An innocent gesture of the child's may simply be misinterpreted by the dog as an invitation to bite. Probably the most useful step would be for families with young children to avoid keeping large, aggressive dogs as household pets. Unfortunately, little is known as to which breeds are apt to engage in facial biting. German shepherds, malamutes, and huskies seem to be high-risk breeds, whereas hounds may have less inclination to bite than other breeds. Please read the letter sent to Dr. Meisterfeld by Dr. Rathbun about his personal and professional experiences with dog bites.
Dogs can make great pets.
Many people who have dogs think of them as part of the family. But dogs can also bite, and dog bites can cause serious injury and even death. During 1995 and 1996 in the United States at least 25 persons died as a result of dog attacks. 20 of these deaths were among children. In 1994 an estimated 4.7 million persons in the United States were bitten by dogs.