One of the realities of dog bite victims is that they are often children. The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh writes, “More than 50 percent of all dog bite victims are children. While only 12 percent of adults require medical treatment, 26 percent of all children need to go to the emergency room or see a doctor. The most likely place for the attack to occur is in the home of the victim. The second most likely place is at the home of a friend of the victim.” Not only are children more likely to be a victim, but they’re also more likely to have serious injuries from a dog bite. Children under four are particularly vulnerable to family pets and being attacked in their home by the family dog.
Understanding why a child is a likely victim can help adults prevent a dog from attacking a child. There are several reasons children are likely victims of dog attacks.
Dogs Can be Protective of Their Space
Dogs can be territorial. Children often don’t understand the signals a dog may be giving off when a person is becoming too close. Signals can include: shaking, licking their lips, whining or growling, tense body with ears back, baring teeth or turning their head or body away. Adults have learned to read these signs and to give a dog their space. If a dog feels threatened and they don’t have any place to escape to, they may become aggressive and prepare to fight.
Dogs May Guard Their Resources
Children don’t understand a dog may feel a need to protect their food or a prized toy or treat. A child may not understand that a dog may not want to share their possessions and try to play with the dog. Most adults know to approach a dog with food cautiously, but many children have yet to learn this.
Size of a Child
Dogs are predators by nature, although over time, dogs have been domesticated, they still have a natural ability to hunt. Children are smaller than adults and a dog may see a child, especially under the age of four as an easy target. Infants should never be left alone with a dog.
Sudden Movement
Children can be unpredictable in their movements. This can create anxiety for dogs. Young children can hurt the animal by pulling a tail, sticking their fingers in eyes or mouth, pulling their ears or hitting them. Dogs can react suddenly.
We’ve previously posted on “Tips To Prevent Dog Bite Injuries With Small Children”. One of the most essential tips is to never leave a child alone with a dog. This is particularly important for children under four years of age, but dogs are less likely to attack a child of any age if an adult is present.
Parents should also teach children to never approach a strange dog and to watch for the behaviours dogs can display if they are becoming agitated. Allow dogs to approach you and model this behaviour for children. Dog owners are more familiar with their dogs and have a better understanding of if they can be approached.
Not all dogs are a threat to a child, but any dog can bite. It is often thought to avoid certain breeds of dogs, but even smaller or older dogs can cause harm to a child (or an adult). If you or your child has been a victim of a dog attack, contact Jeffrey H. Penneys for a free consultation on your case.