Dog Days: How to Reduce Your Family's Risk for Dog Bites

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. About 20% of these incidences result in injuries that require medical attention. While the number of cases involving children is declining, children are still more likely to be victims of dog bites than adults and those kids ages 5 to 9 seem to be the group most affected. Dog bites are a preventable health issue and education is the key to reducing your family's risk for being bitten.

Since the higher incident of dog bites occur with families who have a dog in the home, parents should consider several things before bringing the new family pet home:

1. Parents should speak with veterinarian, animal behavior specialist or other types of animal professionals to learn about the various dog breeds and which ones are best suited for their household;

2. Study the types of breeds or recent reports about those breeds which may be aggressive;

3. Sit down with your child, when appropriate, to learn whether they like dogs or animals in general. Some children may have a fear of dogs and that will be important for you to learn right away;

4. If you have the opportunity, talk with friends, who have dogs, about things they like and dislike about their particular breeds;

5. Observe your child's interactions with your friends or family members' dogs and other pets; and

6. Before purchasing or adopting a dog, take time to talk with breeders, shop owners about the dog and try to observe the animal's behavior.

Always be cautious about bringing dogs, or other pets, around very small children and also purchase or borrow books about pets to help you become familiar with your dog.

If you and your family decide that you want a dog and have selected or adopted a particular breed, you should consider steps to making your home dog friendly and dog safe:

1. If you are adopting and don't want additional puppies, neuter ro spay your new pet. This will decrease your pet's aggressive tendencies;

2. Monitor your new dog around very small children and infants;

3. Don't teach your dog bad habits or aggressive games;

4. Be sure to feed and care for your dog so that he does not roam into dangerous situations;

5. Train your dog so that he knows appropriate social behavior and understands boundaries; and

6. Seek help if your dog's behavior begins to change. Professional interventions may be needed.

Controlling situations with household pets is simpler, but there are also safety tips parents and children should consider when around or encountering neighbors' or strangers' pets.

1. Teach your children never to play aggressively or startle dogs;

2. Have your children ask for permission before playing with a neighbor's or stranger's dog;

3. Also, teach your child or children to recognize a dog's body language. Dogs that are uncomfortable or agitated will show signs of persistent barking, growling and even backing away;

4. Explain to young kids that it's best not to run away from a dog or run toward a dog screaming. This can stimulate a dog's natural instinct to run and chase; and

5. Remind your children not to disturb dogs while they sleep, eat or care for their young.

If you or your child becomes the victim of a dog bite, there are first aid measures to know. If bitten, immediately wash the wound with soap and water. This will reduce the risk of infections. Even if there is minor bleeding, you may want to take your child to the pediatrician. Let the professionals handle whether your child may need antibiotics or more. If the injury is more severe, immediately take your child to the emergency room for proper medical treatment.

If you know the dog's owner, contact them to make sure their pet has had all their necessary shots, including rabies. If the dog is not familiar to you and/or is a stray, you will need to take steps to call animal control.

Dogs are great pets, but there are some dangers. Being aware will reduce your and your family's risk for being the victims of dog bites. For more information on dog bite statistics and prevention, check out the following websites:

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/dog-bites/biteprevention.html

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/kidsdog2.html

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/avoid_dog_bites.html