Doggone Safe Member Kay Thompson on TV

Here is a follow up to our last blog post about dog bite prevention in San Diego with Rady Childrens Hospital. Check out this terrific TV coverage with Doggone Safe member Kay Thompson!

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Doggone Safe Translations

We are pleased to announce that the Be a Tree program is available in French (Quebec and France versions) and Italian. Spanish and German will be coming soon. There are also various other resources in French, Italian and Spanish.

The Be a Tree translations are PDF downloads that you can print and stick over the English on the posters from the Teacher Kit. The text on the back of the posters has been translated as have the Simon Says and Toolbox cards. These are free for anyone who has purchased a Be a Tree Kit in the past and will be available at the time of purchase for future customers. The Power Point version is also available as a translation along with the associated notes.

Please check out the link to our translations and pass on the information to anyone who might be interested:

http://doggonesafe.com/Translations

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Doggone Safe Member with Training Success Story on TV

Congratulations to Be a Tree Presenter and dog behavior consultant, Melissa Millett for her role as host and trainer on the cable TV show "Doggy House Calls". Melissa visits the homes of families to help improve the behaviour of wayward pooches. Melissa teaches the owners how to use positive reinforcement-based clicker training to teach the dog the desired behaviours. Here is a link to a show segment in which a frightened  and aggressive dog learns to be less fearful and hence non-aggressive towards other dogs.

Doggy House Calls Episode

The owner explains that it required a consistent effort and that the training and vigilance are ongoing, but the results are well-worth it to have a happy and safe dog. The owner noted that the dog is calmer and safer around kids now as well. This is a terrific side effect of the training and provides a demonstration of the fact that training leads to a safer more well-adjusted dog. We can see from this example that the dog is a much happier and calmer now that she is not frightened by other dogs.

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The Great Doggone Crazy! Give Away

To celebrate our announcement of the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge for 2012, Doggone Safe will donate 2 cases of 6 Doggone Crazy! board games to the first 10 animal shelters, rescues, humane societies or other non-profit organizations dedicated to animal or child welfare who write on our Facebook wall making this request. Just write that you want Doggone Crazy! games and include a link to your site so that we can see that you are a charity or registered non-profit organization in Canada or the US.

You can sell these to raise funds, donate them to local schools or use them in your own programs.

Click here to visit our Facebook Wall

Click here to purchase the game from the Doggone Safe store if you do not qualify for the give-away. Makes a great Christmas gift!

If you havent heard of the The Doggone Crazy! board game, here is a video to show how it works:

Here are some testimonials about the game:

Doggone Crazy! is the first board game in a long time to keep my kids attention...they played the game so much that I wasnt allowed to touch the game for review until the week-end was over." -Alyice Edrich - Editor-in-Chief - The Dabbling Mum - National Parenting Magazine

Doggone Crazy is a fun game that teaches children how to interpret the body language and expressions of dogs. I gave the game to my grandchildren and they enjoyed it immensely. The oldest taught the dog signals and appropriate responses to her younger brothers and then proceeded to instruct her parents as well. I think that this is a wonderful contribution toward understanding dogs better and keeping kids safer.- Stanley Coren, Author of "The Intelligence of Dogs", "How to Speak Dog" and "How Dogs Think."

Doggone Crazy! is a great game and an important tool for dog bite prevention education. I will support it any way I can  Dr. Clayton MacKay - Veterinarian - Former president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association; Former president of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario; Former president of the American Animal Hospital Association

A must-have gift...- Melanie Deveaux - Host of Windsor Now CKLW AM 800

Everyone should go out now and buy Doggone Crazy! for their kids - Keiley Abbat - Host of Canine Companions - CHML AM 900 Radio - Hamilton ON

Its a great game! - Jack Dyson - Retired Vice President - Irwin Toys

The described and/or pictured dog postures, movement patterns and specific situations do an excellent job of teaching the child what to look for, what to avoid, and most importantly how to defuse a possibly dangerous situation. I recommend it highly without reservation.    Dr. Ed Bailey, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Animal Behavior University of Guelph

My grade 3 class experienced the Doggone Crazy! game first hand. They were absolutely enthused about it. The game taught them responsible behaviour to not only reduce  the chances of their being bitten, but also, it showed them how to enhance the relationship they have with their dog. I hope other children will get the chance to learn about canine safety in an interactive way by playing Doggone Crazy!    Kristina Brcic - Milton ON - Grade 3 teacher

