How to Keep Your Kids Safe from Dogs and Other Pets

You may have seen numerous pictures and videos of kids and dogs, as well as other pets, co-existing happily and safely. Some people even post pictures of their kids sleeping happily with their pets, and these very same pets keeping an eye on these kids as if they were their own. As cute and as endearing these photos and videos may be, these are actually rather rare occurrences, and copying these increases the possibility of your pet and your child ending up hurting each other.

Keeping kids safe from your pets requires that you set certain boundaries for each. While you can teach your kids, and your pets as well, to respect each other’s boundaries, sometimes making sure that they do not overstep their bounds is needed. For instance, for you to ensure that your child does not bother your pet while they are eating, you might want to create a space where your pets can eat undisturbed. This can be done with the help of a child-safety gate that your dogs can enter but your child cannot.

Another thing you need to ensure is that your dogs do not bother your child while they are eating. You will need to also establish such boundaries by having your pets stay outside of the dining area or kitchen, wherever your child is eating, with the help of these very same safety gates. If your dogs are around your child when your kid is eating, and they are not as disciplined as you would like, they might end up eating your child’s food or even take food from their hands, which can be rather dangerous.

Proper storage of your dog’s treats and food stuff is also essential. Do not simply store these in areas that your child can reach or easily open, like lower cabinets or drawers. A child can actually choke on a doggie treat or even on their dog food, so keeping your child safely away from these is important. You can store these away in hard-to-reach cabinets or shelves, and make sure that your child does not have access to your dog’s leftover food either.

Also worth noting is that leaving a child with your pet without supervision is a very big no-no. Always keep a close eye on both, even when you have gone through the required training of both child and pet on how to deal with each other. Supervising their interactions, and keeping a close eye on them while they play and bond will help ensure the safety of both your pet and your child.

Image credit: flckr