Incidents like the one this morning, when a German shepherd bit a Davie boy who came to pick up a friend, add fuel to the never-ending discussion on how to prevent dog attacks. Breed-specific laws? Legislation that doesn’t target certain types of canines? The debate goes on – and may continue, if the Florida Legislature this session again looks at a dangerous dog bill as it did during the past one.

But law or no, there are things that responsible owners can do to diminish the chances that their dogs will bite, and measures people can take to make sure they don’t get bitten.

FOR DOG OWNERS

*·Don’t place a dog with a history of aggression in a household with young children.
* Don’t play aggressive games with your dog, like wrestling.
* Properly socialize your dog to people and other dogs.
* Teach submissive behaviors, like rolling over and relinquishing food without growling.
* Spaying or neutering your dog will reduce aggressive tendancies.
* Don’t leave young children or infants alone with a dog. Children are the most common dog bite victims.

PREVENTING BITES

* Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
* Do not run from a dog or scream. If approached by an unfamiliar dog, be very still.
* If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still.
* Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
* Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or taking care of her puppies.
* Don’t pet a dog without allowing it to see you and sniff you first.

For more good tips, go here for bite prevention information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here is another link to more information on bites from the US Postal Service.

And here is an interesting report, from a 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, on research involving what breeds have more involved in bite cases nationwide from 1979 through 1998.