Prevent-a-Bite: Teaching kids about dog safety

We love our dogs! They are now in almost 50% of all households in Australia. But how do we keep our children safe from dog bites?

Dogs use body language to communicate with us, but often these signs are so subtle they are easy to miss, especially for children.

Children love their dogs so much and sometimes the way they express their love may make dogs uncomfortable. Did you know that kissing and hugging your dog may be overwhelming and even scary for them?

We’ve developed a fun new way to teach kids about how to appropriately interact with dogs!

Dog safety starts at home

With research revealing 1,200 Queensland children present to hospital emergency departments each year and 81 percent of those bites are from the family dog, RSPCA Queensland developed the ‘Prevent-a-Bite’ program.

The ‘Prevent-a-Bite’ program aims to help children recognise dog body language, and much-loved educators turned entertainers, Pevan & Sarah, helped bring the program to life with a catchy tune titled 'Wag Your Tail'.

The duo worked closely with our dog behaviour specialists at RSPCA Queensland to break down the complex field of dog body language into four key safety tips for kids. These are relayed through an acronym using the letters of tail:

• T: touch them gently, on their side is best
• A: avoid touching if they're eating or at rest
• I: imagin how they're feeling, are they happy, or are they scared?
• L: love them with respect and show them that you care

The power of music

Why music? As Pevan & Sarah explain, music is one of the most effective tools for education. It captures attention, encourages participation and makes learning enjoyable. ‘Wag Your Tail’ makes the important information memorable and meaningful for kids.

Dog safety is a serious subject, but kids learn best when they feel comfortable and supported. Parents can make learning about dog safety a fun, nurturing experience. And if a child has been bitten in the past, this song helps approach the topic with care and joy.

Kids help launch Prevent-a-Bite

There was no other way to launch our ‘Prevent-a-Bite’ program than to have kids involved. The prep students at Moorooka State School gave it their all by learning the ‘Way Your Tail’ song lyrics and dance moves. And to top it off, Channel 7’s Sunrise live-streamed the performance nationwide.

The goal of ‘Prevent-a-Bite’ is to create greater awareness about the importance of reading dog body language, resulting in fewer bites and for children and pets to live safely together.

For a range of helpful resources including fact sheets about dog body language, fun activity sheets for home and the classroom, more about the Prevent-a-Bite program, and to watch the ‘Wag Your Tail’ music video, visit Prevent-a-Bite.

Get your school involved and learn the catchy new dance!