Dangerous Smiles

A very interesting question: How do children view their relationship with the family pet dog?

Research in the 1980s suggested that children tend to treat their dogs as peers. As a result of this, their level and way of interacting with dogs, it is believed that young children are considered at the most risk of dog bites compared to any other age group. We also know, that the majority of dog bites that do occur and involve children, occur within the family home. Most of these bites occur towards to face and neck area.  When bites do occur there can be very serious consequences both physical and psychological for both the child and the dog.

Fortunately, there are a number of scientists such as Dr Kerstin Meints, who is based at the University of Lincoln, UK and is studying the relationship between pet dogs and young children as well as working to develop strategies to help prevent dog bites towards young children. Dr Meints presented some very interesting finding recently at the World Safety Conference suggesting that young children (up to the age of six) are likely to misinterpret growls as smiles! Dr Meints commeneted: “When we probed a bit further, the children thought the dogs were happy and you could give them a hug and a kiss.” It was also found that children are likely to only focus on the dogs mouth, missing the other signs which may be clearly visible to an adult. 

Dr Meints is also involved in the development of a computer game that has been designed for young children to be used with the help of parents to educate children about how to behave safely around dogs. For further information about this project please visit: http://www.thebluedog.org/