Always watch kids around dogs. This weekend my young nephew, a year and a half old, was bitten in the face by his family’s dog. This dog is eight years old had been around my brother’s three kids since the day the kids were born. He had never bitten anyone before. He was trusted to be safe, and the worst possible thing happened. Now my brother has to find a new home for the dog; they have three young kids under six and a baby on the way.

Even a trusted dog that has never bitten anyone before can bite. It happened this weekend, and it also happened to me personally with my dog Bandit. Bandit got me on the face about 6 years ago and I needed 40 stitches to close it up. I made a decision to keep Bandit. I do not have kids. Bandit has never bitten anyone again, but I am obsessive about who he is around. I do not allow children around him EVER. People considered me crazy to keep a dog that had bitten me so severely, but the pain I would have gone through putting him to sleep would have been worse for me. My brother has responsibilities to his children first, and I understand why he wants to find a new home for Clyde, his dog.

My main point to all this is – I know all of you love and trust your dogs. I trusted Bandit, my brother trusted Clyde. Please watch your dogs around children, always! These things happen so fast. I do not allow any dog around my face anymore. I cringe when I see pictures of children and dogs when the dogs are close to the children’s face.

Don’t get complacent and think it can never happen to you, your dog would never bite. It can happen and the pain of betrayal is worse than the pain of the bite. Play it safe.