If it's cute and fluffy, chances are your child will want to touch it. And kids often don't think a cuddly dog would ever hurt them. But the fact is that about 4.7 million dog bites happen every year in the United States — and more than half of those bitten are under the age of 14. Many times, dog bites are much more than an innocent little nip — they often require hospitalization or even surgery.
Teaching kids a few basic dog manners, though, will let them — and dogs — enjoy safer encounters.
Other People's Pooches
Any breed of dog may bite. And just because a dog is small or seems friendly doesn't mean it can't — or won't — do some damage. Even the nicest, most well-trained family dog may snap if it's startled, scared, threatened, agitated, angry, or hungry.
No matter how well you think you know the dog, always supervise your child around someone else's dog. To reduce the risk of bites, teach your child these safety guidelines:
- Always ask the owner if it's OK to pet the dog.
- Let the dog see and sniff you before petting it.
- Do not run toward or away from a dog.
- If an unfamiliar dog approaches you, stay calm, don't look it directly in the eye, and stand still or back up slowly.
- If a dog tries to bite you, put anything you can between you and the dog. If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball, cover your face, and lie still.
Owner's Manual
A lot of the responsibility for preventing dog bites falls on the owner's shoulders. If your family has a dog, make sure to keep its immunizations up to date and have regular checkups with a veterinarian. Also, have it spayed or neutered. Consider taking your dog to obedience school — this will make it less aggressive and more obedient, and thus less likely to bite someone.
When you take your dog out in public, always keep it on a leash so you can be in control if your dog's behavior gets out of hand. And if you have kids, closely supervise them while they're around the dog. Never leave an infant or toddler alone with a dog.
Even if you don't own a dog, make sure that your child understands some "nevers" about being around dogs:
- Never squeeze dogs too tight, drop them, fall on them, or jump on them.
- Never tease dogs or pull their tails or ears.
- Never bother dogs while they're eating, sleeping, or taking care of their puppies.
- Never take a toy or bone away from a dog or play tug of war with a dog.
- Never feed a dog a treat with your fingers. Put the treat in your palm with your fingers and thumb held close together.
- Never crowd a dog or back it into a corner.
If a Dog Bites Your Child
If your child is bitten by a dog and the bite breaks the skin, contact your doctor, particularly if the dog is not yours. While rare, rabies and other kinds of infections can occur.
Having this information available can help the doctor determine the risk of infection and what kind of treatment, if any, your child needs:
- the name and location of the dog's owners
- if the dog is up to date on its vaccinations
- whether the attack was provoked or unprovoked
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: July 2006
