According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bites per year. These bites cost over $1 billion with the property/casualty insurance industry paying roughly $250 million of that in homeowners liability.

Homeowners and renters insurance policies typically cover dog bite liability.

To reduce the chances of your dog biting, we recommend the following steps:

• Have your dog spayed or neutered. Studies show that unsterilized dogs are three times more likely to bite than sterilized dogs.
• Socialize your dog so that it knows how to act with other people and animals.
• Play non-aggressive games with your dog such as "go fetch." Playing aggressive games like "tug of war" can encourage inappropriate behavior.
• Avoid exposing your dog to situations in which you are unsure what the dog’s response will be.