As Olivia Paige scrolls through social media, there's one thing that always makes her cringe: pictures of babies and dogs. Not because she hates animals or kids (she has two dogs of her own and is a stepmom) but because it shows what other parents don't understand. Olivia is a pet protection officer in Canada, and part of her job is educating people on dog bite prevention. So this dog lover knows how many parents and pet owners assume their dogs don't pose any danger to their child "if you raise them right," and she wants people to realize that simply isn't true.
Olivia decided to speak out on Facebook about what dog owners and parents get wrong.
Olivia's 15-month-old nephew lives with her and her family, and she explained that Harrison's safety doesn't solely come down to what she teaches the German Shepherd or baby. "Modoc is 7 years old and has been raised around kids and to not be food or toy aggressive. Harrison is being raised to be respectful to animals. BUT Modoc is a dog and Harrison is a baby," she wrote on Facebook. "Babies need to be supervised at all times around dogs, and not just watched."
Just because Olivia knows that Madoc is a "great dog" doesn't mean that she didn't set boundaries with Harrison. These including not allowing him to lay on or hug the dog, play with his tail or feet, or be around his food or his body when he's eating.
"People need to understand a dog’s stress signals," she wrote. "My dogs are not expected to tolerate being annoyed. I can tell you from experience that EVERY DOG HAS A BREAKING POINT, and every dog WILL bite. It is up to adults to teach children to be safe and respectful and to educate themselves on dog behavior and body language and prevent what is usually 100% preventable."
Although Madoc and Harrison are best friends, Olivia knows how important it is for there to always be supervision and boundaries.
"The sad part is that when bites happen it is usually the family dog, and they always say there was no warning," Olivia tells CafeMom. "But when you look back at photos or video, the dog was giving clear signs that it was uncomfortable and the owners just were not educated on dog body language to understand these signals."
Despite this being a somewhat controversial topic, Olivia doesn't regret speaking out if it can prevent a child from getting hurt. "Hopefully with a little awareness, parents can educate themselves to understand their dog better and to keep both the dog and their kids safe," she says.
Her post quickly went viral with many applauding her safety message.
These parents and pet owners agree that respect goes both ways.
Others point out that proper training can help curb the threat but people can't assume a dog won't snap.
But others aren't buying it.
And are hotly defending their dogs against the notion that they could ever be dangerous.
Some even think kids are safer around beloved pets than they are around humans.
But others point out no matter how great a dog is, why risk it when it comes to your child?
