Subscribe to one of our news e-mail lists . But sometimes, that faithful friend can turn into a foe. Health officials say dogs bite or attack more than 4.5 million people each year, killing an average of 20 people. Young children are often the most vulnerable to these attacks.
Children are small people, they are closer to dog size.
In dog society there is a distinct rank order, and dogs sometime see a young child as someone they can push around or perhaps discipline by biting or nipping, according to McDonnell. The bite wounds to his head and neck were fatal. Boys ages 5 to 9 are most at risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research shows half of all children are bitten by dogs at some point, and half of those attacks occur at home with a familiar dog. When we put them in the backyard, we start to build up separation anxiety, we start to build the negative behavior like barking, digging.