Dog Bite Prevention Tips for Children: A Parent’s Guide in Wisconsin

How to Teach Your Child to Safely Approach and Interact With Dogs

Was your child recently bitten by a dog? Are you teaching your child how to act around pets to prevent a dog bite?

In our latest blog, we provide dog bite prevention tips for children.

Learn dog behavior and how to prevent your child from getting bit by a dog. We also provide tips on what to do if your child gets bit by a dog, as well as dog bite laws in Wisconsin and working with a dog bite lawyer.

Understanding Dog Behavior: What Triggers a Dog to Bite?

Many dogs engage in playful biting, nipping, or mouthing by nature. Playful behavior is evident when you see a litter of puppies wrestling or running around. Young dogs will naturally transfer this behavior when interacting with children.

Teach your child the difference between an aggressive bite and a playful nip. You can usually tell by looking at the dog’s body language or signals.

Playful Behavior, Nipping, or Mouthing

A playful dog appears happy, loose, and energetic. It shows vulnerability and a willingness to be flexible with people and other pets. It appears happy to see the child and engages in a friendly way.

Common behaviors of playful dogs that are unlikely to bite include:

• Play bowing or lowering the front half of its body
• Loose wiggles
• Bouncy movements
• Floppy or relaxed ears
• Loose, wagging tail

Aggressive Behavior and Biting

An aggressive dog will appear battle-ready as if it’s waiting for your child to make a move. Its frozen position is intensified by glaring eyes, visible teeth, and audible warnings via barking or growling.

Common behaviors of aggressive dogs that are more likely to bite include:

• Baring teeth and curling lips
• Competing eye contact or intense stare
• Stiff body posture and tail
• Raised hair similar to a cat
• Frozen movement
• A slight growl followed by a snap

5 Ways to Prevent Dog Bites

Like any animal, dogs are not always predictable. Aggressive behaviors such as biting can happen in a split second, leaving your child helpless and seriously injured. Teaching your child how to interact with dogs properly can reduce the risk of a bite.

Here are five dog bite prevention tips to teach your child:

1. Approach Dogs Calmly and Gently

Teach your child to approach a dog calmly and quietly. They should allow the dog to see them coming and extend a hand with fingers curled. Let the dog sniff your child before attempting to pet it. Your child should also wait for the dog’s invitation before engaging.

2. Supervise Your Child at All Times

Approach the dog yourself to establish a connection before allowing your child to interact with it. Once the dog warms up to you, slowly guide your child toward the dog. Monitor the behavior of both the child and the dog to make sure both are comfortable with the interaction.

3. Respect the Dog’s Personal Space

A dog’s personal space is the immediate area around them that they consider safe and comfortable to stretch and relax. This space may include a crate, floor space, pillow, rug, or side of the couch. When a child enters that space, they can aggravate the dog and trigger a bite.

4. Leave the Dog Alone While Eating or Sleeping

Children should never approach a dog while it’s eating. Like all animals, dogs may instinctively protect their food from perceived competition. If your child approaches the dog, the animal may growl, bite, or snap.

5. Calmly Back Away From an Aggressive Dog

If a dog becomes aggressive, the best thing a child can do is to calmly and slowly back away. Teach them to avoid eye contact, create distance, and create space between themselves and the dog without turning around. If necessary, the child should create a barrier, such as going indoors, to get away from the dog.

What Should I Do if a Dog Bites My Child?

As with any injury, the first few steps you take after a dog bite are the most critical, especially if you have to file a claim with a Wisconsin dog bite lawyer.

Here’s a detailed step-by-step process of what to do if a dog bites your child in Wisconsin.

1. Separate the dog from your child.
2. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately, even if you believe your child’s injury is minor.
3. Report the incident to your local animal control center.
4. Contact a Wisconsin dog bite lawyer right away to discuss your legal options.
5. Gather evidence and witnesses to establish your legal claim.

A dog bite lawyer can investigate the bite and gather evidence to support your claim. They can also determine the extent of the damage to your child or family and negotiate a settlement with the dog’s owner.

In a dog bite case, you may be able to recover medical expenses or lost wages from the time you took off to be with your child. Your lawyer may also be able to claim damages for pain and suffering.

5 Wisconsin Dog Bite Laws You Should Know

1. Strict Liability: Under Wisconsin Statute 174.02(1)(a), dog owners are liable for damages caused by their dog, regardless of prior behavior or negligence.
2. Double Damages: According to Wisconsin Statute 174.02(1)(b), if an owner knew their dog had previously bitten someone, they may be liable for double the damages.
3. No “One Bite” Rule: Wisconsin has no “one bite” rule. Owners can be liable for the first bite without prior knowledge of aggressive behavior.
4. Monetary Penalties: Under Wisconsin Statute 174.05, owners can face fines ranging from $50 to $2,500 for the first incident and $200 to $5,000 for subsequent offenses.
5. Euthanasia Orders: Per Wisconsin Statute 174.02(3), courts can order a dog to be euthanized after two separate incidents of causing serious injury.

Contact Us Today for a Free Case Review

If your child was injured due to a dog bite, you may be entitled to receive fair compensation for medical bills, lost pay, and pain and suffering. Contact us today to get started with your dog bite case.

Fill out our online form or call Brian Hodgkiss Injury Lawyers for a free case review from our Wisconsin dog bite lawyers.