Dogs and children: living happily together

The best way to prevent a bite is to spot the warning signs before anything happens. Watching, listening, and staying close while children and dogs are together is crucial.

Children – what to look for
Sadly, it’s often things children do that increase the chance of a bite happening. Even things meant to show love, like hugging and kissing, could be hard for a dog to handle. Keep an eye out for children doing any of these things:

- Stopping a dog moving away
- Touching or getting close to a dog while they’re eating or drinking
- Taking toys or food away from a dog
- Touching or getting close to a dog while they’re sleeping or resting
- Being very loud near a dog
- Moving quickly or erratically
- Climbing on, poking or pulling a dog, or anything else that could cause them pain or discomfort.

Dogs – what to look for
Dogs can't talk to us to tell us how they feel. So, it’s up to us to learn the other ways they communicate and how to recognise when our dogs are uncomfortable.

Here are some signs that a dog might be worried:

- Tension in the body
- Ears held back and closer to the head
- The brow might furrow and skin between the ears might wrinkle
- Tongue might flick out
- Face muscles might get tighter
- Lowered tail

Find out more about how to read your dog's body language.

How to step in safely

Intervene when you see anything unsafe, or if a dog or child looks uncomfortable. 

Ask a child to stop if they’re doing something that could be worrying a dog and explain how it might be making the dog feel.

Paying close attention to your child’s behaviour and your dog’s body language will help you spot early signals and ‘step in’ before there’s a problem. 

How to ‘step in’ safely and effectively:

1.    Stop the unsafe behaviour. Ask your child to stop if they’re doing something that might worry your dog and explain how it might be making them feel.

Rather than telling your child not to do something, suggest what they can do instead. For example, “I don’t think Buster likes being hugged like that, give him a gentle stroke instead.”

2.    Create some space between the child and dog. Call your child or dog away from the situation, to give everyone some room. Make sure the dog has the choice to stay in their own space if they want.

When your dog is resting or sleeping on the sofa, you could ask your child to sit on the other end. Your dog might then choose to come over to your child for a snuggle.

3.    Consider if you need to separate them completely

How and when to separate

If anyone needs some space, or you are likely to be preoccupied or distracted, separate the children and dogs. 

Ways to separate:

• Lure dogs away with treats or toys
• Give children and dogs games or activities to keep them busy separately
• Use a baby gate or crate to keep them apart, or if needed move them to separate rooms

If a situation starts to feel unsafe, you may need to separate children and dogs completely for a while.

When you’re busy, distracted or can’t be close by to supervise, always separate kids and dogs to keep everyone safe. 

Simple ways to ‘separate’:

1.    Take your child with you. If you need to leave the room, ask your child to come with you and leave your dog with something to do on their own like a long-lasting chew or puzzle.

2.    Take your dog with you. Call your dog to come with you or use a treat to guide them to a different place. Don't physically move them, push or pull them, or grab them by their collar.

3.    Use a physical barrier like a baby gate or your dog’s crate. Maybe children can have lunch in the living room, while the dog relaxes in the hallway — they’re still together but you know they’re safely separate.

If a bite happens

If a dog bite happens, separate the child and dog. It can be scary and upsetting but don’t punish the dog, this can make things worse for everyone involved. 

Most incidents between dogs and children don't need hospital treatment, but if anyone is seriously injured call an ambulance or seek medical treatment straight away.

After an incident

Sometimes, owners might feel pressured to have their dog put to sleep after a bite or aggressive behaviour towards a child. 

Making the decision to euthanise a dog should be a last resort. Seek professional support from medical and behavioural experts.   There are safe ways to manage a dog’s behaviour and prevent similar situations in the future. Or rehoming your dog may be an option.

Talk to your vet. If you're worried about your dog's behaviour or if they seem fearful or anxious always get them checked by a vet to see if a medical condition might be affecting your dog’s behaviour. The vet can also refer you to an accredited behaviourist who can provide personalised support to help change the way your dog feels and behaves.

Contact our Behaviour Support Line for behaviour and training advice.