How to keep yourself safe around dogs - Tips for kids

Dogs are awesome animals and you can have a lot of fun with them.  They will fetch a ball and play with you, but not all dogs like kids.  

You have to be careful around certain dogs.  Here are a few tips to protect yourself from getting bitten by a strange dog.

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It does not matter how small or big a dog is, you need to have respect for them.  Like people they all have their own personalities and like or dislike certain things.  There are certain rules that you need to follow if you come in touch with a dog that is not your own.  These rules will help you not to get bitten and the dog will also feel it has its own space which will make it more calm.

If you meet a new person, you will have good manners and shake their hand or just say 'Nice to meet you'.  You will not just jump on them, you will keep your distance.  If you meet a new dog, treat them the same.  Do not just jump on the dog or start petting it right away.  Talk to the dog and you will quickly see if the dog is friendly enough to touch.  

Some dogs may get scared or aggressive if you go up to them too fast and they may bite to protect themselves.

There is a word that you can remember (and each letter stands for something) that will remind you of the different things you need to do.  

The word is 'DOG SAFE'.

Lets see what each of the letters stand for.

• D is for 'Do not tease' - In the same way that you do not like to be teased or bullied, neither does a dog.  Do not take its toys and hide it or act as though you want to hit him or take his food from him.  This will make a dog aggressive.
• O is for 'Only pet with permission' - Always ask the owner of the dog if it will be okay if you pet the dog.  Many dogs do not like to be touched by strangers and especially not kids.
• G is for 'Give space' - Like we said earlier, first talk to the dog.  Do not just run to it and start hugging it.  This may scare the dog and some dogs want space.  Let them decide by themselves when and if they want to come to you.
• S is for 'Slowly' - If a dog scares you or growls at you, do not run away.  The dog may see you as something to catch and bite.  If a dogs storms you, just stand still and then slowly move away.  The faster you move, the more the dog will think you are 'prey'.
• A is for 'Always get help' - If you ever find a lost or injured dog, do not just pick it up.  Rather ask an adult for help.  The dog may be scared and if you pick it up and you hurt it more, it will bite you.  Remember they cannot tell you that they are scared or sore, so even if they do not want to hurt you, biting is a way in protecting themselves.
• F is for 'Fingers together' - If you feed a dog a treat from your hand, keep your fingers together and out of their mouth, nose or eyes.
• E is for 'Even good dogs can bite' - Even if somebody tells you the dog will not bite, or it is your own dog, if they are frightened enough or hurt, they will bite,  no matter how good they are.  So treat them with respect and do not ever think that no matter what you do they will not bite you.

If you come in contact with a strange dog, make sure that the owner or an adult is around to keep an eye on the dog and control it.

Nobody says do not play with dogs or have fun, just remember to follow the rules and treat them well and you will have a lot of fun.  

If it is a dog that do not like kids and do not want to play with you, accept it, you cannot force a dog to do what you want. 

And who knows, maybe after a while, the dog will decide by itself that you can be a good friend.

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