Health & Fitness
What Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Your Child From A Dog Bite
How to teach your children to be safe around dogs. Tips for Dog Bite Prevention Week.
More than 400,000 children receive medical attention each year because of a dog bites. It may come as a surprise to parents that many of these bites are from the family dog or another dog who is familiar. Even the tamest and obedient dogs can bite! By becoming aware of a few simple dog safety guidelines, you can help prevent and protect your child from a harmful encounter with the family pet or neighborhood pooch.
For Dog Bite Prevention Week, teach your children about dog safety and how to behave around dogs. Some of the top tips for parents recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Veterinary Medical include:
- NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog. Even if it is a well-known and trusted family pet.
- Teach your child to see if the dog is with an owner and looks friendly before approaching. Then ask the owner for permission to pet the dog. Let the dog sniff your child and have your child touch the dog gently, avoiding the face, head and tail.
- Tell your child not to bother a dog if it is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
- Teach your child not to run past a dog. By nature, dogs love to chase and catch things, so make sure your child doesn’t become the target of this kind of game.
- If your little one is ever bitten or injured by a dog, take them to see a doctor no matter how minor the injury may seem. Also contact the dog’s veterinarian to check vaccination records.