Simple steps can shield children from dog bites

May 14, 2016

Basing on a 1994 study that was done by Lattal and Mathews, the United States of America has about 1 million dog bite incidences on a yearly basis. 60-70 percent of these bites occur in children. The study further suggests that the boys get more bitten than the girls. Furthermore, in one third of the cases, the attacking dogs are owned by the family. In addition, the attacks will happen close to the homes of the victims.

There are some people who train their dogs to bite but I will not divulge into that right now. Here I will give you some simple steps that you can shield your children from dog bites.

The attacks are at times so severe that they lead to death.

What can the parents do?

For the children who are of the right age to understand instructions, parents can share the following hints with their children regarding dogs.

· Keep off from disturbing an eating or sleeping dog. The same goes for the dog when it is taking care of its puppies. In such cases, their attention tends to be focused on the matter at hand. Even if the dog is your best friend, he may bite out of instincts to protect.

Before you begin to pet the dog, make sure that he has seen and sniffed you. Your scent will be used by the dog to verify that it is really you.

· Discipline your children to ask permission from the dog’s owner and the parents before they can pet a dog. On the same note, do not allow them to come anywhere near a strange dog, leave alone petting them.

· Ask your children not to make the mistake of approaching a dog that has been confined in a car, chain or behind a fence. The owner could have done so as a preventive measure. In most cases, such dogs are usually dangerous and you ought to stay away from them.

· Keep off from teasing dogs by poking them via the fence or the car windows. Neither should you stretch your arm with the intention to pet them.

· If a dog is chasing you, do not run away. you can do the following: stop, be still, calm down yourself, maintain silence and do not scream. Walk away from the dog in a slow manner but still facing it; be keen here not to stare at its eyes.

· In case a dog as attacked you, use your jacket, school bag or anything as a defense mechanism by feeding them to him.

· Avoid approaching a dog that is strange to you or who is not close to the owner

· In circumstances where you have been attacked, curl yourself in the same way a turtle does and cover you head using the arms and hands.

If you have a dog that has had aggression issues, no matter how small it was, you are legally and morally bound to do whatever it takes so that your child does not get bit.