Potential Bite Scenario: The family dog is sleeping on the child’s unmade bed, and the child has been taught to make the bed before leaving for school
What should the child do?
	Bad Idea ☹	Good Idea 😊	Why?
Push or pull the dog off the bed.	X		Startling a dog that is sleeping may frighten him, and he might snap before realizing that he is safe.
Pull on the bed covers so that the dog will jump or roll off.	X		Besides being startled out of sleep, the dog might find it scary to have the covers pulled beneath him, or he could get tangled and it might hurt.  Instead of jumping off the bed, he might try to stop the child from pulling the covers.
Without touching the bed or the dog, use a verbal cue like “Off” or “Come” to tell the dog to get off the bed. *		X	The child’s hands and face do not have to be near the dog.  If the dog has been rewarded in the past for obeying verbal cues, then he will be happy to jump off the bed.  It’s generally a better idea to try to use a cheerful voice instead of physical force to get a dog to move.
Ask an adult to come help.		X	If verbal cues don’t work, or the child doesn’t know them, then it’s best to get an adult to come handle the situation.  Keep in mind, though, the adult has the same choices and concerns as the child!
Wait until later to make the bed.		X	Does the bed really have to be made at that moment?  If it’s not acceptable to wait until the dog moves on his own, then maybe the dog shouldn’t be allowed in the child’s room or on the bed at all!  Your child’s safety should be a higher priority than a made bed or a dog that is allowed everywhere.
*What if the dog doesn’t know any verbal cues like “Off” or “Come?”
Teach him!  If you don’t know how to do it yourself, then find a trainer who can help you.  But until the dog learns the cues, and the whole family knows how to use them, then the best choice is to manage the environment so that the scenario does not occur.  This means that you teach the dog and the children that the dog should stay somewhere else in the house during the busy morning rush.  Be willing to use the dog’s crate, baby gates or closed doors to keep the dog where you want him to be.