Children spend a lot of time with the family dog.
Dog ownership within a family brings with it the risk of dog bites to young children. Children are most frequently bitten by their own family dog or by a friend's dog. Children most at risk of dog bite injuries are under 5 years old, usually in and around their own homes. A higher proportion of older children and adults are bitten in public places such as parks and footpaths. Around 13,000 people each year attend hospital emergency departments in Australia for dog bite injuries.