The Muzzle Movement and
Kids Around Dogs® collaboration
For many families, school holidays mean fun days out, holidays, sleepovers, barbecues, and busy homes full of activity. But while summer can feel exciting for us, it can sometimes feel stressful and overwhelming for our dogs.
🏖️🍦 For many families, school holidays mean fun days out, holidays, sleepovers, barbecues, and busy homes full of activity. But while summer can feel exciting for us, it can sometimes feel stressful and overwhelming for our dogs.
Research shows that dog bite incidents involving children increase during school holidays and summer months, especially in the home environment (Dixon & Mistry, 2020; Tulloch et al., 2021; Westgarth et al., 2024).
Photo courtesy of Sam Stopes, IMDT, KAD-AP, MDWA
The Helping Paw Dog Training & Dog Services. Thehelpingpaw.co.uk
📈🐕 Most bites involve dogs already known to the child, often the family dog (Westgarth et al., 2020; Provazza et al., 2024).
This does not mean dogs are "bad" or "aggressive." Dogs are living beings trying to cope with stress, overwhelm, fear, or discomfort — and often their earlier signals have been missed.
Understanding this can help families create safer, calmer, and happier holidays for everyone.
❤️ Understanding this can help families create safer, calmer, and happier holidays for everyone.
Dogs thrive on routine and predictability, so the school holidays can feel like a huge change overnight. Suddenly children are home all day, houses become noisier, routines shift, visitors come and go, and dogs often get far less uninterrupted rest.
Even dogs who usually enjoy children can struggle with:
Summer can also bring unfamiliar places, busier parks and beaches, hotter weather, different caregivers, and stressful social events.
☀️ While one or two changes may be manageable, stress is cumulative, and lots of small stressors happening together can quickly become overwhelming. Research suggests children are particularly vulnerable because they may misread dog body language or get too close to dogs without realising the risk.
👧🐶 This is why supervision alone is not always enough. Families also need proactive management and an understanding of canine communication.
Watch More from "KAD" YouTubeA common assumption during the holidays is that dogs should join every family outing or get far more exercise than usual. Some dogs love this whilst others find it exhausting.
Summer often means:
Some dogs may benefit more from quieter walks, shorter outings, extra rest, and less social interaction.
At the same time, some families become so busy that dogs end up getting less exercise and enrichment than usual. Both extremes can affect wellbeing.
Hot weather can also lower tolerance to stress in both dogs and humans. 🌡️ Dogs may become more tired, irritable, less social, or less tolerant of handling and close contact. Heat can also affect sleep quality, which is hugely important for emotional regulation.
Read More About Travelling with a Muzzled DogDogs rarely "bite out of nowhere."
Most dogs communicate discomfort long before escalating, but many of these signals are subtle and easy to miss.
Signs a dog may need space can include:
Growling is communication, not "bad behaviour." ⚠️ Punishing growling can remove an important warning signal without changing how the dog feels underneath.
Teaching children to recognise when a dog wants space is one of the most important safety skills families can learn.
Understanding Your Dog BlogSmall changes can make a huge difference. Dogs need lots of uninterrupted sleep.
😴 During term time, many dogs rest while everyone is out at school or work, but during holidays they may lose that downtime completely. Create a quiet space where your dog can retreat without being followed or disturbed.
This could be:
(in a location children cannot access, to avoid them disturbing or teasing the dog while there)
(that the child cannot access unless supervised)
Children should understand that when a dog is resting, they must be left alone. Aim to keep routines for your dog, even if holidays are less structured — consistency helps dogs feel secure. Keeping feeding times, walks, rest periods, and bedtime routines reasonably predictable can make a big difference.
If major changes are coming, such as kennels, pet sitters, or holidays away, gradual preparation can help reduce stress.
Many dogs enjoy family adventures during the holidays, but others may find busy summer environments overwhelming. If your dog struggles with crowds, noise, or excitement, try walking during quieter times, choosing calmer routes, and avoiding overcrowded events where possible.
Sometimes the kindest choice is leaving your dog at home with enrichment and rest instead of expecting them to cope with a busy day out.
Calm enrichment can also help dogs relax and decompress. This might include:
These activities can also be a lovely way for children to get involved safely. Children might help stuff Kongs or lick mats, scatter treats in the garden or create simple search games using cardboard boxes or toys. They can then enjoy watching the dog use the enrichment from a respectful distance if needed.
Even dogs who live happily with children may find unfamiliar children stressful, so interactions should always be managed carefully.
Muzzle Friendly EnrichmentAt The Muzzle Movement, we believe every dog can benefit from muzzle training — just in case.
Muzzles are not punishment. A properly fitted muzzle allows a dog to:
Muzzle training in advance can be especially helpful during stressful holidays, in busy environments, around unfamiliar children, at the vet or in emergencies, and for dogs who may feel overwhelmed.
Importantly, muzzle training should happen before it is urgently needed. Using force-free methods, dogs can learn to feel comfortable and safe wearing a muzzle through gradual positive experiences. ✨
A muzzle is also not a free pass to put a dog into stressful situations. For example, if your dog finds unfamiliar children frightening, putting on a muzzle and forcing them into a busy barbecue is still unfair and stressful. Muzzles should be part of a wider plan that keeps dogs feeling safe and supported.
Muzzle Training Courses
When appropriate, children can safely help with muzzle training by tossing treats toward the muzzle, helping with simple training games, or feeding and playing with the dog through the muzzle when safe to do so.
You can also help children feel more comfortable around muzzles by:
This is a great opportunity to teach children that some dogs need extra space, every dog is an individual, and safety tools are normal and helpful.
Muzzles should never be treated as something "scary" or "bad." They can become part of healthy conversations around safety, consent, emotions, and compassionate care.
Photo courtesy of Sam Stopes, IMDT, KAD-AP, MDWA
The Helping Paw Dog Training & Dog Services. Thehelpingpaw.co.uk — 07931469223
Every dog is different, and travel can bring new challenges, triggers, and emotions.
School holidays can create a "perfect storm" of stress for dogs through disrupted routines, reduced rest, increased interaction, busy environments, and heat.
By learning canine body language, respecting dogs' need for rest and space, supervising interactions thoughtfully, and using compassionate management strategies, families can help make summer safer and less stressful for everyone. And remember, muzzle training is not a failure. It is a practical, force-free safety skill that every dog can benefit from learning.
If you would like support with muzzle training, dog-child safety, or understanding your dog's behaviour, The Muzzle Movement and Kids Around Dogs® offer resources designed to help families build safer, more compassionate relationships with dogs.
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