This game should be in every school.  Retired Superindendent of Curriculum - Halton Catholic School Board

The kids are having a lot of fun with it.  Debbie Boycott - Brookville ON - Grade 2 teacher

The game is very educational and my family enjoyed playing it.   Dr. Ross Dawson -Milton ON - Veterinarian

[I] really enjoyed it (so did my niece - who played it a lot!) Dr. Sue Kilborn - Veterinarian - Ottawa ON

It was lots of fun. Christine - Age 9

My grandchildren love this game. They play it all the time. Jackie Rosart - Grandmother - Burlington ON

I think this is a great site and a great game and it is amazing that you made this game. Leanna - Age 12

I played your game and it is so cool. I think that all kids should play it to learn about what their dog is thinking. Ashley and Nicky - age 9 and 11

Since writing this book, I have been referred to many Dog Bite Prevention programs  and I must say with all honesty that I think your site and the idea of a board game to teach kids the importance of dog safety could be one of the most effective programs Ive seen. Karen Delise - Author of Fatal Dog Attacks (www.fataldogattacks.com)

I want it for Christmas. Cam - Age 8

Doggone Crazy! is an excellent game and a significant contribution to the future welfare of the dog industry . Dr. Don McKeown - Cofounder - Professional Animal Behaviour Associates - London ON

I have to tell you that your Doggone Crazy game was one of the highlights of our holidays. The girls opened a couple of things on Christmas Eve and one of them was a joint gift of Dog Gone Crazy. We played that night with their grandmother, which was a perfect inclusive and involving game to play, during that anxious evening before the big day. Since being back in Toronto, the kids have played many times and we have played as a family. We are a family who loves to play games. So, we may not have been a big part of your holidays, but you have been a big part of ours! Susan Bishop - mother - Toronto ON

The kids were thrilled to come and tell me that they did a tree on the beach and made a strange dog go away. Cathy Vanderheyden - mother - Atlanta GA

My grandchildren have insisted on playing Doggone Crazy! every day since I gave it to them as a birthday present. Barb Cooper - grandmother - Campbellville ON

The kids opened the package when they came home from summer camp yesterday.  It was in perfect condition.  They loved it!  They immediately played a game before they would even considerstarting to unpack their suitcases.  Then they spent most of the evening telling me all about what to do when an aggressive dog approaches (something about a tree) and about what Fiji is thinking at that moment based on her expressions.  Good stuff. Henry Raud - father - Pickering ON

We finally had a calm evening together last night where we were able to play it and we had a blast.Beth Wheeler - mother - Marblehead MA

Doggone Crazy! is an excellent game and a significant contribution to the future welfare of the dog industry. Dr. Don McKeown - Cofounder - Professional Animal Behaviour Associates

My grandchildren love this game. They play it all the time. - Jackie Rosart - 

Grandmother

I love your game! Its the best...my dad, my mom, my sister and I played. We all loved playing your game. It taught me a lot about dogs and how to act around them. Rachel - Age 10

This game makes it fun for children to learn how to behave toward dogs, and how to understand what dog expressions and actions mean. Its a positive and reinforcing tool for enhancing child safety, reducing bite risk, and improving the human-animal bond. - Karen Pryor, author of Dont Shoot the Dog and CEO of Karen Pryor Clickertraining

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Doggone Safe Educational Images Series

In case you missed our social media campaigns during Dog Bite Prevention Week, here are the images from three series:

Except where noted you may repost these images with credit and a link back to www.doggonesafe.com

Safe Situations

Body Language Lessons

This image may not be reproduced on other sites - stock photos from Fotolia

Tip of the Day

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Doggone Safe Member Victoria Stilwell Steps Up!

Today Victoria Stilwell posted the following on Facebook:

Im worried now that the family is in danger of getting bitten by their JR after the abusive techniques that were used by Jordan Shelley on the BBCs One Show and if so the JR will get put down. If anyone knows who the family is, please tell them that I will come over to England free of charge and teach them how to stop their dog guarding in a humane and beautifully effective way. No point in just complaining, I want to save this dog and this family. Please send this to everyone you know.

