Now that school has started and the weather is still pretty warm, it’s a great time to get away for a weekend before fall settles in. Make sure it’s a weekend you remember because of great hiking, walks on the beach, and a few good campfires with tasty s’mores — rather than a trip to the emergency room with a dog bite.

Vacations can be fun and relaxing for your whole family including your dog, if you take some simple precautions.  Remember that crowded campgrounds filled with noisy kids running and playing and riding bikes can make for dogs nervous.  One of the most common reasons that dogs bite is because they feel nervous or uneasy.

Protect your dog:

• Always keep your dog on a leash when you are in a campground.
• Don’t overdo it. Take your dogs hiking and swimming with you, but remember that, if they are used to these activities, they will get stiff and sore.  Just like people, a dog in pain will be irritable.
• No junk food.  If you want to give treats to your dogs while you are enjoying fun foods, make sure they are healthy snacks.  A sick dog can be aggressive.
• Have a first aid kit which includes items for your dog as well as you and your children.
• Watch for signs of stress in your dog, such as ears down, tail between their legs, yawning, growling, or that look of “save me”.  These are all ways that dogs tell us they have had enough and a bite could be next if we don’t listen.

These suggestions will keep your family safe and your dog happy and healthy.

To protect your children from other dogs it’s important to teach them good safety rules. Remind your kids that the same rules you have at home with your own dog apply to all other dogs.  If you don’t have a family dog, teach your children the basics of preventing dog bite injuries: no teasing, don’t approach a dog when it is eating or sleeping and no rough play.

In the campground:

• Don’t go onto another site with a dog before asking if it is okay.
• It’s never a good idea run up to a dog, don’t take the risk.
• Ask permission to interact with any dog.
• Stay away from dogs in cars or dogs who are tied. Dogs will protect their space so respect their sleeping area, campsite, tent, RV, or car.

On the trail:

• Always ask permission when interacting with another person’s dog on or off the leash
• When you meet an off leash dog, stand still and let it approach.
• Children should stand like a tree.  Be still and wait patiently.

Any dog can bite, especially if injured or fearful. Teaching your kids how to recognize a dog’s body language and to approach dogs in a non-threatening manner will keep everyone safe and your camping trip happy.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 at 9:51 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.