Dog Aggression Towards Children: Prevention and Safety

Dog bites to children are a significant welfare concern for both dogs and children, and the vast majority are preventable through education, appropriate supervision, and responsible dog management.

Key Facts

Children aged 0-9 are at highest risk of dog bites, with the face and head most commonly injured
Over 70 percent of dog bites to children occur from the family dog or a dog known to the child
Dogs rarely bite without warning — bite incidents almost always follow a chain of stress signals that adults have missed
Fear-based aggression is the most common cause of dog bites — the dog is defending itself from a perceived threat
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) has not been shown to reduce bite rates compared to breed-neutral management approaches
Early socialisation, bite inhibition training, and teaching children appropriate dog interaction dramatically reduce bite risk

Welfare Considerations

Dogs that bite children almost invariably do so because their stress signals have been ignored and they feel they have no other option. From a dog welfare perspective, the bite is a failure of the human environment to recognise and respond to the dog's communication. Dogs punished for growling may stop growling and bite without warning — a welfare and safety disaster. Teaching dogs to communicate their discomfort through growling and ensuring humans respond appropriately by removing the stressor is the welfare-positive approach. Simultaneously, teaching children to read dog body language and interact respectfully prevents the situations that cause defensive biting. Safe interaction education for children and stress signal recognition training for adults are the most welfare-effective preventive investments.

What You Can Do

Never punish dogs for growling — it removes warning behaviour and increases bite risk without reducing the underlying fear
Teach children never to approach a dog without adult permission and the owner's consent
Learn dog body language including stress signals (yawning, lip-licking, avoidance) that precede biting
Never leave children under 10 unsupervised with any dog regardless of temperament history