Nearly five million people suffer dog bites each year in the U.S. Children are at a much higher risk of being bitten than adults.
But to truly understand the risks associated with different types of dogs, it's important to learn more about their unique characteristics.
Jessica Geiger-Hayes still has difficulty thinking about the day that three mastiffs attacked her daughter. "When they uncovered her and un-bandaged her from the EMTs is when it first hit me for just how bad it was," she recalls.
Ailee needed surgery to repair wounds on the right side of her body and face.
Doctors led a study to better understand which dogs pose the highest risk, examining over 200 emergency room visits for facial dog bites in children.
"Anywhere from a superficial scrape or abrasion, all the way to something that's more significant in terms of loss of tissue, facial fracture or even death," says Dr. Garth Essig at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center.
Pitbulls and mixed-breed dogs were found to bite most and cause severe injuries, but they needed to go beyond breed and look at weight and head shape.
"Some of the dogs that tended to be larger, like 66 to 100 pounds, and the shape of their head was one that was wider than it is long, tended to cause more severe damage," Dr. Essig adds.
It's important to teach kids how to safely interact with dogs. Owners can help by socializing puppies to get used to...everything.
After the attack, Jessica has been amazed by her daughter's love of animals, especially her new dog, Charlie.
"Ailee will come down and Charlie will be on the floor and they'll just be laying on the floor together, and hanging out."
Veterinarians suggest setting rules at home to prevent bites, like never taking a toy out of a dog's mouth and giving your dog a separate and safe place to sleep.