Community and Physicians Together links UC Davis pediatricians with neighborhoods

August 17, 2005

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —A lot of kids don’t know how to meet a dog. Stephanie Flaherty, chief resident and pediatrician with the UC Davis Medical Center, is working hard to change that.

As part of her medical training in the emergency room, Flaherty found herself taking care of a lot of dog-bite victims. The medical center has treated 105 since July of last year. A dog owner herself, Flaherty had an idea as to why the kids were getting hurt.

“My dog, a Siberian husky, has markings just like Demon in the children’s film ‘Snow Dogs,’” Flaherty said. “When kids see him they think he’s the dog from the movie, and they get excited. They’ll run to him, scream, wave a hand in his face and poke him. These are behaviors that can aggravate even the most well-behaved dog.”

To reduce the numbers of children that get bitten, Flaherty developed a short, interactive training session on how children should approach and respond to a dog. Working with the Tahoe Colonial Collective — one of five neighborhood groups that comprise UC Davis’s Communities and Physicians Together program — she teaches children living near the medical center what to do and, more importantly, what not to do.

Flaherty covers different strategies for different situations. For instance, “If it’s a stray dog, stand like a tree, arms at your sides. Let the dog sniff you. Hopefully, the dog will just sniff and go away. Then slowly back away, keeping an eye on the dog,” she said. “Or if the dog tries to attack, feed it your jacket or backpack. Or use your bike as a barrier between you and the animal.”

The most important lesson relates to the most aggressive form of dog encounter, an attack. “If the dog knocks you down, curl over like a turtle, cover your ears and neck, and bring your head into your body.” During her presentation, Flaherty has kids get on the ground and practice being turtles.

She also teaches basic dog-meeting etiquette. “If the dog is on a leash, ask the owner, ‘Can I pet your dog?’ If the owner says ‘yes,’ extend your fist — not an open hand — for the dog to smell. If the dog licks you, it’s usually a sign that it’s safe to pet.” Flaherty ends the session by having kids practice their new skills with her own dog Nanook.

One of Flaherty’s graduates, Robert “R.J.” Colburn, Jr. — who turns 10 this year — was bitten in the stomach by a dog while riding his bike two years ago. He joined one of Flaherty’s sessions to gain dog-greeting skills. Among the points young Colburn picked up: “If it’s a wild-looking dog, just don’t go near it,” he said.

“All kids are going to encounter dogs at some point in their daily lives, just like Robert did,” Flaherty said. “They’re often exposed to dogs, but rarely receive any education about them. My goal is to change that and keep them safer.”

Communities and Physicians Together is an award-winning program that brings UC Davis pediatric residents, students and faculty together with five organized community collaboratives that are focused on child health. Pediatric residents work with the neighborhood groups to develop a broader and better-defined concept of child advocacy. The physicians also help to foster and sustain a strong community network.

*Dr. Flaherty will teach dog-bit prevention strategies to children from the Tahoe Colonial Collective in Tahoe Park from 1:30 to 2 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 17. The park is located across the street from the Tahoe Colonial Community Center, which is located at 5959 8th Ave. in Sacramento.

Directions: Take Stockton Boulevard south to Broadway, turn left on Broadway, turn right on 60th St. to 8th Ave. and Tahoe Park.

For more information about the Communities and Physicians Together program, visit http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cpt/