Like many people, I have always loved animals. That sentiment didn’t prevent me from getting bitten in the face by a dog when I was about 4 years old.

I remember the episode vividly. Even at that young age, I instinctively felt it was my fault and never told my parents. I felt guilty about bothering the dog, although I was just trying get close enough to pet it. The small black Chihuahua was trying to sleep and I didn’t respect its boundaries. I learned a lesson that day.

Although my life has been filled with animals — including a few wild ones raised in our home when I was a child — I have never again been bitten by an animal, save an occasional nip from a hamster.

Which is not to say that I haven’t been intimidated by a few aggressive dogs. But I have learned to pay attention to their body language. When it says "back off," I comply. If a dog, even a family pet, feels threatened or cornered, it may resort to biting.

For the sake of the child and the animal, we need to teach children how to behave around them.

Many breeds of dogs were bred to hunt, chase and capture vermin. Even a thoroughly domesticated dog can instinctively resort to that behavior if it isn’t under an owner’s control. And people should never, ever, leave an unattended dog with a baby. I have read that to a dog’s ears, a baby’s cry is very similar to that of its favorite squeaky toy which mimics a captured animal.

Surprisingly, studies show the majority of dog bites are inflicted by the family pet. Unfortunately, most studies also show that once a dog gets the desired reaction (the person goes away) it is inclined to repeat the behavior, sometimes more aggressively.

Each year, 4.7 million people are bitten by a dog in this county. On average, 16 deaths are attributed annually to dog attacks. According to a 2010 study by Dr. Vikram Durairaj of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, more than half the bites are to children who usually suffer injuries to the face and neck.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says these statistics are largely preventable.

The American Veterinary Medical Association sponsors Dog Bite Prevention Week the third full week of May. The annual event is designed to educate people on best practices and to teach children how to avoid being bitten.

A common sense word to the wise: Allowing children to hug an animal puts the child in danger. To a dog, hugging is a form of intimidation putting both child and dog at risk. It also puts the child’s face in the close proximity to the dog’s mouth making it an easy target. Teach children to respect a dog’s boundaries to reduce the possibility of a bite incident from occurring.

In some areas, including Summit County, Ohio, police, doctors, hospitals, animal clinics, groomers and pet adoption groups are required by law to notify the Public Health department when they know an animal has bitten someone. The consequences for the owner will include a visit and an investigation by a health inspector and quarantining the animal if you don’t have proof it has been vaccinated against rabies. Additionally, owners risk the possibility the dog being deemed "vicious," which requires a whole slew of new and costly conditions if they want to keep it. And, count on the victim or the victim’s parents suing you.

Teach children basic safety around dogs and regularly review these rules provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

—Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.

—Do not run from a dog and scream.

—Remain motionless (e.g., "be still like a tree") when approached by an unfamiliar dog.

—If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., "be still like a log").

—Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.

—Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.

—Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.

—Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.

—Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.

—If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

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