Learn how to prevent dog bites during National Dog Bite Prevention Week April 11-17

Dogs are sweet, loving and therapeutic; however, at the end of the day, they are animals and can bite. In recognition of National Dog Bite Prevention week, the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is sharing tips on how to prevent dog bites.

Every year, an estimated 4.5 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs. A majority of these bites are with children. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in dog bites. This is likely due to the disruption in routines - dogs can detect their owner's stress and they may not be used to having additional people around during the day. The majority of these bites are preventable.

The National Dog Bite Prevention Coalition recommends these tips to help our dogs with the transition:

• Make sure your dog is healthy. Not all illnesses and injuries are obvious, and dogs are more likely to bite if they are in pain or sick. If you haven't been to a veterinarian in a while, schedule an appointment for a check-up to discuss its physical and behavioral health.
• Take it slow. If your dog has only been interacting with your family this past year, don't rush to crowded areas or dog parks. Expose your dogs to new situations slowly and only for short periods of time. Arrange for low-stress interactions and give praise and rewards for good behavior.
• Educate yourself in positive training techniques and devote time to interact with your dog.
• Get outside for leash training and allow your dog to do more socializing.
• Gradually start planning play dates with other dogs and people. Carefully increase the amounts of time and freedom together. This will help your dog get acclimated with other canine companions again.
• Be responsible when approaching other people's pets. Ask permission from the owner before approaching a dog. Look for signs that the dog wants to interact with you. Sometimes dogs want to be left alone, and we need to respect that.

It's important to remember that even well-trained and behaved dogs can bite if they are put into the wrong situation. By keeping them safe and happy, we can also keep people safe.