|
Book now direct with owner! |
|
. Sian Abbott is a chatty, confident five year-old - until she steps into the park. "Her whole body tenses, she clings onto my hand and is constantly scanning for dogs off the lead," says her mother Gillian, from Stoke Newington, North London. "She's convinced a dog will 'get her', and if one comes close, she starts whimpering. She point blank refuses to go near friends' dogs, so I'm at my wit's end as to how to solve this. If I'm honest, while I can see her fear is real, I'm also a bit embarrassed and frustrated that my daughter should be scared of dogs when other children seem so unconcerned." So why are some children terrified of dogs? Emma Citron, a child clinical psychologist specialising in phobias and traumas, says like any fear or phobia, it can develop for a variety of reasons, or for no apparent reason. "Sometimes there's a trigger, like having a large dog bound up to a small child, but not always. Sometimes it's a learnt response from parents who are nervous of dogs, although often parents will try very hard to compensate for their own fears and can model appropriate behaviour very effectively. There's also definitely a biological basis to being scared of dogs; it makes evolutionary sense to be wary." While adults who are scared of dogs may recognise their fear is unreasonable, young children are not so able to do this. Asking, "What's the worst that can happen? Do you really think that nice dog wants to bite you?" may simply provoke terror. Doting dog owners can also aggravate the situation. When your child is frightened, being told the dog is 'just a big softie/only young/doesn't mean any harm/just wants to say hello" isn't helpful. Citron recommends systematic desensitisation. "Gradually build up exposure to dogs," she says. "Talk positively about friend's dogs, read books about dogs, look at pictures of dogs, perhaps even cuddle doggy toys. Talk about dogs in the comfort of your home, ask your child what they're thinking and feeling when they see a dog. If you have a friend with a calm dog, let your children stand at a distance they regard as safe while you model good behaviour, talking gently to the dog, letting the dog sniff your hand before patting it. If your child feels comfortable, ask if you can bring the dog a little closer. Your role is to be constantly reassuring and to take the lead from the child. If they show signs of distress, stop and try again later." Stories of children being attacked by dogs are horrifying. But, it's worth putting the danger in context. According to the most recent figures from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, while 70,000 people in the UK were admitted to hospital with dog bites, 1.2 million were admitted after falls in the home. My daughter was terrified of dogs until she was won over by a friend's well-trained golden retriever. Keen to build on this fascination, we got our own golden retriever, now a much-loved family member. The fear that once made family walks a misery is forgotten, but ensuring your child continues to be safe and comfortabie around dogs is an ongoing process. Barack Obama's daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, are apparently tom between a labradoodle and a Portuguese water dog as their promised presidential pet. Although choosing the dog best suited to your family is fun, it's the training of the pet and, just as importantly, your children around the pet, that matters most. "It's important that we teach children how to behave around a dog so they don't unexpectedly provoke aggression, for example, not to shriek and run away, or go near it when it's eating," says vet and Weekend pet columnist Pete Wedderburn. "Research has shown that children who are taught how to consider dog behaviour grow up socially confident, are able to feel empathy and read the subtleties of body language, of both dogs and humans. But that consideration and understanding are not innate: it's up to adults to show how to read dog signals correctly." . SAFETY FIRST Do check out the Kennel Club's Safe and Sound Scheme (www.thekennelclub.org.uk), designed to teach children how to understand and "speak dog", including The 20 Paw Plan and an online safety game for children that awards safety stars for good decisions, bite marks if they make the wrong choice. . Do teach your child to "be a tree" if a dog jumps up or frightens them - fald their arms, stand still, act bored, don't scream or run away. . Do explain that running triggers a dog's chase response, as does high-pitched shouting - it sounds like prey in distress. . Don't laugh at your children's fear, humiliate them in front of other people, get annoyed or force them to be near clogs when they are scared. . Don't foster fear, or pass on your own anxieties with warnings to "keep away trom that dog, it could hurt you". . Don't be complacent and leave a child under five alone with a dog, even your own. .
|
