Bite Proof Your Kids
(and your dog)

The second victim is the dog. When a dog bites, it is almost always blamed, regardless of the reason for the biting response. Often, the dog running loose, unneutered or unsocialized, all of which matter greatly in bite prevention.

In the end the child is again, permanently scarred and the dog is usually given up to an adoption agencies euthanised. Adoption agencies like the NHSPCA do their best to evaluate and consider dogs that have bitten for placement in a new home, but again it is very difficult to place a dog that has bitten someone, regardless of the reason.

Following the tips below will help reduce the number of victims, both children and dogs.

BITE PROOF YOUR KIDS

Teach your children the following basic rules of safety around dogs:

• Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Remember that not every dog that wags its tail is friendly.
• Always ask the owner's permission before petting a dog.
• Always approach dogs slowly and carefully.
• When meeting a new dog, let it come to you and smell you first.
• Know where the dogs in your neighborhood live.
• Keep away from stray dogs.
• Never run from a dog and scream.
• Remain calm and motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog (e.g., "be still like a tree").
• Always protect your face, neck and arms.
• If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., "be still like a rock").
• If you're attacked, give the dog a book or backpack to chew on. Cover your head and neck, and protect your face.
• Never play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
• Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
• Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
• Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
• Do not make loud noises around dogs.
• Do not ever tease a dog.
• Never reach through a fence to pet a dog.
• Never put your hand between two dogs.
• Never put your face close to a dog.
• Never try to help a hurt dog; get an adult to help.
• If you do not have permission, never enter a yard with a dog in it.
• Better yet, wait for the owner to enter the yard with you.
• Never leave a baby alone with a dog.
• If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

What exactly is a pit bull?
Defining it has proved to be a formidable legal hurdle because the pit bull is not a specific breed. Rather, it is a kind of dog, a generic catchall like hound or retriever. The breeds most commonly referred to, as pit bulls are the American Stafford shire terrier, which is the term used by the American Kennel Club, and the American pit bull terrier, the term used by the United Kennel Club. The men who match pit bulls in fights today do not bother with such formalities; they refer to their animals as bulldogs -- a nickname which should not confuse pit bulls with the pug-faced and bowlegged English bulldog, a distant relative, or the bullterrier, another relation whose bloodline was softened long ago by crossbreeding with the English Terrier. Pit bulls come in almost any color; their ears may be cropped or uncropped; their noses either red or black; and their height and weight merely proportionate -- with the weight parameters ranging from under 20 pounds to upwards of 100. Their muzzles are wedge like, their jaws powerful and their heads blocky. A pit bull's coat will be short and glossy, shimmering over a compact frame tightly bound in muscle." (E.M.SWIFT, THE PIT BULL: FRIEND AND KILLER. IS THE PIT BULL A FINE ANIMAL, AS ITS ADMIRERS CLAIM, OR IS IT A VICIOUS DOG, UNFIT FOR SOCIETY? Sports Illustrated, 07-27-1987, pp 72.)

Which dogs are indeed dangerous?

"The primary difficulty in determining which breeds are most dangerous has to do with the floating numerator (i.e., numerator floating without its denominator). It is important that we know not only the percentage of bites from a given breed but also the total number of that breed in the general canine population and the amount of time the dog spends around humans. Such denominator data are unavailable." (James R. Blackman, M.D., J Am Board Family Practice 11(2): 167-169, 1998.)
Court cases generally acknowledge that dogs are dangerous because they are used to create danger, not necessarily because they are inherently dangerous. For example, in People v. Nealis (1991) 232 Cal.App.3d Supp. 1, the dog was commanded to attack, so the court held that the dog was a deadly weapon. In People v. Henderson (1999) 1999 Daily Journal D.A.R. 11862, pit bulls were used to threaten police, so the court held that the dogs were deadly weapons, not necessarily because of their breed, but because the defendant was using them as such.
The Humane Society of the United States and the Center for Disease Control did a study of dog bite related fatalities during 1995-1996.

Here is what they found:

• At least 25 persons died as the result of dog attacks (11 in 1995 and 14 in 1996).
• Of the 25 DBRF's (Dog Bite Related Fatalities), 20 (80%) occurred among children (three were aged <=30 days [neonates], one was aged 5 months, 10 were aged 1-4 years, and six were aged 5-11 years), and five occurred among adults (ages 39, 60, 75, 81, and 86 years).
• Most (18 [72%]) DBRF's occurred among males.
• Of 23 deaths with sufficient information for classification, seven (30%) involved an unrestrained dog off the owner's property, five (22%) involved a restrained dog on the owner's property, and 11 (48%) involved an unrestrained dog on the owner's property.
• Of the 25 deaths, nine (36%) involved one dog; nine (36%) involved two dogs, two (8%) involved three dogs, and five (20%) involved six to 11 dogs.
• All the attacks by unrestrained dogs off the owner's property involved more than one dog.
• Of the three deaths among neonates, all occurred on the dog owner's property and involved one dog and a sleeping child.
• Fatal attacks were reported from 14 states (California [four deaths]; Florida and Pennsylvania [three each]; Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, and South Dakota [two each]; and Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington [one each]).
• The sources used for the study are thought to have underestimated the number of DBRF's by 26%.
  Studies from other years
• During 1979-1996, fatal dog attacks occurred in 45 states.
• In 1986, nonfatal dog bites resulted in an estimated 585,000 injuries that required medical attention or restricted activity; in that year, dog bites ranked 12th among the leading causes of nonfatal injury in the United States.
• In 1994, an estimated 4.7 million persons (1.8% of the U.S. population) sustained a dog bite; of these, approximately 800,000 (0.3%) sought medical care for the bite.
  
