Learn to be your dog's best friend

DOGS Trust Manchester is offering free workshops to Oldham primary schools

DOGS Trust Manchester is offering Oldham schools a paw-fect start to the new term.

They're offering primary schools in the borough free workshops to help educate children about dogs and ensure they can live safely and happily at home and in the community with man's best friend.

The workshops, which also cover what it takes to keep a dog happy and healthy, support a range of curriculum subjects and tailored lessons can be created to suit the needs of the pupils.

Dogs Trust education and community Officer, Anna Baatz, says: "Dogs Trust is committed to making sure we can live happily alongside dogs at home and when we're out and about, so I deliver fun, free workshops in primary schools and would love to work with more schools in Oldham.

"The workshops are fun and interactive and really help get key messages across, from what to do if a dog you don't know approaches you, to understanding the commitment it takes to care for a dog throughout its life."

Recent NHS data revealed that over the past five years, children 16 and under accounted for around 8,000 hospital admissions for dog bites - around four admissions every day. Shockingly, 70 per cent of these bites occurred on children aged from birth to nine with the North West a hot spot.

"While being around dogs can have so many wonderful benefits for young people, the simple fact is that any dog can bite or snap if worried, scared or hurt," said Anna.

"Many bites are preventable and at Dogs Trust we believe educating children, as well as other family members, about dog safety, is the first step to preventing such incidents.

"In the workshops we teach the basics such as when not to approach a dog, how you can safely introduce yourself to a dog you don't know and for children more nervous of dogs, how to feel more confident around them. We hope that by helping young people understand how to behave around dogs we can help everyone stay safe and enjoy all the joy a canine can bring."

Dogs Trust Manchester, based in Denton, opened in October 2014 and has found forever homes for more than 2,000 dogs.

If you would like to discuss booking a workshop at your school or a local venue, call Anna on 0161 337 3613 or email anna.baatz@dogstrust.org.uk.

To find out more visit bedogsmart.org.uk.