Dog Bites and What to Consider Before Getting a Dog
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year, about 800,000 Americans look for medical attention for dog bites. Half of these are kids. Among those injured, almost 50%, require treatment in an emergency department and about a dozen die. Children ages 5 to 9 years have the highest rate of dog bite-related injuries. Most of the injuries are to the head or neck region.
Having a dog in the family is a wonderful thing. It can be your companion, your best friend. But, you should beware that it can also be a problem if you’re not careful, especially if you have children in the house. Tell the kids in the first place, if you plan to have a dog, or to introduce them to dogs, about how they should act when they are with a dog.
No matter if the dog is yours or your neighbor’s, or especially a stranger’s, it can bite. That is the point. Remember that dogs can bite if they feel threatened by new circumstances or strangers.
Before you plan to have a dog, below are some things to consider first:
1. Consult with a professional, for example a veterinarian or a responsible breeder, and get information about which suitable breeds for your household.
2. If your children are afraid of dogs, it’s best to delay getting it.
3. Always be cautious that you should never leave your children and infants alone with a dog.
4. Spend some time with a dog before you decide to buy or adopt it.
5. Get professional advice immediately if the dog shows aggressive behavior.
If you still want to know more about dog bites, Chicky Chicky Baby has a very helpful post. There are also some tips on how to prevent dog bites in her blog entry. Thank you for sharing this great information, CCB…
Save your children from dog bites!
December 15th, 2006 at 2:25 am
Good advice! We are not getting a dog until the kids are much older for this very reason. I love dogs but they are pack animals and things can happen when the pack is added to.
December 16th, 2006 at 12:55 am
This is such an important issue. Thanks for highlighting it here.
We have a dog and a toddler and my current struggle is teaching my son how NOT to throw things at the dog and hit the dog in the face. My son is only 18 months old so it’s really hard to get him to do anything I say at this point. Coincidentally, I just asked Chicky Chicky Baby to post some advice on this on her blog, but if you have any, I’m all ears!