Amy Ockelford: The case for teaching dog safety in nurseries

As a mum, my main priority is to ensure my two daughters (aged three-and-a-half and 18 months) are safe, always. Whether that means ensuring their safety myself or teaching them how to be safe in certain situations. I knew that nursery was an excellent setting to further this education. From how to use scissors properly, to basic fire safety, they're passionate about helping parents prepare them for the big wide world. But there's never been any mention of dog safety, and at the RSPCA we feel this needs to change. We need to teach children how to interact safely with dogs just like we teach them how to cross the road. Figures suggest there are more than 15 million dogs across the UK, and that almost half of all households have a pet dog. Pets can be amazing for our wellbeing - and our mental and physical health. Dogs and children can have wonderful relationships; and kids can learn so much from helping to take care of a dog. Our dog, Storm, is a part of our family. We spend weekends playing outside together and he has presents under the Christmas tree alongside the rest of us. But we must teach children that all dogs have the potential to bite, and they should know how to behave appropriately around them to prevent these incidents. While lessons obviously begin at home - especially for those families with dogs - it's also important that children who don't have dogs know how to interact safely with them, whether they meet them playing at the park or when visiting a friend's house. That's why we should teach these skills in the same educational settings that children learn other important safety advice. The RSPCA - which is part of The Pet Education Partnership - would like to see early years educators include dog safety in their curriculums. This is all the more acute when you consider NHS data that shows young children aged 0 to four are the most likely to be admitted to hospital with an injury caused by a dog bite or strike. Our teams are working hard to encourage nursery practitioners to teach children simple tips for interacting safely with dogs, such as: Giving dogs space, especially if they're eating, resting or playing with a toy alone; Hugs and kisses can be worrying for dogs; Playing with two toys so you've always got one to throw as you retrieve the other; Allowing dogs to move away from us when they want; Creating a safe space for pets to retreat to when they need time away from us. We want to keep kids safe and dogs happy - and early years educators can help to do that with some simple lessons in nursery. For learning resources, visit Pet Education Partnership's website: peteducationpartnership.org