Dog Bite Prevention

Through education and awareness, most dog bites can be prevented. An estimated 4.7 million Americans will are bitten by a dog each year. Most dog bite victims are children. An average of a dozen people will die this year from a dog attack. About 1 million people will require medical attention.

Here are some things everyone (this includes non-pet owners) should know about dog bite prevention.

Because children make up almost two-thirds of all dog bite victims, never leave children alone with a dog or dogs.

It is important to register your dog with the town you live in. This allows the town to keep track of the neighborhood dogs and ensure everyone is properly vaccinated and cared for. Your town should provide an identification tag and/or certificate proving you have registered with the town. Place the tag on your dogs leash and keep the certificate in a safe place.

Some towns provide you with a sticker to place inside your mailbox when you register your dog with them. This alerts postal carriers to a dog or dog(s) on the property. Be sure to place this sticker on the inside of the mailbox (or as instructed), on the door the mail carrier pulls down to place the mail inside the box. If your town does not supply you with this sticker, purchase a sticker, or make one alerting the postal carriers to the dog on the premises. Even if your dog is friendly and has never bitten anyone, it is better to let people know about your dog before something happens. This also helps substitute postal carriers who are not expecting Fido to bark when they are trying to bring your mail.

If your dog barks loudly or does not like people he or she does not know (as well as former attack dogs or retired police dogs) place a Beware Of Dog sign in a visible place for everyone to see. Even if your dog is friendly, these signs will alert people to the dog on the property.


Some dogs, including certain breeds and older dogs do not appreciate rowdy children in their presence. Place a fence around your property if this is the case. Small children do not understand boundary and property lines, and might walk right into your yard without warning. Protect yourself and others by putting a fence (not the invisible kind) around your yard.

Always supervise your pets when they are outside. Chaining a dog to a tree or other object is cruel to begin with, but an unsupervised pet is asking for trouble. Even if your pet is friendly, someone else can walk into or pass by your yard and upset your pet. Keep an eye on your pet and children. Bring everyone inside when you go inside.

Always obey leash laws, no matter how well your dog is behaved.

Neuter your dog. It has been proven that neutered dogs are less likely to bite.

Keep your dog healthy and current on his or her vaccinations. If a dog is not feeling well, it could cause him or her to become annoyed and bite someone it would otherwise be friendly to if your dog felt better.

Train your dog to obey commands and listen to you. A trained dog who respects his or her owner is less likely to bite a human.

Always properly socialize your dog. Socialization will make your dog feel relaxed around other dogs and people and reduces their chance of adverse behavior.

Teach children to never approach a pet (other than their own) without asking the owner first. Supervise them as they approach the dog. Show them how to let the dog smell them first and how to gently pet a puppy dog. Let children know it is not okay to pull ears and tails.

If you are threatened by a dog, do not make eye contact, do not run, and do not scream. Stay as still as possible until the dog realizes you are not a threat and leaves.

If you or your family members are ever attacked by a dog, fall to the ground, curl up in a ball and protect your face. Seek medical attention immediately. If you know the dog or owner, be sure to let the police know about the incident.

Remember, even though Dog Bite Prevention Week is once a year, it is important to practice these tips all year long.



By Tina Marie Frawley