The statistics are alarming. More than 4.7 million dog bites occur every year in the United States, sending 400,000 children to seek medical attention. And of those children, 77 percent were bitten by a dog in their own home. West Ashley-based My Puppy Box is being launched April 10, to teach kids ages 6-12 how to be safe around dogs.
My Puppy Box is the brainchild of professional dog trainer Heather Szasz. Szasz is the owner of Happy Owner Happy Dog in West Ashley where she trains dogs and families on how to get the most enjoyment out of their relationships.
The need for My Puppy Box is apparent to Szasz, who witnesses it first hand everyday through her work. She sees instances every day where children are about to be bitten by the dog in the home. “Our kids need to be educated about how to act around dogs,” said Szasz. “The purpose of My Puppy Box is to not only educate through fun, interactive books and toys, but to also have the family be all together in raising their family dog.”
Each My Puppy Box is filled with fun, informative books, crayons, and activities to teach children how to recognize a dog’s body language, how to safely approach a dog, and how to be responsible for a dog’s daily care.
The child doesn’t need a dog to benefit — in fact, there is a plush dog in every box.
There are two box versions available, My Puppy Box and My Puppy Rescue Box. My Puppy Box focuses on the family dog, while My Puppy Rescue Box teaches children about dog rescues. Each box costs $49.95 with free shipping. Five percent of each sale of My Puppy Rescue Box will be donated to dog rescue groups.
For more information or to order your My Puppy Boxes, visit www.MyPuppyBox.com.
