Do Children Need To Be Educated On Avoiding Dog Bites?

[spathiphyllum]

Apparently some think so...


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45882353?fbclid=IwAR2MtC4mJ-PX0RlYJACymz54zVcgDdwY6oDWZIa0oIqn9figNSfYHSWejjo

[jim360]

As part of a wider set of lessons in treating animals with respect, hardly strikes me as a bad idea.

[spathiphyllum]

I don't think it's a bad idea. Lots of people have dogs, lots of people let them wonder parks, streets and neighbourhoods "off the lead". This openes potential interaction between kids and dogs a lot, and if kids don't know how to behave or handle dogs then it could turn savage quite quickly.

[jim360]

You'll forgive me if I read the tone of your original post as treating the idea with some scepticism, rather than warm support!

[woofgang]

Yes they do. Most children who are bitten by dogs get bitten by dogs belonging to family and friends and it happens because the child has been allowed to do something stupid.

[spathiphyllum]

Well.. if you read the article, it imply's that dogs should bite. Is their an issue with children's behaviour or an issue with dogs biting children?

[retrocop]

Yes. By their parents and not school teachers.
It is very important not to demonize dogs to young children but equally important to demonstrate that dogs can and will bite if threatened or surprised.I was brought up with dogs and my father was a dog trainer and I was taught by him why and when they are likely to bite.

[kvalidir]

Both Spath tbh, lots of kids think it's fine to rugby tackle dogs, hug and kiss them, grab them around the neck, pull their ears and tail even when it's a strange dog in an open space, and that's down to their parents and lack of education about treating animals with respect as Jim says. Equally you get idiot owners who haven't bothered to socialise their dogs responsibly or dogs who have had bad starts and are now with good owners who are trying to do exactly that. I consider all my dogs bombproof under pretty much all situations because I put in the effort but I would NEVER leave them alone with a child, as woof says that's why kids get bitten.

[woofgang]

I don't see anything in that article that says that a dog should bite. The implication, which I agree with is that dog bites are mainly caused by the actions of humans. The majority of dogs will eventually bite if people continually stress them. The stressing may be deliberate, done because its funny, or just through ignorance but its always the dog who pays with its life.

[spathiphyllum]

"dog bites are mainly caused by the actions of humans."

An animal is always innocent isn't it.. Even though we humans are animals.

[woofgang]

I don't think humans are animals in the same sense that dogs are....we are both mammals but that is a different subject....and yes animals are innocent.

[jim360]

Animals can't really be held to account for their actions as they are mostly guided by instinct, rather than morality. So in that sense, yes, animals should usually be regarded as innocent, in the moral sense at least.

On a related note, I always feel sad when a violent dog is "destroyed", partly because the use of that word treats such a dog as merely a broken object, rather than something alive. It may be the better of two evils to put such dogs to sleep, but still seems chilling.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes of course they should after all a dog is no different to any other animal and their only defence is to attack if treated wrongly.

[spathiphyllum]

Some people see dogs as work tools, others see them as valuable family members.

Same as humans i guess.

I think dogs have morals. Else how do they learn what is and isn't acceptable in a pack or in a human family household?

[spathiphyllum]

It's funny how people see humans so differently. To always be blamed simply because we can think, even though we're all just learning via experience.

Every animal has one of two options. Fight or flight.

[kvalidir]

Humans are different Spath, you can't compare the two, dogs act on instinct, humans create false social structures to accommodate their own wants and desires and to ensure that certain sectors of society prevail. Very rarely can a human truly act on instinct without massive repercussions.

[retrocop]

A well trained dog can be both a work tool and a member of a family.
Our long haired Bavarian looked like a wolf and was harnessed up to a santa sleigh at kids parties. After presents were handed out then the dog was petted by small children as he was so furry and cuddly looking.
When on duty mode the fangs and snarl would scare any adult let alone a small child.The dog was so trained to switch from one mode to another at a word of command. I still have two photos to demonstrate what I just wrote.

[Gromit]

1. Dog biting incidents are avoidable.
2. The remedy is to educate both children and owners.
3. The children should be educated on dogs by their parents not by school.
4. The owners should be educated by fines and banning orders.
5. Not sure why valuable Parliamentary time is being wasted on this?

[retrocop]

Exactly Gromit. I fully agree with all your points.

[woofgang]

Dogs don't have morals. The choose to do things on the basis that the action has a good result (for them).
Most dogs will always choose flight over fight. Bites happen when the dog is in a stressful situation it cannot remove itself from.....even then, most dogs will signal before they bite. The dogs who go straight to bite do so because they have learned that the signals don't work on idiot humans.

[woofgang]

Gromit, fines and banning orders don't educate. They are a consequence visited upon people who have failed to educate themselves.