two choices: it can run away or it can defend itself. If it feels that it can't run away, it will fight instead, no matter how afraid it might be. Some dogs will chose to fight first rather than run. A small child that is petting or hugging a dog has already intruded well within the dog's flight or fight boundary. If the dog has tried to leave or has issued a warning with no response from the child, the dog (in his mind) has no other recourse but to bite. To the dog, this is normal, instinctive behavior. He is responding to what he perceives as a threat and is doing what his instincts tell him to.

Here is one of the most commonly reported scenarios in a bite case: A very young child sees a dog he'd like to pet. The dog may not want to be petted. The dog's first instinctive reaction is to show his displeasure by giving a warning signal--growling. The growl means that something more unpleasant will follow if the warning isn't heeded. If the child persists in trying to pet the dog, a sterner warning, usually another growl, will follow. The child continues to pet the dog or follows it even though the dog has clearly warned him what will happen if he does not stop. The type and number of warnings varies depending on the dog. Some warnings are more subtle, such as stiffening of the body. Many dogs faced with a child like this would just walk away. Walking away can also be considered a warning. Few dogs bite without giving some type of warning beforehand. Small children may not recognize a warning when they see or hear one. What might be obvious to an adult isn't understood by the child.

Obedience training and proper socialization an absolute must for dogs that will be spending time with children. The dog needs to be taught to obey commands in all situations, no matter how distracting. Just as your dog responding to a "come" command could save the dog's life someday, an immediate response to the "leave it!" command could save a child from serious injury. Get help from a professional trainer if you run into problems. Don't fool yourself into thinking the dog will outgrow his problems or that they will go away on their own.

Teach your children how to behave correctly and safely around animals and to respect them. Many dog bites occur because the child teases the dog beyond its tolerance. Children need to learn what games are appropriate, how to touch the dog properly, how to interpret the dog's body language and when the dog is not to be disturbed. When they are old enough, kids should be involved in the dog's training. They should learn to give the dog commands and be able to enforce them.

Adult supervision is absolutely essential. Many children lack the judgment about how to behave around a dog and their inability to fend off an attack can add to the risk. Children less than five years of age should never be left alone with a dog. A young child may challenge or injure the dog unintentionally and the result could be tragic. A child's innocent action can be provocation for a bite when seen through the eyes of a dog. A responsible adult should be present to prevent any aggressive behavior by the dog and to keep the child from putting him or herself in danger. Telling the child to leave the dog alone isn't enough. It's up to the adult to keep both the dog and the child safe from each other. If you can't be there to supervise the child and dog interacting, or if you have any doubt about the dog's behavior around children, the dog should be put away and out of reach of the kids. Remember that what your dog tolerates from your own children may not be tolerated from someone else's. You need to take extra safety precautions when other children visit and make sure that the children obey your ground rules. Never leave a child alone with any dog no matter how harmless the dog seems.

Responsible dog ownership is the key to dog bite prevention. Owners should socialize their puppies to small children at an early age. It helps to buy from a breeder who has started this socialization prior to the puppy purchase. The younger the puppy is exposed to gentle children, the more tolerant of children it will become. Remember, a dog's temperament is first inherited, then modified by events in his life and proper training. Some breeds are friendlier and more tolerant to training because they were bred to be that way. A responsible breeder puts emphasis on good temperament when selecting breeding stock. Unscrupulous breeders sometimes deliberately breed dogs with poor temperaments. There are some dogs, just like there are some humans, that are mentally disturbed or have an illness or physical defect that affects their behavior. A dog's basic temperament, instincts and training have the biggest effects on how that dog reacts to the world around him and his levels of tolerance. Socializing your dog to children can be as simple as walking the dog near a playground where children are making noise, running around, playing ball, or walking through the neighborhood while the kids wait for the school bus. The dog can be told to walk in the heel position through a crowd of children, to sit-stay and watch the play or allow the children to pet his head, or to down-stay until the end of the game. This type of constant exposure will accustom the dog to the presence of children.