Blog Category:

Dog Bites

12/1/2008
Mischelle Weedman-Davis
Comments (0)

Children and Dog Bite Claims l Seattle Dog Bite Attorney

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are an estimated 68 million dogs kept as pets in the United States.  There are more than 1 million dog bites reported each year.  And there are estimates that an equal number of dog bites (1 million) go unreported every year.  Of the one million or so dog bites reported each year, about 60% involve an injury to a child.  Approximately 70% of dog bite wounds are inflicted on the child’s face.  Children ages 5 to 9 have the highest dog bite-related injuries.

More than 60% of dog bites occur in the home of the dog owner.  Approximately 77% of dog bite victims are members or close friends of the dog owner’s family and are therefore familiar with the dog.

Contrary to popular myth, there is no such thing as a child-friendly dog breed.  Although some breeds may be more suitable for children, a dog’s propensity to bite is dependent on many factors, including without limitation, the dog’s inherited traits, environment, training, and socialization.  Studies have shown that the most positive influence on a dog’s comfort around children is the opportunity to positively interact with the child when the dog is a young puppy.

There are some guidelines that, if followed, can reduce the chance that a dog will bite a young child.  The critical age for socializing a dog is between the ages of three and fourteen weeks.  A dog in this age range who is introduced to young children has a much lower incidence rate of biting kids.  Neutering male dogs decreases the chance of aggressive behavior.  If you plan to have young children and a dog, it is best to bring in the dog while it is young and introduce it to the children during the toddler age. 

Dogs also need to be introduced to children of all ages.  Young toddlers will act differently around the dog than a 10-year-old child will.  Children should also be involved with the training sessions of the dog.  This allows the dog to experience the child as an authoritative figure and thereby decrease the chances of a bite.  Children should also be involved in other caretaking activities, like feeding, grooming and bathing the dog. 

Parents should also never leave young children alone with a dog, particularly if the dog has limited experience with that child.  You can also teach children to recognize fearful or aggressive behavior in dogs so the child can take steps to avoid or minimize the risk of a bite.

And finally, parents should be good examples of how to treat the dog.  Children often emulate their parents’ behavior and this also applies to the parents’ interaction with the dog.

 





dog bite law bookFREE BOOK: When The Dog Bites: The Essential Guide To Dog Bite Claims In Washington State





Chris Davis and Davis Law Group has been recognized by the following organizations:


top seattle lawyer  top rated law firm    american best companies attorneys lawyers law firms 
best attorney websites   top seattle lawyerBest Attorney in Seattle Super Lawyer



Davis Law Group and attorney Chris Davis has been featured in news reports on these local and national news sources:


lawyer on television radio seattle


Davis Law Group is a member of the following organizations:

king county bar association  washington state association for justice washington state bar association   
        seattle million dollar lawyer   seattle attorney chamber of commerce      

best personal injury law firm in seattle, washington
2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 630, Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 727-4000 Fax: (206) 727-4001
Toll Free: 1-866-595-3565




There are no comments.

Post a comment

Post a Comment to "Children and Dog Bite Claims l Seattle Dog Bite Attorney"

To reply to this message, enter your reply in the box labeled "Message", hit "Post Message."

Username:*

Password:*

Register for an account

Message:

Notify me of follow-up comments via email.

For security purposes, please enter the graphic text in the box below: [hit F5 if you can not read the text]

Davis Law Group PS, Attorneys - Personal Injury & Property Damage, Seattle, WA

Testimonials

  • "Chris Davis will really take care of you."
  • "I couldn't be more happy...with Davis Law Group"
  • Smart people, know their stuff, trustworthy.
  • "Chris Davis is one of this nation’s premiere personal injury/accident lawyers...Chris is the real deal."

Read All

Blog

Dog Bites

View All

Videos

Dog Bites:

Watch All