Health Topics
Dog Safety
In 1994, roughly 4.7 million persons in the United States were bitten by dogs. You can teach children how to reduce their chances of being bitten by dogs.
Safety Tips
Dog Safety Tips for Parents
You can reduce the chances of children in your care being bitten or injured by a dog if you teach them some basic safety tips:
- Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
- Never run from a dog and scream.
- Stay still when an unfamiliar dog comes up to you (“be like a tree”).
- If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (“be like a log”).
- Do not look a dog in the eye.
- Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
- Do not pet a dog without letting it see and sniff you first.
- Never play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
Any adult can lessen the risk of dog bite injuries. For example:
At Home
- Never leave an infant or child alone with any dog.
- Teach your dog submissive behaviors, like rolling over to show its stomach.
- Do not play aggressive games with your dog, such as wrestling.
- Seek medical care for any serious dog bite and report all dog attacks.
In the Community
- Support animal-control programs in your community and the enforcement of local laws regulating dangerous or vicious dogs.
- Support dog bite prevention educational programs in schools.
Work with a Veterinarian
- Get the advice of a veterinarian about the right breed of dog if you are thinking about getting a family dog.
- Spay or neuter your dog - this often reduces its aggressive tendencies.
- Be sure all pets are properly immunized.
- Seek a veterinarian’s advice quickly if your dog becomes aggressive.
The Problem
Who is Affected?
Dogs can make great pets. Many people who have dogs think of them as part of the family. But dogs can also bite, and dog bites can cause serious injury and even death. During 1995-96 in the United States, at least 25 persons died as the result of dog attacks. Twenty of these deaths were among children.
In 1994, an estimated 4.7 million persons in the United States were bitten by dogs. Of these, roughly 800,000 persons sought medical care for the bite. Over half (420,000) of those getting I medical care were children.
Children are often bitten on the face, and any bite can cause severe injury or infection. Children’s small size may cause a dog to act in a dominant way toward a child. Many children`s lack of judgment and ignorance about how to behave around a dog and their inability to fend off an attack can add to the risk. It is very important that parents closely supervise children when around dogs.
Safety Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics
(847) 228-6097
“Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5”: http://www.aap.org/pubserv/animalsafety.htm
Humane Society of the United States
(202) 452-1100
http://www.nodogbites.org.
This site contains consumer-oriented materials. Titles include: “Bite-Proof Your Dog,” “Bite-Proof Yourself,” “Kids Safety Tips,” and “Dog Bite Facts.”
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
(888) 252- 7751
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbites.htm.
NCIPC Bibliography of Articles on Dog Bites. Titles include: “Dog Bite-Related Fatalities,” “Dog Bites: How Big a Problem?” and “Which Dogs Bite? A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors.”
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
