What are the common mistakes children make when reading dog signals?

Children frequently misinterpret or entirely miss the subtle body language cues dogs use to communicate stress and boundaries. Because of these misinterpretations, children are unfortunately the most frequent victims of dog bites, which often occur on the facial area.

The most common mistakes children make when reading dog signals include:

• Confusing Fear for Friendliness: Children often struggle to identify the body motions of a fearful or anxious dog, incorrectly assuming the dog is displaying the behaviors of a relaxed and approachable animal.

• Missing Early “Calming Signals”: Children frequently fail to notice or correctly interpret a dog’s “calming signals”—such as yawning, lip-licking, or turning the head away. Because these early signs of canine stress are not recognized, the child may continue the interaction until the dog feels forced to escalate to aggressive behaviors.

• Ignoring the Need for Space: Children do not always understand the physical signals telling them a dog needs personal space. Because children often have strong bonds with pets, they may assume the dog always wants to play or be hugged, leading them to provide overwhelming attention or be too rough when the dog is actually feeling stressed or uncomfortable.

To prevent these misunderstandings from escalating into bites, it is important that adults actively supervise interactions between children and dogs so they can intervene and advocate for the dog’s space when these signals are missed.