As your children explore the outdoors and encounter new challenges and opportunities, you may notice that they sometimes deal with angry dogs. Sudden bites can leave them with serious injuries and long-lasting health problems.
Knowing more about why children feel drawn to dogs and how it is hard to predict when dogs will bite is key to protecting them after this injury.
Seeing dogs often
According to the National Library of Medicine, about half of all children under the age of 12 have dealt with a dog that bit them and this injury is the second-most popular reason for emergency room visits for this age group. In addition, these bites are often from a dog that the child knows.
This includes pets in their own home and pets of a friend or a close neighbor. When children go to interact with dogs, the reaction of the animal may be unpredictable even if they had prior positive experiences.
Getting poor instructions from owners
Even small dogs can give children a seriously painful or infected bite. Younger children may not fully understand how dangerous these animals are and the owners of the dogs may even encourage them to play together. As more families get dogs in their homes, the possibility of children encountering them could increase over time.
Some owners may not understand why dogs can become angry in an instant and leave your children in a vulnerable spot. Knowing the reasons why dog bites are so common can allow you to help your children.
