Do our fine canine friends here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes really have more bite than bark? They do, if you believe new data released by State Farm Insurance.

April 8th through the 14th is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and State Farm Insurance is out with a list of the states that have the most dog-related claims. And, surprisingly, Minnesota made it into the top ten.

The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that there are nearly 70 million dogs living in the U.S. and that with that many, dog bites and other accidents are bound to happen.

Some dog bites, though, can require significant medical attention-- which is where the insurance people come in. State Farm says that the number-one state when it comes to dog-related insurance claims last year was California, with 468 total claims, at an expense of 18.7 million dollars.

Minnesota, meanwhile, comes in at number seven on the list, with 145 claims at an expense of 3.9 million. Other states with a higher number of dog-related claims than Minnesota are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Michigan. New York, Indiana and Georgia round out the top ten.

My parent's Siberian Husky once bit me on the lip, in a severe-enough way that dad had to take me to the ER. Once there, they called in a plastic surgeon. (That's never a good thing to hear, by the way, after the ER docs look at your face: "Yeah, we're gonna have to call in the plastic surgeon.")

I ended up with about 39 stitches between the top of my lip and my nose. Luckily, they healed so well and were so small, they left only a minor scar that's barely visible today.

The AVMA notes that most dog bites are preventable, and lists some tips you can use to help prevent such a thing from happening. Check it out HERE.

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