I always hate getting that phone call, “my dog bit my kid in the face”. My recommendation always is to re-home the dog. It’s going to end up happening again. If you have toddlers and are going to get a dog, look for a puppy that is calm, confident, and low energy. Dogs reactive to stimulation such as movement and screaming is not a good mix. Dogs with high prey drive like to chase, catch, and bite. That maybe your child as they run. #1 rule no chasing the kids. #2 rule dog’s mouths do not belong on human skin or clothing and rule #3 train your dog to come, sit, down, walk nice on a leash and no jumping. Always monitor dogs and toddlers. If you cannot keep an eye on your dog with your children your dog will need to be in a crate. If your dog bites one of your kids and you didn’t see it, you were not doing your job.
There are rules your kids need to learn as well. Dogs do not like hugs, kisses, and people getting into their faces. We pet from neck to back in that direction, leave sleeping dogs alone, and stay away while they are eating. There is a wonderful program that all children and parents should watch. Its called stop the 77 . 77% of dog bites come from the family dog or a friend’s dog. Please view this if you have children, it may just save your child from a bite and your dog being re-homed.