Congratulations to Victoria for her generosity of spirit and willingness to stand up for her belief in the power of positive reinforcement training. We are proud to have Victoria as a member of Doggone Safe!

 I hope everyone will pass this on and help Victoria find the name of the family that she wants to help.

You can contact her at http://www.facebook.com/VictoriaStilwell or through her website http://positively.com/.

Here is the video that caused the concern:



Here are some articles that explain the proper and safe way to deal with and prevent resource guarding:

http://doggonesafe.blogspot.com/2009/10/stop-puppy-from-biting-part-2.html

http://doggonesafe.blogspot.com/2010/04/stop-puppy-from-biting-part-3.html

http://doggonesafe.blogspot.com/2010/06/serious-warning-signs-from-dog.html

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Praise for Doggone Safe and the Be a Tree Program

Wed like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has posted a review for us on the Great Non-Profits review site! There are lots of terrific reviews and we appreciate and read each and every one of them.

If you would like to add your own review we would love to hear about your experience with the Be a Tree program or any of our other resources.

Click here to write a review (we love it when you include your real name, but you dont have to)

Here are a few examples:

Great safety tips on how to get kids to behave properly around dogs. As a professional dog trainer, I really see the need for good safety programs for kids, and Doggone Safe is one of the best! I frequently give the Be A Tree presentation and everyone loves it. While a serious topic, the program has been developed to be entertaining, interactive and carefully repetitive to help kids thoroughly retain the information. The visuals are excellent and the "tools" for learning are fun. Most adults attending learn right along with the kids. Judy Kheen

I am a Pediatric Emergency Room Nurse, and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Did you know that ERs across the United States see and average of 1000 dog bites a day! Dog bites have been too long viewed as environmental accidents that cannot be prevented. Thanks to Doggone Safe, we are all learning more, and now we know how we can help to prevent these injuries. Kay Thompson RN

I have provided citizens in our community with canine councilling for over 25 years. Part of our educational plan for our shelter is to reduce the number of owner released animals coming through our doors. Help clients and animals through the adjustment periods of a new relationship. Provide knowledge to help dispel fear, asin our experience as animal control or the city, shows that the majority of dog bites which happen in our community are the result of poor education of the public and fear induced responses by the dogs. Doggone Safes Be A Tree Program incorporates all of the tools needed to make real changes in public perception and we have seen a significant decrease in dog bites toward young children since we have been using the Be A Tree programs in local schools. Be A Tree is the absolute best there is to evoke change.  Robert Metzler, President, Gloucester SPCA

We have incorporated the resources from the Be A Tree Kit into our Bright Puppy lessons at Sit Happens! Companion Dog Training in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Our students are loving it! Thank you Doggone Safe! Jill Dextrase

I am a physician, specializing in Post-Traumatic Stress disorder, who was additionally nearly mauled to death by a German Shepard nearly 35 years ago. I happened upon Doggone safe and the support group several years ago, and have remained an active member ever since that time. The organization has not only benefited me, but I have observed over the years of participation the help and healing that it has brought to others who have survived dog attacks. The educational aspects of Doggone Safe additionally provides the members and general public a multitude of ways to keep themselves and children as well as their animals safe from further dog attacks, which for humans, require 5 million ER and operations per year and up to 30 deaths annually, per CDC report (2008). Shell King MD

Im a professional dog trainer/behaviour therapist and I have used Doggone Safe material for years to educate my clients. I just love their programs! From the Doggone Crazy Board game, Be A Tree Programs to all their bite prevention and safety programs; each have been an invaluable tool. Clients have always found all the material not only informative but fun and easy to understand. Joan and Theresa have done an amazing job with these programs and have always been helpful and supportive in sharing their tools. Keep up the good work & thanks for all that you do :) Sylvia Gottshalk, Delightful Dogs

I am a Certified Humane Education Specialist and I use Doggone Safe Be a Tree program for everything from preschool to adult. I especially like the beautiful photos. They are clear in being able to read the dogs feelings. I have used this presentation to thousands of people over the years. Even adults learn from these presentations. Our dog training classes have also used this outstanding resource. Their Doggone Crazy game is a huge hit for our camps. I have even taken the flash cards from the game to make Trivial Pawsuit Games for larger crouds. We have also used their article models to do press releases during some key holiday times. Great stuff and a wonderful resource. Thank you so much for providing such professional materials to those of us in need.

