Pediatric Dog Bites

08/05/21 • 52 min

Today's Topic: Did you know that the likelihood of a child sustaining a dog bite in their lifetime in the U.S. is 50%? You read that right: 50%! That said, many parents are woefully unaware that dog bites of babies and children are something to be concerned about at all due to the preponderance of "cute" videos featuring dogs and babies or children interacting on social media, the widespread cultural belief that dogs are naturally protective, careful and loving, and the shame and guilt felt by parents whose child has been bitten, and their corresponding reluctance to share their experience with anyone, lest they be judged as an "irresponsible parent." That's why we invited Sara Owczarczak-Garstecka, the author of a recent research paper entitled, Pet Dog Bites In Children: Management And Prevention on the pod to discuss the overall scope and scale of the problem, why she believes dogs bite people, why so many parents are unaware of this issue, the physical and psychological impact of these injuries for both the child and the parent(s), strategies on how to prepare yourselves and your home for life with your child and your dog, and how policy, in addition to training and education, can help reduce this problem.
Guest Bio: Sara Owczarczak-Garstecka has a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from the University College London and a Master's Degree in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln. She has also worked and volunteered in dog shelters for over 10 years. Through these experiences, she developed a passion for learning about dog behaviour and striving to improve their welfare. As there is no way dog welfare can be improved without enhancing the quality of a human-dog bond and dog owners' wellbeing, the way people interact with dogs soon became her focus. She has completed a PhD entitled Dog Bites: Perception and Prevention at the University of Liverpool. She currently works as a research officer at Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity.

Previous Episode

Puppy Socialization

Today's Topic: As dogs have become more prominent members of the family in recent years, we've seen an incredible increase in the desire to learn how to raise a dog "right", often starting when a puppy is brought home for the first time. And there's no dog training subject that has gained more awareness and prominence in recent years than puppy socialization. But what exactly is puppy socialization, and more importantly, how do you do it "right"? This is why we invited certified professional dog trainer, canine behavior consultant and author, Marge Rogers, CPDT-KA, as well as her longtime collaborator, award-winning author and dog trainer, Eileen Anderson, to the podcast, to discuss their latest book, Puppy Socialization: What It Is and How to Do It, which defines and demystifies what puppy socialization is, and shows you real-life examples of how to do socialization right via photographs and exclusive linked videos.
Guests Bio: Eileen Anderson is an award-winning author and dog trainer. She writes about behavior science, her life with dogs, and training with positive reinforcement on her award-winning blog, Eileenanddogs.com, and has published books on canine cognitive dysfunction and puppy socialization. She holds bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in music performance and a master’s degree in engineering science. Marge Rogers is a certified behavior consultant, dog trainer, and author. She specializes in fearful dogs, dogs with fear-based aggression, and the prevention of aggressive behavior through puppy socialization. Marge works closely with the veterinary professionals in her area and has conducted continuing education workshops for local animal hospitals, along with helping clients close to her and across the country.

Next Episode

Fearful Dogs

Today's Topic: Dogs can be afraid of just about anything. For example, a dog may exhibit a fear response around a certain person, object, noise, or in a specific situation or environment that presents an external threat—whether it’s real or perceived. While fear is considered a normal behavior that is essential for adaptation and survival, sometimes a dog’s fear response can reach more extreme levels that is stressful for those at both ends of the leash and, at times, requires intervention by a professional. So what can you do as the parent of a fearful dog? To help us answer that question, we invited Debbie Jacobs, the author of the book, A Guide To Living With And Training A Fearful Dog, on the pod to discuss whether fear is due to traumatic past experiences, lack of socialization, or genetics, and whether knowing the cause matters; why changing our own views, beliefs and expectations is so important as parents of fearful dogs; why the idea "facing our fears" is so prevalent in our society; and practical solutions to commons situations parents of fearful dogs find themselves everyday, and much much more.

Guest Bio: Debbie is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Registered Behavior Technician. She is the author of three books, A Guide To Living With And Training A Fearful Dog, Does My Dog Need Prozac?: Musings And Sound Advice On Living With A Shy, Anxious, Fearful Or Reactive Dog, and a children's book, Find Finn!. She is the owner and creator of the Fearfuldogs.com website, a respected resource for information about working with dogs struggling with fear based behavior challenges. She also hosts the Walking in the Woods with Dogs podcast that can be found on most podcast platforms. Debbie also runs webinars and seminars about behavior and training, She offers consultations to owners, rescue groups, shelters and foster caregivers. She lives in Vermont with her husband and her dog, Nibbles.