Child Safety Week 5th to 11th June 2023

Child Safety Week 2023 runs from Monday 5th to Sunday 11th June.

Child Safety Week is the Child Accident Prevention Trust’s annual community education campaign, acting as a catalyst for thousands of safety conversations and activities UK-wide, they help families build confidence and skills in managing the real risks to children’s safety.

As its Child Safety week this a great time to revisit the Dog Safety Code shared from the Canine and Feline Sector Group https://www.cfsg.org.uk/dog-safety/

We are a nation of dog lovers and dogs are often part of the family, so it is vital that both adults and children are equipped with the knowledge they need to enjoy spending time with dogs safely.  

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR CHILD SAFETY AROUND DOGS   

It is important that families are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to enjoy spending time with dogs safely. Close supervision of children and dogs is key.

Be alert:

• Close supervision is the most important thing to keep children safe.
• Watch, listen and remain close when your child and dog are together. Never leave them alone together
• If either your dog or child seems unhappy, positively and calmly separate them. You can throw your dog a treat or toy or lead your child away.

Be aware:

• Understand your dog’s body language so you can spot signs they feel uncomfortable or stressed – flat ears, baring teeth, making direct eye contact and a stiff body style are all signs to be aware of.
• When you know you’ll be distracted during busier times, use safety gates to keep children and dogs separate or, take your child or dog with you.

Be Safe:

Trigger times – teach your child to leave your dog alone when they are:

• Sleeping – no-one likes to be woken up suddenly.
• Eating or having a treat – they might think you’re going to take their food.
• Have a toy or something else they really like – they might not want to share

We know that sometimes dog bites can happen because of certain circumstances or because we miss important signals from dogs.

There’s lots of additional information on the PDSA site here explaining happy and unhappy body language as well as some signs of aggression. https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/canine-body-language