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Keeping Your Dog Safe on Evening or Early Morning Walks

By Suzanne Alicie

We love hearing from our readers. Mary M. recently gave us a great topic to address to help you keep your dog safe when walking in low-light situations, such as evenings and early mornings. As you know by reading some of our other Responsible Pet Ownership posts, we’re all about finding ways to help you keep your pets safe, healthy and happy.

Do you walk your dog early in the morning as the sun is coming up or late in the evening when dusk makes dangerous shadows? Believe it or not, wearing reflective clothing yourself is not enough to protect your dog. Driving at this time of morning or evening is dangerous, and no matter how careful a driver may be there is always a chance of them not seeing your dog. Yes, I know that the side of the road is supposed to be a safe area for walking your dog, but accidents happen. People look away from the road and veer off the side, or shadows can make it difficult to discern where the edge of the road is, not to mention making it hard to see a person or dog in the gloom.

Reflective Equipment

Besides having some sort of reflective clothing on yourself, you should also make sure your dog has a reflective safety vest, reflective leash and collar. Glow in the dark items are also helpful in the event that headlights don’t hit you. Making you and your dog visible even in very low light is important for keeping you both safe. There is no such thing as too much reflective safety gear when it comes to keeping your dog safe.

Watch Where You Walk

If at all possible, alter your routine to walk during these dangerous times on a bike path or nature trail rather than along the road. If you have to walk beside the road, keep your dog on the side away from the road and always make sure you have full control of where he goes. Follow pedestrian traffic rules by walking facing oncoming traffic. You don’t want anyone to drive up behind you and strike you or your dog.

These are simple solutions for when you are walking your dog in low light situations, but what if he gets loose and takes off in the same kind of lighting? You won’t be able to see him any better than someone driving a car, and you chasing him may cause him to run out in front of a car.

The Tagg GPS tracker makes it easy to locate and leash your dog. The lightweight GPS band transmits to an app on your Smartphone showing you where your dog is at all times. It makes rounding up a loose doggie much easier than simply walking the streets shaking a container of CANIDAE Pure Heaven treats and hoping your dog tires of his adventure and comes to you without disaster.

To learn more about other ways to keep your dog safe, check out these posts:

Summer Safety for Dogs

Traveling With Your Dog

Is Your Yard Safe for Your Dog

What to Do if a Snake Bites Your Pet

Eight Things Every Pet Owner Needs to Know

Photos by Takashi Hososhima

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

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Dogs and Babies Blog Has Moved

This is just a quick note to let everyone know that the Dogs and Babies blog has moved. The blog contains excellent articles by dog behavior consultant and dog/child relationship expert Madeline Gabriel. If you have children and dogs or are expecting a new baby with a dog in the home, we recommend that you check out the information in this blog. Here is the link to the new location: http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/blog/

 Here are some recent posts:

should dogs lick babies

life with baby just another day at the office

your dog is not your baby ... and thats ok

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Free Recorded Webinar for Parents Keeping Kids and Dogs Safe Over the Holidays

Thanks to the Pet Professional Guild and Family Paws Parent Education for partnering with Doggone Safe to present this free webinar for parents. If you have a dog and expect visitors or if you will be visiting a family that has a dog, you will get some great tips from this webinar. Even a nice family dog can bite if stressed, and unfortunately many do at family gatherings. The dog owners are inevitably shocked and upset, and say that this "came out of the blue" and that they never would have thought their dog could bite. There are always warnings, although subtle in some cases. Learn to recognize the signs of stress and how to prevent situations in which a dog might feel the need to protect himself with his teeth.

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Doggone Safe a Top 3 Finalist in the CLASSY Awards

The CLASSY Awards is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the USA, recognizing the most outstanding philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses and individuals nationwide.

More than 2,000 nominations were submitted to StayClassy for consideration. After a vetting process, StayClassy posted each nomination as an article on the CLASSY Awards Achievements Blog (www.stayclassy.org/stories) to put a national spotlight on amazing philanthropic stories. Doggone Safe rallied their supporters to generate at least 100 Facebook ‘Likes’ on their article to qualify them for the judging round. Out of thousands of nominations, the judges narrowed the list down to the Top 25 most inspiring and impactful in each category. Doggone Safe is a finalist in the category: Most Effective Awareness Campaign.

