Give a Dog A Home

Article: Protecting Children From Dog Bites
May 29, 2003 12:33 a.m. Thursday


I found this a couple years ago at a website called BabyCenter (I have no idea what or where that is though) and just found it again.

How To Protect Your Child From Dog Bites at Home by Stephanie Watson

Frightening accounts of children being bitten by a stray or unfamiliar dog make headlines, but many more children are bitten at home by a family pet, according to a new report from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Out of an estimated 4.5 million dog bite incidents each year, almost half of the victims are children under the age of 12, and nearly half of those incidents involve family pets, according to the report, which was published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Many parents make the mistake of leaving a young child alone with a pet, says Sheryl Dickstein Pipe, director of humane education for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Children under 6 years old may make a sudden move, tease, or grab a dog, which can cause an otherwise sweet-tempered animal to bite.

"Whenever young children are around animals, they need to be supervised," she says. "That's for the safety of the animal as well as the child."

What you can do

Dickstein Pipe offers the following advice to keep your children safe around the family pet, as well as strays and unfamiliar dogs:

  • Bring an older dog into your home instead of a puppy. "Older animals are much calmer, plus they are hardier. They can stand up to some of the mishaps of interacting with children. If they're squeezed or pulled at, they're not as likely to be injured as puppies." If you're not sure which type of dog will be best suited for your home, she recommends that you consult The ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs or a similar book on dog breeds.

  • Train your dog to be comfortable around people. "Expose the dog to as many new situations as possible and as many different kinds of touches as possible," says Dickstein Pipe. "The dog should get used to having his ears, paws, and tail touched. One of the best ways to expose the dog to new situations is to bring him to training classes, because he can meet other dogs and people."

  • Set up a "dog only" zone that's off-limits to your child. Help your child understand that "this is Fido's special place, and when he goes there he doesn't want to play, he wants to rest."

  • Teach your child to respect your dog. Set limits and establish from the very beginning that the interaction with the dog has to be gentle, and if the dog doesn't want to play, the child must leave it alone.

  • Teach your child to always ask a dog's owner if it's okay to touch the dog before doing so.

  • Teach your child not to approach a stray or unfamiliar dog.

  • Teach your child to remain still and quiet if a stray dog approaches. Screaming and running away can upset or incite a dog.

The AVMA also recommends that you neuter your dog. Research shows that un-neutered male dogs account for more than 70 percent of reported dog bite incidents.


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The last five entries:
National Dog Bite Prevention Week May 16-22 - May 21, 2004
URGENT: Two Shih Tzu in VA Need a Home by Thursday - May 19, 2004
Ohio Puppies Need Homes ASAP - May 19, 2004
New Jersey's Animal Friendly License Plates - May 17, 2004
Swiffer Wet Jet Rumor - May 14, 2004
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