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Find out why dogs bite, who gets bitten, and how to prevent it.
Why Dogs Bite
Dogs bite when they are protecting something such as home, vehicle, territory, toys, food, or puppies. They also bite when they are fearful of being hurt. Sometimes prey drive kicks in and they will chase or attack something that moves quickly. Dogs also appear to bite out of anger if they are teased.
Who Gets Bitten
More than 4 million Americans get bitten every year by dogs. Of these, approximately 800,000 seek medical care and approximately 12 will die. Children under the age of ten make up more than half of all dog bite cases and most of those are boys. Children under the age of four usually have injuries to the head and neck. Learning dog bite facts can help lower these statistics.
Preventing Bites from the Family Dog
- Do your research on dog breeds and make responsible choices when getting a dog for your household.
- Spend time getting to know a dog before taking it into your home. Discuss its temperament with the present caretakers.
- Make sure the dog you get is socialized and submissive to you.
- Don’t play rough with your dog. This sometimes teaches dogs aggressiveness.
- Obedience train your dog.
- Teach your children to handle your dog with respect – no teasing, tail-pulling, eye-poking, or ear-pinching.
- Provide your dog with a place where it can retreat from family stresses and not be disturbed.
- Teach your children not to startle or disturb your dog if he is eating, sleeping, playing with a toy, or caring for puppies.
- Do not leave young children unsupervised with your dog.
- Have your dog spayed or neutered. This may help lower aggressive tendencies.
Preventing Bites from Unfamiliar Dogs
- Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
- If an unfamiliar dog approaches you, stay still. Do not make eye contact since dogs perceive this as a threat or a challenge. Do not scream or run or reach out to an unfamiliar dog. If the dog pushes you over, roll up into a ball and be very still and quiet until it leaves.
- Do not startle or disturb any dog who is sleeping, eating, playing with a toy, or caring for puppies.
- When meeting a friend’s dog, allow it to sniff your closed hand before you pet it.
- Instruct your children to report any stray dogs to you.
- Instruct your children to tell you about any dog exhibiting strange behavior.
- Instruct your children to tell you immediately if a dog bites them.
Related Reading
Dental Braces for Dogs
The copyright of the article Dog Bite Prevention in Dogs is owned by Joy Butler. Permission to republish Dog Bite Prevention in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
May 8, 2007 10:28 AM
Jill Florio :
this is very useful info. Sometimes your own dog can be irritated to the point where you can see he is trying not to show you his teeth. With my chihuahua, I had to stop talking to him through a toilet paper roll (it sounds like Darth Vader and makes my dog growl). I thought it was funny, but it makes my dog clearly very uncomfortable. For whatever reason. Anyway i had to stop doing it. it's not respectful of him. [he just doesn't appreciate my sense of humor] ;-)
May 9, 2007 3:07 PM
Joy Butler :
lol That's funny, Jill. I think I'd growl too if somebody talked to me through a toilet paper roll! But yes, our dogs do have their own ideas about things and we have to respect them if we're going to live with them. :)
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