Information for kids about dog body language and safety around dogs

Dog Bite Prevention for Kids

The most important thing that you need to know about dogs is that they are excited by things that move. Dogs love to chase things. To stop a dog from chasing you or bothering you, the best thing to do is to stay still.

The best thing to do if a strange dog comes near you, your own dog is getting too frisky, or any dog is bothering you is to Be a Tree. Trees are boring to dogs and the dog will soon go away and leave you alone. Even if you are scared, it is important to stand very still and look at your feet. Never run from a dog! Here's how to Be a Tree:

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Practice Makes Perfect

If you have a dog, be a tree if he comes over to you and have your parent give him a treat when he moves away from you. Soon the dog will learn that when you are a tree, you will not be playing with him. If he ever does get too frisky, you can be a tree to show him that you do not want to play right now.

If you have friends, brothers or sisters or adults that will play with you, one of you can pretend to be a dog and the other can be a tree to get the dog to go away.

If you have a stuffed dog, another person can move the dog and you can be a tree to get the dog to go away.

If the Be a Tree program comes to your school you will get practice being a tree.

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