• Choose a pet who is friendly and tolerates children. Pit bull terriers can be extremely dangerous. German shepherds, Dobermans, and St. Bernards usually do not make good pets for young children. Do not take the risk.
• Teach your dog the commands of "down" and "sit." Teach your child how to give these commands.
• Teach your children not to touch strange animals, break up dogfights, go near a dog who is eating, or touch a sleeping dog.
• Protect your pet against rabies with yearly rabies shots. The first shot is normally given when your pet is 3 to 4 months old.
• Teach your child not to run from a strange dog. Rapid movement can trigger a dog's predatory instinct and cause it to start chasing and possible attacking.
• Never keep wild animals as pets. They can attack without warning because of natural instincts. For example, ferrets have disfigured the faces of young children with their bites.
  
  

Written by B.D. Schmitt, M.D., author of "Your Child's Health," Bantam Books.

Published by McKessonHBOC Clinical Reference Systems.