After a period of public voting Doggone Safe has emerged as a top 3 finalist for its efforts with the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge. The winners will be decided on the basis of judging by a panel plus the public voting results and will be recognized live on-stage at the Oscars-style CLASSY Awards ceremony in San Diego on September 17th.

Thanks to Our Supporters!

A huge thank you goes to all our supporters who voted for us and to all the Be a Tree presenters who participated in the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge and helped to educate over 16,000 kids in one week about safety around dogs.

A Charitable Event to Remember

The 3rd Annual CLASSY Awards competition will culminate at a red-carpet awards ceremony on Saturday, September 17 in San Diego, California. It will feature celebrity appearances, chart-topping music talent, nonprofit and technology leaders, and thousands of CLASSY Awards supporters. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be donated to support the charitable efforts of the 12 National CLASSY Awards Winners.

This year’s CLASSY Awards weekend will also feature the CLASSY Collaborative, a day-long networking event on Friday, September 16 at the W Hotel San Diego. Participants will have the opportunity to meet, mingle and share ideas with some of the foremost leaders in philanthropy, technology, innovation, and entertainment.

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Doggone Safe Nominated for Classy Award

Doggone Safe has been nominated for a CLASSY Award in recognition of its efforts in the running the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge. The CLASSY Awards recognize the top philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses, fundraisers and volunteers from across the country. The winners receive national exposure and more than $150,000 in cash & prizes for their cause.

Please visit this link to read our story and click the Like button. We need 100 likes by June 29 in order to advance into the next stage of the competition.

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Childhood Dog Bite Survey

One of the goals of Doggone Safe is to help dog bite victims and provide support for families. The majority of dog bite victims recover well both physically and emotionally. In most cases the bite does not do serious damage and no-one thinks much of it. In some cases the emotional effects can be as serious or more serious than the physical effects. We are interested in knowing more about childhood dog bite incidence and the lasting emotional effects.

Please help us out by taking this short survey about childhood dog bites as viewed from adulthood. We want your answers whether you were bitten as a child or not. If you were not bitten by a dog as a child, we want to know that too. In that case you will only have one question to answer and you will be done!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the worlds leading questionnaire tool.

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Doggone Safe Named as Finalist for a Classy Award!

The CLASSY Awards is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the USA, recognizing the most outstanding philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses and individuals nationwide.

More than 2,000 nominations were submitted to StayClassy for consideration. After a vetting process, StayClassy posted each nomination as an article on the CLASSY Awards Achievements Blog (www.stayclassy.org/stories) to put a national spotlight on amazing philanthropic stories. Doggone Safe rallied their supporters to generate at least 100 Facebook ‘Likes’ on their article to qualify them for the judging round. Out of thousands of nominations, the judges narrowed the list down to the Top 25 most inspiring and impactful in each category. Doggone Safe is a finalist in the category: Most Effective Awareness Campaign.

The Top 10 Finalists will be determined by public vote and announced on August 30th. The winners will be recognized live on-stage at the Oscars-style CLASSY Awards ceremony in San Diego on September 17th.

A Charitable Event to Remember

The 3rd Annual CLASSY Awards competition will culminate at a red-carpet awards ceremony on Saturday, September 17 in San Diego, California. It will feature celebrity appearances, chart-topping music talent, nonprofit and technology leaders, and thousands of CLASSY Awards supporters. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be donated to support the charitable efforts of the 12 National CLASSY Awards Winners.

This year’s CLASSY Awards weekend will also feature the CLASSY Collaborative, a day-long networking event on Friday, September 16 at the W Hotel San Diego. Participants will have the opportunity to meet, mingle and share ideas with some of the foremost leaders in philanthropy, technology, innovation, and entertainment.

How You Can Help

Doggone Safe needs your vote in order to make it into the top 10. Doggone Safe is a finalist in the category: Most Effective Awareness Campaign. You may also like to vote in some of the other categories to help support other terrific charities. There are two others who are helping Doggone Safe with promotion and we hope that you will take a look and consider giving them your vote as well. These are:

Rock to Stop Violence - Rock N Roll movement to end violence and abuse and to seek support for survivors of violence and abuse. Finalist for Best New Charity

Amanda Evrard - Amanda is the the volunteer coordinator of Helotes Humane Society, and also volunteers with Homeward Bound and San Antonio Great Dane Rescue. Finalist for Young Non-Profit Leader of the Year.

