May 16 – 23 is Dog Bite Prevention Week

Monday, May 17th, 2010 | Lawyer Marketing

Americans, both adults and children alike, are at risk for dog bites at any time of the year. However, the week from May 16 to May 22 will involve a stronger focus on dog bite prevention. For Los Angeles dog bite lawyers, National Dog bite Prevention Week is a great opportunity to focus attention on education and awareness in preventing dog bites.

According to the CDC, 4.5 million dog bites take place in the US every year. Children between the ages of five and nine, are at the highest risk for dog bites. Children are not just more likely to be bitten, but are also more likely to require emergency medical treatment for their injuries. Adult males are more likely to be bitten by a dog than adult females.

If you have a dog in your household, then you have a higher chance of being bitten. In fact, the risk of being bitten by a dog increases with the number of pet dogs you have in your home. If you have five or more dogs in your household, then your chances of being bitten by a dog increase by five times.

That doesn’t mean that you force yourself to develop an affinity for cats instead. It just means that you take care while deciding on the dog breed. California dog bite lawyers find that far too many dog owners purchase a dog breed with very little information about the animal’s breeding, behavior and other genetic traits. For instance, a pit bull is never the ideal choice for a family with kids. No matter what pit bull lovers will tell you, these are aggressive breeds, and are involved in more numbers of dog bites every year than any other breed.

That is not a matter of chance. Some breeds have been raised over generations to be more aggressive, and these traits have not been completely eliminated from their genes.

To be sure, ask your veterinarian, or an experienced animal breeder for the kind of dog you should have in your home.  You may feel sorry for a puppy with a disturbed history at the pound, but he may not be the perfect fit for you if you have little children at home.

Make sure that your children are comfortable around dogs before you introduce a puppy into the home.

Make sure your dog is sprayed or neutered before you bring it into the house.

Don’t encourage your dog to play aggressively.

Invest in training and socializing your dog.

If your dog begins to display aggressive or rough behaviors, seek expert advice immediately.

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