Santa Clarita, Calif., April 13, 2018 — Responsible pet owners know the best way to prevent their dogs from biting people is to socialize and seek professional training for them. Each year approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. and at least half of them are children, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Child victims of dog bites are often left traumatized and emotionally scarred. Teaching children dog safety is an important way to prevent dog bites. This week April 8 -14 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week and Animal Behavior College (ABC) Dog Obedience Program (DOP) graduate Breanna Brancheau has written a dog safety book for children.
“It’s the lack of dog safety education that leads to dog bites,” said Breanna, who graduated and earned her professional DOP certification in 2015 and is the author of the book, “Rosie the Pawsitive Pup.” “Hopefully, this book will help children to better understand dog behaviors so they learn to respect them.”
“Rosie the Pawsitive Pup” teaches dog safety to children as seen through the eyes of Rosie, Breanna’s Newfoundland. The 18-page book uses various rhymes and colorful illustrations to explain how to avoid dog bites and identify behaviors dogs exhibit before they are about to attack. Some of those behaviors include growling, lunging, snapping and snarling. The book teaches the proper way to approach and interact with dogs, how to tell if a dog is feeling anxious and why it’s important to leave a dog alone while he’s eating and sleeping.
“Kids should always be polite to animals and respect a dog’s personal space,” she said. “It’s important that kids understand that sometimes dogs just want to be left alone.”
It was an incident at a local park that inspired Breanna to write the book. She was holding her baby son while walking Rosie on a leash. Her husband was several feet away pushing their young daughter on a swing. Two medium-sized dogs got loose from a nearby neighborhood and darted towards Rosie. One of the dog’s tail and ears were up and the hair on his back was raised. He stared with eyes focused on Rosie. Thanks to the training she received through ABC, Breanna knew it was important to remain calm and not make eye contact with the canine. The professional training she had given Rosie ensured that she remained calm and controlled at her side. Not knowing what was happening her husband let her daughter down off the swing. Within seconds, the toddler spotted the loose dogs, ran to one of them and placed her small hand on his back.
“My heart stopped for a moment,” Breanna recalled. “I calmly told her to go back to her dad. Luckily, the dog continued to focus on Rosie who sat relaxed by my side and didn’t react to him. The dog finally lost interest and ran away.”
Breanna couldn’t stop thinking about the incident and the consequences if things had gone differently. It was then she realized the importance of educating children about dogs to keep them safe. She shares her book with friends and parents who use it as a teaching tool for their children. Breanna and Rosie even visited her daughter’s ballet class.
“ABC taught me the science of dog behavior and why they do what they do,” Breanna said. “I want to use what I’ve learned about them to keep all kids safe.”
“Rosie the Pawsitive Pup” is available in eBook format as well as soft cover. To place an order, visit the website: https://www.thebookpatch.com/BookStore/rosie-the-pawsitive-pup/774b634c-9035-4f22-9438-110fbd90fd93?isbn=9781682735909.
In addition to DOP, Animal Behavior College offers professional certifications in three other core programs including, the Cat Training Program (CTP), Grooming Instruction Program (GIP) and Veterinary Assistant Program (VAP). In addition, ABC offers specialized certificates of completion in Short-Term Programs on subjects including pet massage, pet nutrition, pet sitting, training shelter dogs, and selling and teaching private lessons.
As of March 31, 2018, ABC has graduated and certified more than 14,893 students from the Dog Obedience Program. For more information, call 800-795-3294 or visit www.animalbehaviorcollege.com .
About Animal Behavior College
Now celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Animal Behavior College is a vocational school that trains professional dog trainers, cat trainers, veterinary assistants and pet groomers nationwide and in the 10 provinces of Canada. As of March 31, 2018, ABC has graduated more than 25,700 students from all of its four core programs combined. Students obtain practical hands-on experience applying what they learn by working side-by-side with a member of ABC’s expert mentors group. These professional mentors include thousands of professional dog trainers, veterinary hospitals and clinics and grooming salons from all across the U.S. and Canada who are dedicated to helping students succeed in the pet services industry.