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Dog Safety – Bite Prevention

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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Humane Society of the United States, there are about 4.7 million dog bites every year in the U.S. Approximately 1 out 0f 72 people get bit. These bites result in approximately 16 fatalities.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates half of all children 12 years-of-age and under have been bitten by a dog. In many cases, teasing or an unintentional provocation, such as approaching a dog while it's eating or sleeping, can lead to a dog bite or even worse, an attack. The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog that the child is acquainted with - his or her own, a neighbor's, or a friend's dog. Seventy nine percent of fatal dog attacks are on children. (Dog Bite-Related Fatalities -- United States, 1995-1996, MMWR 46(21):463-467, 1997.) Over eighty seven percent of dog bite fatalities involving children occurred when the child was left unsupervised with a dog or the child wandered off to the location of the dog.

The rate of dog bite accidents is highest for those between the ages of 5-9 (according to the American Veterinary Medical Association).

Children are often the more frequent victims because they may not know the dog’s body language or have experience being around animals.
 

All Dogs are Capable of Biting

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ALL DOGS are capable of biting. There's no one breed or type of dog that's more likely to bite than others. Big or small, male or female, young or old. Even the cutest, sweetest dog can bite if provoked. It is not a dog's breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog's individual history, and behavior.

Biting has more to do with circumstances, behavior, training (or lack thereof), and ignorance on the part of human beings.

Why Do Dogs Bite?

There are many reasons a dog will bite, and many of them have nothing to do with being mean. More often than not, a dog will bite out of fear, rather than aggression.

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  • Dogs bite as a reaction to a stressful situation
  • They may be scared or threatened. If a dog is approached unexpectedly or he doesn't hear you coming, his instinct might be to bite out of fear.
  • They may feel unsure or challenged.
  • Dogs are territorial creatures and will protect their turf, themselves, their puppies, or their owners.
  • They’re not feeling well or hurt.
  • They may nip or bite during play (which is why rough play should be avoided to ensure you don’t overly excite your animal).
  • Dogs that haven't been spayed or neutered may display aggressive behavior related to their sex drive.
  • Dogs that haven't been properly behavior-trained and socialized are more likely to bite.

Research shows that dog safety training can reduce attacks.

EDUCATION and PREVENTION are key to reducing dog bites.

A single dog bite prevention lesson incorporated into a regular school day has been shown to dramatically reduce high risk behaviors toward unfamiliar dogs in both very young (kindergarten) and middle-school children. (Kahn A., Bauche P., Lamoureux J. "Child victims of dog bites treated in emergency departments: A prospective survey." European Journal of Pediatrics, 2003; 162(4) 254-8). Chapman, S., Cornwall, J., Righett, J., Lynne, S., Grossman, D. 'preventing dog bites in children: Randomized controlled trial of an educational intervention." The Western Journal of Medicine, 2000; 173(4) 233.)

The principles of positive interaction between dogs and children are important for teaching safety to all young children, whether or not they own dogs.

MOST DOG BITE INCIDENCES ARE PREVENTABLE!

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  • People, especially children, should be taught the proper way to approach a dog.
  • Children should also be actively supervised while around dogs or even in the proximity of dogs.
  • Education for both children and adults in dog behavior and dog body language.
  • Responsible dog care can go a long way in preventing many dog bites.
  • Respect for the animal.
  • Children should be taught the best ways to respond to being approached by an unfamiliar dog.
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Our program is for anyone who has or deals with children:

  • Parents whose families have dogs and even those who do not.
  • Schools, Cub Scouts Troops, Brownie Troops, Boy & Girls Clubs, Libraries, etc.
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Contact us for available dates and costs to have a member of our staff present a class for your group, class or organization.

With the assistance of our therapy dogs the children practice safe greetings and safety measures.

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