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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 7, 2006 - 15 Keeping kids and canines safe C hildren and animals go together naturally, but unsupervised interaction puts both at risk. Children and dogs should be taught appropriate behaviour to prevent harm. "Never leave children and dogs alone together, " stated Heather White, Manager of Outreach and Education at the Oakville & District Humane Society. "Things happen so quickly. Even the most simple and natural child actions, like running, jumping and grabbing, can cause the most surprising reactions from dogs. Even a toddler reaching for a dog's toy instead of her own, or grabbing the dog's tail could result in a snap or bite." Nips, jumping up, and bowling over a child, are just some of the normal responses from a dog that feels threatened or who has not been trained. Appropriate responses begin when adults use the SMART approach to keeping children and dogs safe. S ­ Safety first. Children should be taught to avoid animals that are not with a human and on a leash. Closely supervise all times when children and dogs interact. M ­ Move with care. Running, rough housing and jumping can cause problem reactions in some dogs. Children move more quickly and are likely to be more invad- ing to some dogs that find these actions threatening. They may want to join in the fun by nipping and jumping or become protective over their own kids, resulting in a bite to a visiting child. A ­ Avoid assumptions. Even if your dog is good with your child do not assume that it is going to be good with all children. Some breeds are one family oriented and they will accept interactions from their own family members that they would not tolerate with outsiders. Visiting children should be introduced to the dog gradually using lots of treats. R ­ Reinforce positive actions. Dogs should be able to see the child on approach. The approach should be calm. Before touching the dog children should be told to ask the adult if it is okay to pat his/her pet. Wait for the response. If the adult says that it is okay, make sure that sunglasses or hats are removed ­ items that may frighten the dog. Let the child extend a closed fist in the direction of the dog. The dog must see the hand coming. Other actions that may be read as a threat include staring into the dog's eyes and the way a child pats the dog. Do not expect the dog to look in your eyes and only pat under the chin, not on top of the head. Children, and adults, should not try to pat a dog when they have food. Hugging a dog or bringing your face close to its face could also cause a negative response. Avoid any interaction if you are not comfortable. Dogs learn by positive reinforcement. To finish tell the dog "good dog" and let the dog know that's it's calm and welcoming behaviour was appropriate. T ­ Training. When both children and animals are well trained they learn to understand each other's responses. Obedience classes are an important part of dog ownership. Professional assistance can help to get inappropriate behaviours under control. Part of this training is teaching children the importance of keeping gates and doors closed to avoid dogs escaping and becoming a neighbourhood nuisance. Taking the SMART approach to child/dog interaction will help ensure that you are supervising positive experiences. Contact the Oakville and District Humane Society at 905845-1551 or visit the shelter located at 445 Cornwall Rd. We wish our friends & family a Joyful Thanksgiving WE WILL BE CLOSED SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8 AND MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 SO THAT OUR TEAM CAN CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING WITH THEIR FAMILIES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 UPCOMING EVENT Flavour For Life: Tuesday, October 17 6pm Gourmet Dining & Fashion Show, by Mainstream in memory of Shirley Scarfo and in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Society. Winner of 12 Reader's Selection Awards! w w w. j u l i a s r i s t o r a n t e . c o m Drop In for Great Buys at CARPET · ORIENTAL RUGS · VINYL · HARDWOOD · CERAMICS · CARPET · ORIENTAL RUSG 10th Annual ATHENA Gala Dinner Wednesday, October 25, 2006 6:00 pm Champagne Reception 7:00 pm Dinner AREA rRUGS a ance Cle In-stock only! 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