Injury Prevention

Dog Bites

Dogs are great pets, but sometimes they can bite even the people they like the best. Here are some tips to help keep you from getting bit:

Make sure an adult is always with you when a dog is around.
Don’t play too rough with a dog.
Stay away from the mean dogs in your neighborhood.
Don’t go near a dog that’s eating or chewing on a bone.
Never stare at a dog.
Never go near a dog that you don’t know.
If an adult says it’s okay to pet a dog, let the dog smell your hand before you pet him. This is how a dog gets to know you. After he smells your hand, pet him where he can see your hand. Never pet a dog on top of his head first. This can scare a dog who does not know you.
If you think a dog is going to bite, climb somewhere high – like a tree or on a car. If you have nowhere to climb, fall face down and cover your head and neck with your arms. Don’t try to outrun him.
If a dog looks like it’s going to bite you, give it something like a hat, coat or shoe that it can bite instead.
Always use a low, firm voice when talking to a dog that looks like it might hurt you.
Use commands like “Go", “Go home", “Sit", “Down", or “No".