Always make sure to supervise all interaction between children and pets, if you have a young child don’t leave them alone in the room together when they are learning to crawl or walk, in a split second a dog can snap, if a child goes after the food while the dog is eating or a child just happens to pull on his ear or fur.
When approaching a dog, please don’t run, walk up and ask the owner if you may pet his or her dog, that is the first thing, keep a safe distance, some dog’s may be nervous around kids, open your palm and let him smell your hand and never put your face in the face of the dog.
Teach your children about dog body language, tail tucked between the legs, ears back, body lowered and hair standing up on his back says the dog is nervous, walk away. A dog will give you signs when he is happy or frightful. Happy body language; the ears are up and tail is wagging.
Teach your children to love and respect animals, no pulling on ears, fur, tails, no smacking a dog and if a dog has a chew toy let the dog alone. When a dog puts him or herself in its crate or bed that is when the dog has had enough and does not want to be messed with.
Teaching your children at a young age will go a long way in life, not only respect to animals but to others.