Beware of a Frightening Trend involving Dogs
Speak with kids & teens now…
You don’t have to look far in media images to see people snuggled up with their pets. Cute huh? Well that all depends doesn’t it. Be aware of TikTok or similar video-sharing platforms currently airing trends/challenges such as ‘invade your pet’s personal space’ and ‘hug your dog challenge’. This really makes us shudder.
Please have a discussion with the important young people if your life now, about not doing this and why. You do need to explain the reasons. If your kids are already wise to the reasons, have the discussion anyway. Treat it like a refresher to find out where they’re at with it now. Whilst some of such video excerpts might ‘look cute’, the clips are loaded with dogs that have given a warning (often ignored) and also those dogs which have reacted strongly.
Crowding a pet is a highly effective way to get bitten. Many folks out there do not recognize the subtle (or even the non-subtle) body language canines use to express they are uncomfortable. Just because a dog tolerates something it does not mean you should do it. Just because a dog doesn’t react to it now does not mean they will not react another time. Allowing your dog to approach at their own will, with or without coaxing is very different to you invading their space. The crucial word in the TikTok compilation is ‘invade’ which in itself, implies an uninvited get-together. It’s just so simple to invite dogs to come to us.
We are meant to be building trust with our canines. The more our dogs feel understood they feel the less stressful their lives will be. Even kids or teens without access to the Internet may have friends who might show them this type of content from their devices. For younger children you will need to remind them that the older people treating animals in this way are not someone to copy.
Kids can get hurt, scarred for life (or worse).
Dogs die because of scenarios they’ve been pushed into.
Invading your pet’s space is no joke.
Dog bites to people rarely make the headlines but they are happening. The Australian Institute of Health, Welfare and Australian Veterinary Association and other bodies publish their findings online. You may remember our information from ‘The Family Dog’ declaring that 77% of dog bites come from the family dog or a friend of the family’s dog. Further to this, the highest number of dog bite hospitalisation’s are children aged 0-9.
We want people & dogs to have a happy life together.
We want your dog to think your kids are the coolest things ever.
Leah & Angela OMearaHound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)