When I take Tank for a walk in a public space, I am perpetually screening the area for things that cause him anxiety. Although Tank is well behaved, he is very nervous about strangers and strongly prefers it if they ignore him.
We walk at odd hours and away from busy areas, but even so we sometimes meet strangers who want to pet him. Often the people wanting to pet him are kids, and sometimes they don’t ask. They simply throw themselves on him without any thought for his feelings.
Although kids (sometimes) ask me if they can pet the dog, I have not had one who asked Tank if he wanted to be pet.
Steve Dale’s book aims to change all that. In this charmingly illustrated guide, Steve shares common body language that dogs display when they either want, or don’t want to be pet. A dog who does not want to be pet for example, might be peddling just as hard as they can in the other direction. A dog that wants to be pet might be coming forward and leaning against you. These are great, clear signs that a pup either wants or does not want to be pet.
Sharing this book with kids could not only help dogs feel more comfortable, but it could also protect a child you know and love. About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year, and of those, about half of them are children.
Educating your child on whether a dog wants to be petted or not could help the child in your life avoid becoming a statistic.
Steve Dale’s book does a great job describing this. The book shows several clear behaviors, including illustrations, that help clue children in on what dogs are saying with their bodies. If you ever worry about your child being bit by a dog, reading this book to them could be the first step to making them safer.
I read this with my seven-year-old daughter, to get a feel for how well a child could understand the meaning of the words. My daughter is already very dog savvy but still enjoyed the book. She especially liked that the mom knew what the dog was saying, but disagreed that dogs don’t like head pats. Her reasoning being one of our dogs, Leia, will forcibly bunt her head under your hand if you stop petting her.
Based on the reading with my child, I believe this is a good book for her age group and older children. Younger children may also benefit, but may need more explanations on the dog’s behavior, and help identifying when a dog is saying “yes” or “no” to being petted.
You can purchase this book on Amazon (ad) or anywhere else books are typically sold.
Similar Posts:
- Interview with Steve Dale
- Are Chihuahuas Good With Kids?
- Review of Good Boy, My Life in Seven Dogs
- Review of Dogs by DK
- Review of How Dogs Work
This is such a helpful read! It really makes you think about how we can create a calmer experience for our pups.