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Experts offer advice to reduce dog bites

Sometimes a dog's bite is worse than its bark.

Dog bites are common injuries. And children are at the greatest risk for being bitten. To lower your children's risk of a dog bite, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offer this advice:

If you have a dog, teach your child how to behave around it.
Never leave your infant or young children alone with any dog.
Teach your child never to surprise or scare a dog and never to approach an unfamiliar dog.
Tell your child to stand still if chased or approached by a dog. Teach the child not to run, kick or make any kind of threatening gesture. Instead, he or she should face the dog and avoid eye contact.
If your child is bitten, contact his or her doctor any time the skin is broken—even if it appears to be a minor bite. The doctor will need to make sure the child's tetanus immunization is current.

Reviewed 4/12/2024