How To Help Your Kids Avoid A New Haven Dog Bite Injury

In many ways kids are far more susceptible to experiencing a New Haven dog bite injury because kids, very innocently, like to visit with new dogs that may be strangers to them and if they aren’t careful an innocent interaction can turn into something much more dangerous quite quickly. Kids mean no harm and most often the dogs mean no harm as well, but the interactions can get physical quickly and this can lead to a serious injury for the child.

One of the things you can do as a parent is to talk to your child about the dangers that are presented by interacting with dogs, especially dogs that are unfamiliar. While your goal is not to scare your child, your goal should be to make your child aware of the fact that certain interactions with a dog may be interpreted differently by the dog then by the child and when that happens the dog can become aggressive and put the child at risk.

No interaction with a dog or any animal for that matter is completely safe for a child, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t interact with the animals, it just means we, as the adults, need to teach kids how to approach and interact with these animals. If you’ve done your job, your child will be as safe as possible when interacting with both familiar and unfamiliar animals.

Some of the things your child should know to interact with animals safely include the following;

1.) Respectful interactions. What are respectful interactions? Well, a child should know that rough housing with a dog can be dangerous as can eat pulling, tail grabbing and interrupting meal time or nap time. You should make it clear to your child that engaging in any of these activities can irritate the dog causing her/him to become aggressive towards your child which could lead to an injury. If your child remains respectful to the dog then there shouldn’t be much of an issue.

2.) It’s all about the approach. The first thing your child should know is that even when approaching a familiar dog it is important that she/he ask for permission before petting the animal. From there it is important that the approach of the child be slow and calm while letting the dog sniff you so she/he can get comfortable with you and know that you are approaching in a safe way. Sudden movements can make a dog uneasy which can quickly turn the interaction from innocent to dangerous in the blink of an eye.

3.) Your child should also have a clear understanding of how to read a dog’s body language. Before a dog becomes aggressive she/he will show you with their body that they are agitated and you may not want to approach. Your dog should look for signs that this is happening which include things like flattened ears, a tucked tail and if the dog is licking his lips or not. If your child sees any of these body language signs she/he should back away slowly from the dog and stop making eye contact until they are at a safe distance away from the animal.

If you have taught your child the right way to interact with a dog and avoid a New Haven dog bite injury you have taken 90% of the steps necessary to keep them safe. What is the last 10%? Supervision. You should make sure that you do not leave your child, especially very young children, alone with a dog whether that dog is familiar or unfamiliar to your child. Nothing can replace the importance of parental supervision as you can step in if a situation gets dangerous and make sure your child is protected from the animal.

Again, it is important that we don’t scare children away from interacting with animals, because animals are one of the joys of life. However, it is important that they know the right way to interact with these animals so they can have a good relationship with the dog without putting themselves in a dangerous position because the dog is agitated.

If you or your child have been injured by a dog you may need to seek medical attention and then also check with an attorney about your situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.