ECLC: How to Approach a Dog and Take Care of Animals
Throughout the month of January, as part of their service learning, students in ECLC have been discussing the importance of taking care of and advocating for animals, particularly ones in shelters. Through a special partnership with the Denver Dumb Friends League, ECLC students spent the last week of January learning how to safely approach a dog. Thanks to several visits from Dumb Friends League instructors and their “Ambassadogs,” the ECLC students learned the following safety tips:
- Children should always ask their parent or guardian for permission to pet a dog first, followed by the dog owner and even the dog. This can be done by reading the dog’s body language. The ECLC students learned that friendly dogs typically wag their tails or sit down next to someone if they want to be touched. Dogs that do not want to be bothered will hide behind the owner, walk or run away, or put their tail between their legs.
- If the dog seems friendly, it is alright to crouch down and gently stick a hand out for the dog to sniff. Children should maintain a safe distance and never put their face in front of a dog.
- Dogs who are strangers should only be pet on their shoulders or chest. It can be alarming to dogs to be touched in places that they cannot see, such as the top of their head or back.
- Finally, it is important to thank the owner and the dog before walking away.
After listening to the presentation, each ECLC class got to practice what they learned with the visiting pup. Thank you, Dumb Friends League Denver, for visiting Graland and for all of the helpful information that you shared with our ECLC students!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
