How to Deal With Kids Teasing a Dog Through a Fence

As a parent of kids of any age, it's your responsibility to make sure they're being respectful of your neighbors and any neighborhood pets. But as you've probably figured out by now, it's tough to keep your eyes on the kids at every moment -- especially when other children or household chores come calling. If your kids are taunting a neighbor's dog, you need to act right away before your kids get bitten or your neighbors take action.

Instructions

    • 1

      Teach your kids the proper way to handle dogs. Naturally, that doesn't include teasing or taunting, but it also includes teaching your kids the proper way to approach a dog. If your kids are approaching a dog in the wrong way, the dog may get aggressive, which could in turn lead to taunting by your kids. The right way to approach a dog is to not look it in the eye, to not stick your hand out or pet it on the head and to approach it from the side, not head-on, reminds the Dog Lover's Digest website.

    • 2

      Discuss the safety issues surrounding taunting the dogs. You don't want to scare your kids, but a healthy sense of caution can be good to prevent dog bites or mauling. If you need help, check out online resources such as The Blue Dog, a kit of information teaching kids how to prevent dog bites.

    • 3

      Talk to the parents of any other kids who may be involved in the taunting. Kids tend to follow directions pretty well when they're on their own, but less so when there are other kids around. If you continue to have problems with a combination of your kids and other neighborhood kids, stop allowing your kids to play with those kids, and let the kids' parents know why.

    • 4

      Set consequences for breaking the rules. Taking away outdoor toys or reducing time outside is a consequence that is directly related to the action -- something that is important for setting consequences that work, reminds James Lehman, who has a master's in social work, writing on the Empowering Parents website. If your son continually gets in trouble with the same friend, for example, the consequence is to stay away from that friend.

    • 5

      Build a privacy fence between your house and the neighbor's, if the yard is adjacent to yours. If your kids can't see the dog, they may be less likely to bother the dog.

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