EXCITEMENT -- This is the word.

Children tend to get excited. Many times over excited. Same happens with your dog. They can become excited and then over excited. With some dogs the over excitement can lead to biting.

Uncontrollable children that are running around, often start to play with their dogs. The dog will often run after the children which encourages more laughter and excitement - this then encourages the dog to grab hold of their clothes in play. This often leads to hysterical laughter from the children, which can encourage the dog to nip their backsides while they are running and I have seen this happen many times. The children then start screaming in their excitement, all good fun, but...

Young children at times do not know when to calm down, the same applies to the dog that they are playing with, espcially if the dog has been really wound up.

The dog can deliver a sharp nip - the child squeals, this time in pain which can excite the dog - as the child smacks the dog the dog will often nip harder. This situation is dangerous and it can go from bad to worse very quickly. This can only happen when young children are not supervised.

Over the last 25 years in my job as a professional dog trainer have I heard the words "my dog has bitten either my child, or my grandchildren or my neighbour's children" and when asked why and where were you, they can't answer. Play should always be supervised. Dogs who are brought up with children do not suddenly become aggressive. There is always a reason and as a responsible dog owner you should know the reason.

The only time a dog may appear to have suddenly turned aggressive is when all the warning signs have been missed. For instance, if a dog starts to growl when the child approaches and even bears his teeth then he is telling you something. It is no good smacking the dog and then leaving him in the same position, where when the child approaches again he growls and bears his teeth. He again is telling you something. And that is that there is something wrong, he doesn't want the child near him. You could say "Well, why doesn't he move?" Unfortunately,dogs don't reason like us. He is telling the child to keep away. The dog could be ill, or not feeling too good. The child has done something to him in the past and the dog remembers, as in Brutus's story above.

Whatever the reason, if the child and dog had been supervised, you would have known the reason. If you have ignored or missed all the signs, then yes, the dog will bite. It is very rare that it is serious, unless it is a toddler who is crawling and then, unfortunately it is often the face. There is never any need for this to happen. Watch your dogs.

SADIE AND THE NEIGHBOUR'S CHILDREN

When Jannet was five, my neighbour Sue, decided to go to work and she asked me to look after her two daughters, Joanne aged five and Sharon aged two for afew hours after school to be picked up by her husband after he had finished work.

Sadie my German Shepherd, was Jannets constant companion, and she thoroughly enjoyed the company of Joanne and she dearly loved baby Sharon. This particular day the children were playing in the front garden. Sadie of course, was sitting on the front doorstep in her usual position guarding.

I popped into the kitchen to put the kettle on and all of a sudden the joyful laughter outside had turned to anger. Jannet and Joanne were arguing. I crept along the hall to see what was happening. There was a tug of war over a doll. Sadie was standing at the side of Jannet, Jannet won the tug of war. Joanne was furious, picked up a small hand brush and in her anger attacked Jannet. Before Joanne had taken three steps, Sadie leapt forward and barked aggressively in Joanne's face. This stopped the fight - Joanne dropped the brush and promptly started screaming. Sadie had frightened her. Sadie went to her wagging her tail and licking her hand, as if to say, "Now you have dropped the brush I will be your friend".

I learned alot that day. I would have trusted my Sadie with those children at any time. I still did trust her after the event. I had mixed feelings. My Sadie was protecting Jannet. I don't think she would have bitten, she didn't bite, she warned. Her loyalty was with HER child. She accepted Joanne and Sharon, but she wasn't going to allow Joanne to hurt Jannet. Thank God I saw what had happened.

So please be watchful, dogs are loyal. We cannot talk to them as we talk to each other. Always respect them.

Footnote: Joanne seemed a vey placid child, but within seconds she turned very aggressive and very very nasty. If she had have hit Jannet with that brush she would have inflicted possibly serious injury. Sadie knew this and stopped her.

Sudden bites on children are not common, generally. When a bite / nip has occured, the parent has often not seen what caused the dog to bite / nip. Many dogs have lost their lives as parents don't stop to think........

The dog had probably been tormented on a regular basis over a period of time and this happens time and time again......

Luckily as children grow we teach them how to treat their pets and most children do not torment their pets.

I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FRIENDS AT ALL TIMES.

But for the few that do persistently torment their pets, it can become cruelty as the pet is constantly a source of amusement, until the pet defends itself and then the torment can really begin.

As a responsible dog owner, it is your duty to make sure your dog is treated with respect at all times by all members of the family.

Children can have the most amazing fun with their dog, but they must abide by guide lines as to what is fun and what would be considered torment.

YOU AS THE PARENT ARE RESPONSIBLE

© Janet Wesley