Dog Bite Prevention

• Protecting their owner, property, food or water, toys or puppies
• Old and impatient
• Injured or sick

• Hurt or surprised by someone pulling its fur, tail or ears
• Playing rough with someone and get too excited
• Lost and/or scared

Here are some things you can do to prevent a dog biting:

• Ask the owner if you can pet their dog.
• Let a dog sniff you first by putting out your hand with your palm facing down.
• Scratch the dog on the chest or the side of the neck.
• Do not tease a dog that is behind a fence  , in a car, on a chain, in a house behind a window,  sleeping,  eating,  protecting something like food or puppies.
• Do not play with a dog unless an adult watches you.
• Do not hug and kiss a dog. This is a common cause of dog bites.

What to do if a dog approaches you

​If a strange or lost dog approaches you:

• Do not run. Remain still.
• Do not scream. Do not hit the dog.
• Do not look the dog in the eyes.

What to do if a dog knocks you over

If you are standing still and a dog knocks you over:

• Curl up in a ball on the ground with your hands covering your neck.
• Stay still and do not speak.
• Do not peek or get up until the dog is gone.
• Count up to the highest number you know quietly in your head and start again until the dog leaves or an adult comes to help you.

• It has raised fur on its neck, tail or in a ridge along the entire length of it back.
• Its tail is pointed high and moving quickly back and forth.
• It has stiff body posture.
• You can see the whites of its eyes: when a dog moves its head a little, but doesn’t move its eyes, it is a sign of anxiety.

• It is growling and/or snapping.
• It is licking its lips when food is not involved.
• It is yawning and looking away.
• It is cowering and tucking its tail.