How to Prevent Your Child from Dog Bites ?

Thousands of households have pet dogs. A dog is considered to be the best friend of a man, but it is essential that the dog you own and keep should be given some amount of training to ensure that it does not ill treat the guest or people moving around in everyday around your home. The type of dog you want to keep at your home depends upon the place where you live and the space available around you to enable the dog to run around and get exercise.

Though they are violating the provisions of law, you can see many people keeping pets in multi-storey apartments where there is lack of space and the dog cannot run around. These types of dogs are generally aggressive are likely to bite others. Just like it is the duty of the dog owners to train the dog, it is also the duty of the parents to teach their child about the precautions that should be taken to be safe.

Teach your child prevention tips

The children should be taught to keep the following in mind while trying to play with a strange dog or if he or she is attacked by a dog:

• Never approach or try to play with a dog the owner of whom is not known to you. This is necessary if the dog is tied or confined in some enclosure or in a car. Such prisoner dogs become very furious and consider you as an intruder in their premises.

• If you want to pet a dog or play with him, do not abruptly touch it or try to grab it. When the dog comes near you first let him sniff you, this way the dog will try to familiarise with you.

• If a dog approaches you, never turn your back and run away. The dogs have an instinct of chasing a running child. Instead just stand there calmly and try to move backwards with your face towards the dog.

• In case you find a dog sleeping or eating do not touch or call him. The dog may get irritated and pounce on you.

• If the dog is playing with her puppies feeding them or otherwise, never ever try to go near her. The dog may fear that you are an intruder and are trying to take away the puppies. This may make her furious and in such conditions dogs could even bite their owners.

• In case the dog attacks you do not try to run. Though difficult at that moment, instead remain motionless with your hands on the sides. Never establish eye contact with the dog under these circumstances. It is possible that slowly the dog will lose interest in you and stops, at this point of time you can slowly walk away.

• In case of an attack by the dog, try to keep the dog away from yourself by placing something in between you and the dog. This could be your jacket, gloves, a board or a cycle. This will give you some time to be more cautious.

• Never scream at the sight of an approaching dog. In case you fall down and the dog comes on you, just lie motionless with your hands on your ears. Do not create any sort of noise or call someone. Slowly the dog will move away

Treatment

In case your child has been bitten by a dog the parents should not lose their calm. The immediate necessity is to provide first aid to the child and also to find about the particulars of the dog. The wound caused by the dog bite should be washed thoroughly with soap and running warm water. Once washed, dry the wound using a clean towel or other cloth and apply some antibiotic. Thereafter move towards the doctor’s clinic.

If the dog is a pet and you know the owner and also if the wounds are not big, there should not be a big cause of worry. First aid will be sufficient. In case the wounds are deep the child may require stitches or other specialised treatment. Do not forget to ask the owner about the immunization history of the dog.

In case the child has been bitten by a stray dog not often seen around and after biting your child it has run away, the child may require a shot of anti rabies vaccine. Never delay medical treatment in such a case. If there is a dog control office nearby report the incident to them so that other children could be saved.