As parents we cannot be with our children 24 hours a day to protect them.  We teach them how to protect themselves in situations when we are not present.  We teach them how to swim, protect themselves from strangers and we must help them be safe with all dogs even our own.  Every year one million people report dog bites and estimates indicate that an equal number of bites go unreported.  About sixty percent of the victims are children with seventy-seven percent of the bites occurring on the child's face.  We can reduce that alarming statistic with simple education.  With the aide of NAHEE education material and a four footed companion, Humane Society of Mason County will help North Mason's little ones to:

1. I will only pet a dog if the owner is with the dog and says I am allowed
2. If I see a loose dog, I will stay away from it and I will tell an adult immediately
3. I will stand very still (like a tree) and be very quiet if a loose dog comes near me.
4. I will look at the dog's paws not at the dog's eyes
5. I will always be calm and use a quiet voice around dogs
6. I will leave all dogs alone while they are eating or chewing on a toy
7. I will not tease any dog
8. I will not cause pain or discomfort to any animal
9. I will leave all dogs alone when they are sleeping
10. If a dog knocks me down or approaches me when I am playing on the ground, I will curl up in a ball (like a rock) with my hands on my neck and stay very still until the dog goes away.

When the owner says I can pet their dog, I'll always let the dog come to greet me first.

We will also focus on learning what a dog looks like when it is scared, angry or giving us signs that he wants to be left alone. 

As adults we know the most important things we can do with our dogs are to:

• SUPERVISE MY DOG
• TRAIN MY DOG
• SPAY OR NEUTER MY DOG
• CONDITION MY PUPPY TO THE WORLD

References:

• www.nahee.org
• www.DogScouts.org
• www.doggonesafe.com

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