CLICK HERE to vote

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New Materials Available from Doggone Safe

Door Knocker Tips

Tips for politicians, census takers and others who go door to door. This hand out is available from our Free Resources page.

Parent Education Pamphlet, Poster and Child Education Postcard

This 2-sided, 6 panel pamphlet, poster and postcard were created in partnership with the Emergency Nurses Association, San Diego Chapter and are available from Child Safety Solutions. For pricing and ordering information please call Tammy at 877-669-7233.

Poster

Postcard

Stickers

The stickers are not new, but they are back. For pricing information and to order, please visit our store

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Free Holiday Tips Webinar Keep Children and Dogs Safe!

Attention parents and dog owners! Check out our FREE webinar with holiday safety tips for children and dogs. Created by Doggone Safe and Family Paw Parent Education and brought to you by the Pet Professional Guild.

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January is Train Your Dog Month Free Webinars and Chats

National Train Your Dog Month is an Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) annual campaign, and 2012’s event will be better than ever! Join us for FREE educational webinars and live chats with professionals!

Each year, hundreds of thousands of pets are turned into animal shelters because their owners couldn’t find a reliable resource to help them with their pets’ behavior problems. Sadly, the end result is often euthanasia at the shelter rather than rehoming the pet. In response, the APDT has designated the month of January as National Train Your Dog Month to bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training for all pets! January was selected as the perfect month because so many animals are adopted and brought home during the winter holidays. We hope to help families and their pets start the New Year off on the right paw with information on the behavior needs and training of their pets.

To help the pet-loving public, as well as professionals in the animal shelter and others in the pet care industry, the APDT has recorded free educational webinars featuring many well-known pet training and behavior professionals and experts. These webinars will be available starting in January through the Train Your Dog Month event website and are completely free. APDT has also filled the month of January with a variety of “live” Facebook “chats” where anyone can “talk” in real time with professional training and behavior consultants, on a variety of topics pertaining to the training and care of dogs, cats and even rabbits! Anyone with any behavior and training questions can join the chats to learn more about their chosen pet. Visit the event website, www.trainyourdogmonth.com, for full schedule information, professional bios, as well as fun downloadable resources on training and behavior.

Free Webinar: Dog Safety - What to Teach Your Kids with Joan Orr

Free Webinar: Setting Dog and Baby Up for Success with Jennifer Shryock

Doggone Safe and the APDT believes that a better understanding of our pets’ behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmonious households for humans and companion animals. Top trainer Ken Ramirez says:

?"Training is not a luxury, but a key component to good animal care. Everyone who has a pet should understand that basic fact. Training is a way to enhance the quality of life for our pets. It is far more than just teaching a dog to do a cute trick. Training is about teaching a dog (or any animal) how to live in our world safely."

Read a fascinating interview with Ken about advanced training concepts.

Have Fun! Train your dog!

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How to Help Your Child Emotionally After a Dog Bite

Child psychiatrist Dr. R. Larry Schmitt has been very concerned about the welfare of dog bitten children. Dr. Schmitt has been very helpful to Doggone Safe and to dog bite victims by providing us with information for parents and for spreading the word in the medical community about the importance of emotional support and counseling for dog bite victims.

The typical dog bite on a child hits them at or above their shoulders. Such attacks equate to that of a bear attack on an adult, in terms of the shock, overwhelming fear and residual stress. The emotional impact on the child and the adult is huge. The difference is the adult will talk about their experience until the day they can no longer speak. The child will not talk about it and greatly needs to. This is because the child sees the sad faces of his parents anytime the topic comes up. They remain silent to save their parents from additional grief. So the child keeps this emotion load locked up in his mind. Parents must repeatedly encourage and allow their child to talk about the accident and their feelings.

R. Larry Schmitt, M.D. Child Psychiatrist

Read more in a article by Dr. Schmitt published in the journal Contemporary Pediatrics.

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions from parents supplied by Dr Schmitt and published at the Doggone Safe website:

How soon after the incident should I start talking to my child about it? 

Immediately! It is important to completely avoid making any comments about your own feelings other than to express your regret that it happened.

