With a dog as a pet you can teach your toddler a great deal about life. You can teach them to not be afraid of animals and how to respect them; how to gently pet a dog and to love him. It is wise to gate off an area where your dog will feel comfortable and happy and where you won’t have to worry about keeping him from potentially harming your child.
- never leave your young child and dog alone together, even to answer the door or go to the toilet . Take either one of them with you
- supervise children at all times when interacting with a dog – especially if the child is a visitor to your home.
Teach children:
- not to approach a dog that is eating, sleeping, is with its puppies, is in pain or hurt
- not to hug or kiss dogs – face-to-face contact is a common cause of bites to the face
- never to tease or annoy dogs – they are not toys!
Out and about:
- never tie a dog leash to the baby’s pram – hold it in your hand
- always ask the owner’s permission before patting their dog
- teach your child to keep away from stray dogs
- stay as still as a statue if a strange dog approaches – don’t scream and run away or stare a dog in the eyes. Dogs will usually sniff you and go away.
Playgrounds
Thousands of accidents happen each year in playgrounds so :
- check the safety of the playground with your local authority
- check the playground yourself and report anything you find wrong
- always supervise your child.
Buying Used or Secondhand Goods
It’s always safest to buy branded goods from well known stores. New products will meet the most up-to-date standards and may be safer. However, secondhand goods and hand-me-downs from friends and family can be useful too.
You need to take care that they’re undamaged and will still be safe for your child to use.
Check list:
- all fittings are secure
- there are no loose or badly fitting parts
- no bits which could come off which your child could put in their mouth.
Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) advises against the following products:
- baby walkers: these make children very mobile and they can easily get into danger
- baby bath seats: ACC feel baby bath seats give some parents a false sense of safety
It’s never safe to leave a child alone in the bath – even for a moment. Let the phone ring or the doorbell go unanswered. Remember – a child can drown in as little as an inch of water, very quickly.
- table mounted chairs, these might be attached to unsuitable tables – glass topped or light-weight – which make the chair very unsafe.
Safety First
- Keep a supply of plasters, bandages, cotton wool balls for cleaning cuts and grazes, and antiseptic cream handy.
- Always keep a list of emergency numbers by the phone, and point it out to anyone who looks after your child.
