Humane Society: Don't leave children alone with dogs
According to Val Pouton, an expert in dog behavior with the Nebraska Humane Society, small children should not be left alone with a dog. She says a dog that is usually well behaved can be pushed too far. "Toddlers and dogs should not be left alone together. The best dogs have their limits and toddlers don't understand that dogs feel pain. They might consider it the same as a stuffed toy."
In a recent study, it was determined that 27 percent of injruies caused by dog bites were by family pets. The study also revealed that there is an increase in dog bite injuries involving children during the summer. Researchers suggest that the increase may be attributed to children spending more time outdoors playing with their dogs in warmer weather. Dogs may also become more irritable in hot weather.
The study was published in the March issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Annually dog bites account for about 1% of all hospital emergency room visits.
Researchers want families to be more aware that the risk of dog bites increases during the hot summer months.
Pouton believes that ultimately it comes down to parental responsiblity. "It's just a shame that parents are willing to put their children and their dogs at risk wheny they put them together unsupervised. There's nobody to speak for the dog and there's nobody to counsel the child."