How many times per day should we talk about it? 

For the first few days at least twice a day followed by once a day for the following three weeks.

For how long after the incident should we keep talking about it?

Depending on the degree of fright and injury, until the parental waves of guilt are close to flat and/or the child shows easy emotion, not suppressed or keyed up emotion when it is discussed.

What if my child starts to cry? 

Try saying something like, “Wow, I see it really hurts/frightens/upsets you. It is so good for you to let me see how you feel about the dog biting you.”

What if my child withdraws or becomes irritated and refuses to talk? 

This is very likely a sign that it may be time for trauma counseling with a mental health expert.  Say to the child, "Are you worried about how talking about it makes me feel?  If you are, please understand that I am a grown-up and can handle such feelings of being sad because you were injured. This will help you to look at all the feelings that came from that dog attack.”

What if my child insists that he is fine and doesnt want to talk about it anymore?

Reply to the child, “That may be right". (This is true if the parent notes that it has been discussed a great deal with a noticeable decrease in affect/emotion). Then say  “I want to think about it some more.”  Later, if the child still seems reluctant to talk and bothered by the topic,” I notice that any mention of it finds your face changing as if it still hurts.”  “How about drawing a picture of the dog attack scene, before, during and after?”

What kinds of questions or statements can I use to engage my child in a conversation?

In an intact family, observing  parents conversing with each other about the accident and making gentle guesses about how the child thinks and feels about the attack. “I still think about the day when the dog hurt and scared you, do you?”  “Sometimes I feel really mad about that dog biting you.”  “I saw a dog barking at me when I was jogging today. I remembered what happened to you and was scared when the dog barked!”

With teenagers, whose skills in talking about a dog attack are probably closer to that of an adult you might say something like:  “What do your friends say about the dog attack?”;  “How many others at your school have been bitten by dogs?”; “ If you find you are dreaming about the attack or thinking about it a lot and you do not want to, consider this paradox, that talking about it with anyone will reduce such dreams and thoughts.”

What are the signs that my child needs professional help? 

The big ones are decreased success at school, (both socially and academically), lack of pleasure from past enjoyments, and early resistance to speak about the attack. Watch for dog phobia, avoidance of other animals, or the appearance of other new fears and anxieties.

When in doubt seek a mental health consultation and if the parents have doubts about the recommendations/conclusions of that first consultant, seek a second opinion.  Consider an analogous  situation with a post-surgical issue.  The surgeon says they think an abscess developed out of sight with minimal symptoms that if ignored will cause problems later.  Of course, with an x-ray or digital exam it may be evident.   A competent child mental health expert can be expected to probe in an interview and demonstrate an emotional abscess.

What should I look for in a mental health professional?

First, one who works with children; second, one with at least a five-year record in the field; third, a referral from a trusted mental health professional, and most of all, one with whom the parent feels comfortable. I prefer one who works with the child and parents together and spends less time with the child individually. In other words, family oriented therapy.

How do we know when to stop the therapy? 

This obviously varies with the severity, both physical and emotional, of the injury. Assuming the child and family have a positive relationship with a competent therapist, the therapist should suggest when to stop. If the parents are concerned that it is going on too long they should suggest a hiatus of four to eight weeks, observe the child during that time and return for termination in the absence of symptoms. In the typical situation, success comes early, with promoting the child and family to discuss all aspects of the attack and its potential residuals. (2-6 sessions).

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Doggone Safe Announces Dog Bite Prevention Challenge 2013

PRESS RELEASE

Media contact: Joan Orr | joanorr@doggonesafe.com | 877-350-3232

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Doggone Safe Dog Announces the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge

Campbellville ON Feb 2, 2013 – Doggone Safe today announced the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge. It challenges its presenters to visit schools and educate 50,000 children about dog safety in a single month. The Challenge is to celebrate Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 19-25, 2013). Non-profit Doggone Safe has presenters in 17 countries, 11 Canadian provinces and 43 states in the USA.

Dog bites to children are considered to be a serious public health problem by public health agencies and veterinary medical associations worldwide. Statistics show that most bites are by the family dog or other dog known to the child. “Experts agree that public education has an important role to play in reducing dog bite risk to children, and the Be a Tree program is one of the ways Doggone Safe is contributing”, said Teresa Lewin, vice president and cofounder of Doggone Safe.

