What Is Fear Free?

If you or someone you know is welcoming a baby, learning how to prepare your family dog can help keep everyone safe during the transition. Here are some resources that can help you anticipate and prepare the entire family for all stages of childhood.

Milestones for Baby and Pets
Sleep Safety for Infants
Dog and Toddler Safety
Supervising Dogs and Kids

While the goal is to proactively support dogs and children together, if an incident such as a bite, growl, or snap occurs, it is important to know what to do. In the event of such an incident, we recommend the following:

1. Separate the dog and child immediately with a physical barrier such as a gate, crate, or closed door.
2. Seek medical attention if necessary.
3. Take photographs of any visible injuries to share with professionals as you move forward
4. Call the Family Paws support line at (877) 247-3407 for immediate guidance or contact your local Family Paws Parent Educator (https://www.familypaws.com/member-directory/) for support. Provide the following incident report to your Family Paws Parent Educator at first contact.
5. Consider reaching out to a mental health professional to support your emotional needs. An incident like this can be traumatic for both child and adult victims and witnesses.
6. Contact your veterinarian for a medical assessment on your dog.