Some of the most common reasons dogs bite:

*The dog was guarding/protecting a treasured item and someone stepped too close or tried to take the item away.

*The dog was protecting its territory and someone came into that area.

*A child had been repeatedly annoying the dog (pulling ears, tail or hair; or climbing on the dog, etc).

*The dog was sleeping soundly and was startled.

*The dog was old, in pain and grumpy.

*The dog was frightened or hurt.

*The dog had not learned bite inhibition and used its mouth too roughly in play or in other instances.

*The dog was playing and became overstimulated.

Preventing dog bites:

*Choose a dog wisely; research breeds carefully and choose a dog from a breed that you feel you can live with, take care of, and handle. Make sure the dog's personality will mesh well with your family. If everyone in the family is calm and steady, a hyperactive, busy dog will not be a good fit. If your household is full of kids coming and going, a protective dog will likely not be a good choice.

*Dogs should be spayed or neutered unless they are show dogs or being used in a breeding program. Intact male dogs bite more than any other classification of dogs.

*All dogs need training. Training teaches the dog to look to its owner for direction and guidance. Training also teaches the dog the household rules and social manners.

*All dogs need socialization., Meeting a variety of people and learning to handle different situations in different places gives a dog confidence in both his owner and himself.

*Don't play aggressive games. Waving your hands in the dog's face, play-boxing with him and wrestling teach the dog that fighting with people is normal and acceptable.

Safety with Children:

Children should never be left alone with a dog - even for just a few minutes. A crying child, a child who is running and screaming, or a child who interferes with the dog can easily become a prey object to any dog.

All kids need to know:

*Never approach strange dogs.

*Ask permission before petting any dog.

*If approached by a dog, become a tree: Stand tall, tuck your hands in your armpits, and do not look at the dog.

*If chased by a dog, do not run and scream. Instead, curl up in a ball on the ground, with your arms over your face and ears.

*Do not stare at dogs, put your face in a dog's face, or kiss the dog on its face.

*Leave dogs alone when they are eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.

*Do not hug the dog's head, climb on him, ride him like a pony, pull his ears or otherwise torment him.

Parents should never assume that their patient, good dog will always be patient and good. Eventually that dog may become overwhelmed, hurt or just plain tired of a child making its life unbearable.

Decreasing dog bite incidents begins with dog owners. We cannot assume that our dogs are not part of the problem, because in any given situation, any dog can bite. We must be wise dog owners and protect our children, our dogs and any people who may associate with our dogs.