Dog Aggression Toward Children: Prevention and Safety

Dog bites to children are a preventable welfare and safety concern requiring education of both parents and children about safe dog-human interaction.

Key Facts

Children under 10 are the most common victims of serious dog bites globally
Most bites occur from the family or familiar dog, not strangers' dogs
Biting dogs are often showing warning signals (growling, lip licking, stiffening) that adults miss
Children's eye-level contact, unpredictable movement, and high-pitched sounds trigger threat responses in some dogs
NEVER leave children unsupervised with any dog regardless of temperament or relationship
Teaching children to ask before petting, allow sniffing, and never disturb sleeping or eating dogs prevents most bites

Welfare Considerations

Dog bites to children cause trauma to the child, often result in euthanasia of the dog, and reflect a failure of supervision and education that is preventable. The dog is usually responding to a genuine threat perception, not attacking unprovoked. Welfare and safety both require that dogs showing warning signals are not forced into interactions they find threatening, and that children learn respectful dog interaction from an early age. Punishing warning growls removes the warning signal without removing the threat perception.

What You Can Do

Teach children to always ask the owner before approaching a dog - never approach without permission
Show children how to greet dogs: extend back of hand low, let dog sniff, then gentle pet under chin
Never allow children to hug, kiss, or lean over dogs - these trigger threat responses
Never leave children and dogs unsupervised regardless of relationship or history
Learn to recognize warning signals in dogs - stiffening, whale eye, lip licking, growling are communication not defiance
Consult a veterinary behaviorist immediately after any bite to a child