Dog Bite Prevention Week - May 16-22, 2010

The USPS has been promoting dog bite prevention for a number of years. It took a little while to find this video with good information that I wanted to share. I think it's important to note that most dog bites are to children, often from the family dog. This video has several good tips to help children interact appropriately with dogs, and to minimize chances of a bite.

A different video I previewed discussed the need for 'socialization' to help dogs with fear and/or aggression issues. While socialization is important, it's something that needs to occur early in a puppy's life - before the age of 4 months. For older dogs with fear and/or aggression, much more than socialization is generally required.

As a society, I hope we want to get serious about reducing dog bites. Owners need to understand the importance of healthy interactions with dogs, AND healthy lifestyles. Educating (training) your dog is one of the best ways to develop that healthy lifestyle.