Doggone Safe administers the “Be a Tree” dog bite prevention program for school children. The program is delivered by Doggone Safe presenters, veterinary technicians, dog trainers, dog behaviorists, public health nurses, emergency medical services personnel, animal control officers, police officers, teachers and humane educators. Presenters use a teacher kit which contains large format photographs showing dog body language signs, games and activities. Program sponsors can purchase supplementary branded learning materials such as coloring books, paint sheets, a story book, a poster, stickers, bookmarks and fridge magnets. Over 700,000 children worldwide have experienced the Be a Tree presentation since 2004. Through the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge, Doggone Safe aims to increase this by at almost ten percent.

“I love ‘be a tree’ (and ‘be a rock’). Its the best of its kind. This information has to get out there”, said Jean Donaldson – Internationally recognized dog behavior expert, award-winning author and director of the Academy for Dog Trainers.

For more information about the Challenge, to become a sponsor, to book a presentation for your school or to register as a presenter please visit the Doggone Safe website at www.doggonesafe.com.

About Doggone Safe

Doggone Safe is a non-profit corporation registered in Canada and Ontario, and in the US is a 501(c)(3) registered charity. Doggone Safe is dedicated to dog bite prevention through education and dog bite victim support. Doggone Safe has members from around the world. Educational programs offered by Doggone Safe are Be a Tree™ (for school-aged children), and online courses about dog body language and occupational dog bite prevention.

2295 Mohawk Trail

Campbellville ON Canada L0P 1B0

877-350-3232

www.doggonesafe.com

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The Deadest Horse of Them All Dogs Kids

By Eryka Kahunanui, KPA CTP, OSCT

Reposted with permission from http://www.kahunask9s.com/dogs-and-kids/

“There is really only one absolute rule in our home,” I tell K’s new nanny, “Baby and dogs are to never interact. Ever.”

The expression that covers her face is a reaction I see all the time from parents with dogs. It’s one filled with questions: Are the dogs “aggressive”? Does that mean they’ll bite me, too? Is that just while she’s gone? Are the dogs even safe to be around? My dog would never do anything to hurt us…

I explain to her, “I’m working on their tolerance for her behavior. We’ve made some significant progress so I need to make sure I can trust everyone before I will allow interactions without my supervision.”

Call me paranoid. Call me a helicopter mom. It’s a rule I will not bend.

In my profession, I hear all sorts of love stories involving children and dogs. One man’s dog guarded their newborn baby from anyone who tried to come near. Another woman told me how her dog would endure being placed in a bucket by her three-year old nephew. And better still, the stories of the dogs that let kids lie, ride or [insert verb here] on them. “The kids could do anything to this dog – he just stands there and takes it.” I always have to play along and force laughter.

Usually, it’s the dog having to endure the child. Never have I heard a parent proudly exclaim,”My child was so good! She just sat there as our puppy pulled on her hair!” And that example isn’t a stretch: almost all of my clients with puppies and children complain of puppy pulling and biting little one’s hair.

Look, I get it. A dog’s loyalty is one of their most endearing qualities. They love us despite us. So when we have children, the one thing we love more than ourselves, we want to know that our dog will be just as loyal to them, if not more.

But we forget our relationship had to be earned with our dogs and it doesn’t just transfer over. It’s fair to assume your dogs will need time to form their own relationship with your child. My kid has to earn my dogs’ trust and so far, so good. And it might not even be the relationship you are dreaming of.

"I’m very aware that it may take a long ass time – as in 5+ years – before my child fully understands how to respect a creature with steak knives in its mouth."

My job until then is to convince my dogs that I will be a fair and consistent referee. I need to convince them that “I got this” – they don’t need to intervene because I will keep her away. Right now, it seems like she’s always crawling in their direction. At first, the dogs would immediately jump up and go somewhere else. After weeks of me intervening, they’ve come to trust that I won’t let her get near them and now they won’t even wake up from their slumber.

And I’ll say right now: I’m sure your dog is the exception. But what does it hurt if you take the extra precaution and just take it slow? Play your cards right and your dog and child will have many years to grow up alongside each other and get to know one another. Isn’t that worth a slow introduction in the beginning?

Read more from Eryka

Check out the Babysitter Rules from Doggone Safe

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