Doggone Safe co-founder and dog behaviour consultant, Teresa Lewin says, "I always get more dog bite calls at this time of the year. Routines are changing, kids and dogs have more contact with each other, kids are running and playing outside which is very exciting to dogs and heat and stormy weather are more common. These factors can all contribute to higher levels of anxiety or excitement in dogs and accidents can happen". Dogggone Safe urges all parents to teach their children to be a tree and to visit the Doggone Safe website to learn about how to read dog body language and know when to intervene if the dog is reaching its tolerance threshold. Parents should also take extra care once school is out to ensure that dogs and kids are supervised at all times.

Sandra Harnett, a grade three teacher at Holy Cross Elementary School in Newfoundland said "This was a very valuable and worthwhile presentation". The presentation is fun and engaging and children learn through play and activities how to be safe around dogs they know and strange dogs. Doggone Safe is grateful for the support of the VOCM Cares Foundation . The Foundation donated necessary funds to cover the cost of program supplies for presentations in 5 local schools. This allows hundreds of children to receive the safety messages presented by Tonji Stewart, owner of Canine Company Clicker Training and Consulting and Doggone Safe East Coast Co-ordinator. Children also received colouring books, stickers and fridge magnets and classrooms received copies of the Doggone Crazy! board game as well as a colourful poster to help reinforce the bite prevention messages.

The central message of the program for children is "Be a Tree" if a strange dog approaches or any dog is bothering them or becoming too frisky. Children be a tree by folding their branches (hands folded in front), watching their roots grow (looking at their feet) and counting in their heads as high as they can over and over until help comes or the dog goes away. This is a non-threatening and an uninteresting posture to a dog and he will most likely just sniff and go away.

The "Be a Tree" program is available in communities across Canada and the US and is delivered by Doggone Safe presenters, veterinary technicians, dog trainers, dog behaviourists, public health nurses, emergency medical services personnel, animal control officers, police officers, teachers and humane educators. Presenters use a teacher kit produced by the company Doggone Crazy! which contains large format full colour photographs showing dog body language signs. The kit also contains games and activities and can be supplemented with learning materials such as colouring books, paint sheets, a story book, poster, stickers, bookmarks and fridge magnets. These materials can be branded with a sponsor’s logo to allow local companies to become involved with community dog bite prevention.

For general information please visit the Doggone Safe website at www.doggonesafe.com, call 1-877-350-3232 or email doggonesafeinfo@doggonesafe.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Tonji Stewart

Doggone Safe

709.229.DOGS

http://www.doggonesafe.com

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