  

• Time and energy: Puppies require a lot of time, patience, training and supervision. They also require socialization in order to become well-adjusted adult dogs. This means they need to be taken places and exposed to new things and new people. If you have a young child who already requires a lot of care and time, will you have enough time to care for a puppy, as well?
  
  
• Safety: Puppies, because they're babies, are somewhat fragile creatures. A puppy may become frightened, or even injured, by a well-meaning, curious child who wants to constantly pick him up, hug him or explore his body by pulling on his tail or ears.
  
  
• Rough play: Puppies have sharp teeth and claws with which they may inadvertently injure a small child. Puppies also tend to jump up on small children and knock them down. All interactions between your child and puppy will need to be closely supervised in order to minimize the chances of either being injured.

• Size: Small breeds of dogs, such as toy or miniature poodles, Chihuahuas or cocker spaniels, may not be good choices for a young child. These small breed dogs are more easily injured than larger dogs and may be more easily frightened by a lot of activity, loud noises and by being picked up and fondled frequently. Frightened dogs tend to snap or bite in order to protect themselves. Larger dogs may be better able to tolerate the activity; noise and rough play that is an inevitable part of living with children.
  
  
• Breed type: Some of the sporting breeds, such as Labradors and golden retrievers, make good pets for families with children. Breeds that have been selected for protective behavior, such as chows and rottweilers, may not be as good for families with children. It's sometimes difficult for this type of dog to comfortably tolerate the many comings and goings of children and their friends, who may be perceived as territorial intruders. Herding breeds are inclined to "herd" children, chasing and nipping at their heels.

• It's safest for both your child and puppy if your child is sitting down whenever he wants to hold the puppy. Puppies are squirmy and wiggly and may easily fall out of a young child's arms and be injured. If held insecurely, a puppy may become frightened and snap or scratch in response. After your child is sitting, you can place the puppy in his arms.
  
• Have your child offer the puppy a chew toy while he pets the puppy. When puppies are teething, they tend to chew on everything, including hands and arms, so having a chew toy handy will divert the puppy's teeth away from your child. An added benefit is that the puppy will come to associate pleasant consequences (getting a treat) with being held by your child.
• For larger dogs, have your child sit in your lap and let the dog approach both of you. This way you can control your child and not allow him to get "carried away" with pats that are too rough. You are also there to teach your new dog to treat your child gently. *
  Petting and giving affection: Children often want to hug dogs around the neck. Your dog may view this as a threatening gesture, rather than an affectionate one, and may react with a growl, snap or bite. You should teach your child to pet your dog from underneath the dog's chin, rather than hugging him or reaching over his head. You should also teach your child to avoid staring at, or looking directly into, your dog's eyes.

• Your child must take responsibility for keeping his playthings out of your dog's reach.
• If, and only if, you catch your dog chewing on something he shouldn't, interrupt the behavior with a loud noise, then give him an acceptable chew toy and praise him lavishly when he takes the toy in his mouth.
• Don't give your dog objects to play with such as old socks, old shoes or old children's toys that closely resemble items that are off-limits. They can't tell the difference!
• Dogs can be possessive about their food, toys and space. Although it's normal for a dog to growl or snap to protect these items, it's not acceptable. At the same time, children need to learn to respect their dog as a living creature who is not to be teased or purposefully hurt and who needs time to himself.

BITE PROOF YOUR DOG

There is no way we can guarantee that your dog will never bite someone. But if you follow the tips below you can significantly reduce the risk.

Socialization
Take your dog everywhere. Be sure he or she meets all different types of dogs and people. Think of all the situations that your dog and you might get into in your life and try to expose your dog to them.

• Riding in the car
• The Veterinary office
• Walking down a crowded street
• Meeting other dogs
• Doggie Day care
• Boarding
• Visiting family and friends
• Babies and kids
• Other types of pets

Obedience training
Training classes are great for more than obedience. They teach you and your dog how to communicate, they expose your dog to different types of dogs, show him or her the world is a much bigger place than your back yard and help you learn how to stay in control while there are a lot of distractions. Avoid sending your dog away to be trained. You and your family will live with your dog for its lifetime and you and only can teach what you want in YOUR home.

Teach your dog, appropriate behavior
Do not play with your dog in a manner that you would not like the dog to behave. Aggressive play leads your dog to believe that THAT behavior is ok. Wrestling, tug of war and even "sic-em" are games that are not recommended. You should set limits on behavior and play as you would with a child. The first time your dog exhibits dangerous or aggressive behavior towards any person or another animal you should seek professional help, don't wait for the behavior to get worse.

Be Responsible.
Following your town laws and ordinances on protects you and your dog from those that are not responsible. License, vaccinate and always keep your dog on a leash when in public areas that may have people and dogs in them. Avoid tying your dog outside and do not allow your dog to roam. Dogs that spend a lot of time alone roaming or tied out will decide for themselves what is appropriate behavior based on the situation. Your influence or training will eventually become unnecessary in the dog eyes. And the behavior he chooses to use may not suite your needs or limits at all.

Spay or neuter
This surgery could be the single most important thing you do for your dog. They are less likely to roam, fight with other dogs and can even be less protective. It is a fact that spayed or neutered dogs are three times less likely to bite.

Err on the side of safety
If you are ever unclear on how your dog will act in a situation; avoid it. Chances are your dog will sense your uneasiness and not do well anyway. Also remember you cannot predict what someone else's dog will do.