence then they can probably manage a dog and a child.

 

[skinnydipper]

Deleted.

 

[CrunchieBoi]

It would create an awful lot of homeless dogs if it became law. If you assume that some people have a modicum of intelligence then they can probably manage a dog and a child.

I dont think I suggested making it law at any point in my post.

When I say they make a poor mix, I don't mean that a small child cannot safely share a household with a dog provided they have sensible parents. I was meaning that forced interaction (perhaps in order to get a "cute" photo) is inappropriate.

 

[meleeka]

I dont think I suggested making it law at any point in my post.

When I say they make a poor mix, I don't mean that a small child cannot safely share a household with a dog provided they have sensible parents. I was meaning that forced interaction (perhaps in order to get a "cute" photo) is inappropriate.

I do agree with this. No dog should ever be forced to interact with a child, no matter how placid it’s temperament. If they choose to, under supervision, then they should be treated with respect. It’s amazing how many people just don’t think that’s important. It truly is amazing how many people don’t realise that some dogs get to the end of their tether quicker than others.

 

[CrunchieBoi]

I do agree with this. No dog should ever be forced to interact with a child, no matter how placid it’s temperament. If they choose to, under supervision, then they should be treated with respect. It’s amazing how many people just don’t think that’s important. It truly is amazing how many people don’t realise that some dogs get to the end of their tether quicker than others.

Add in potential for triggered prey drive, guarding and so on.

Maybe I was more on the paranoid side of cautious when our daughter was growing up, but when I see how some dogs are almost treated like children themselves these days I can't honestly say that I'm all that sorry for limiting the interactions between them.

 

[skinnydipper]

I am under no illusions about people and dogs.

As I said above I've had 8 dogs from rescue organisations who, apart from one where the owner went into sheltered housing, were failed or abused by previous owners (I would call being left tied to railings so emaciated she couldn't stand, abuse), plus 2 others - a whippet who I was told was destructive and urinated in the house (she didn't do it here) and a GSD who had been totally f*d up by previous owner. Some needed a little more help and guidance but they all turned out to be good dogs.

Last week I stopped a brute from hitting his dog in the face and whacking it across its back with the lead because its nose went in front of his leg.

As for intelligence, you know there is no hope when a university graduate tells you she adopted a dog "not to be homed with children", she didn't think he would bite her visiting grandchild - he did. The dog was returned.

I think people are more likely to read the manual for their new toaster than learn about their canine friend.

And NO, watching sensationalist crap on the TV doesn't count.

Rant over. I'm done.

 

[SilverLinings]

It would create an awful lot of homeless dogs if it became law. If you assume that some people have a modicum of intelligence then they can probably manage a dog and a child.

The worrying thing is that I think that there are now a significant number of dog owners with far less than a modicum of intelligence. I agree that dogs and children can work well in homes where the adults properly understand dogs and set boundaries that the children stick to, but what do we do about all the others? That's not aimed directly at you Clodagh, just musing really as there seems to be so many sad stories about failed dogs and dogs in unsuitable homes at the moment (not to mention the overflowing rescue centres).

 

[Clodagh]

The worrying thing is that I think that there are now a significant number of dog owners with far less than a modicum of intelligence. I agree that dogs and children can work well in homes where the adults properly understand dogs and set boundaries that the children stick to, but what do we do about all the others? That's not aimed directly at you Clodagh, just musing really as there seems to be so many sad stories about failed dogs and dogs in unsuitable homes at the moment (not to mention the overflowing rescue centres).

I think humans get more stupid generationally. Many people shouldn’t have dogs or children!

 

[misst]

My rescue lad was not to be homed with children as had growled at them in the past. He is sensitive and nervous. When granddaughter came along we were just super super careful and never stop supervising them together. He adores her checks on her in the evening when she is in bed and looks for her if you say her name. He does not like her cuddling him, picking him up, or invading his space when he wants peace and quiet. She knows all these rules and we all stick to them. She does rough and tumble with our young JRT who actively seeks out a playmate. Again very supervised and child is quite good at reading dogs body language and will say "Moti doesn't want to play now".
But it is our responsibility not hers and not the dogs to be sure things stay safe with both dogs for their sakes and the child. Other children out on walks and occasionally visiting are not encouraged to interact much with the dogs and the dogs ignore them mostly anyway.
I do believe most of it is common sense but there's not a lot of that around