With the number of dog bites that happen each year in the U.S. (more than 4.5 million), the public needs to be better prepared on how to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place. Not only does it cause pain and sometimes costly medical bills, it can cost a dog its life. In most cases, it is not entirely the dog’s fault – oftentimes if the human had done something differently, or had not approached the dog at all, the bite could have been avoided. Here are some tips to help you both train your dog not to bite, and how to avoid being bitten by any dog.
Bite Prevention For The Dog
Early Training. Puppies need to be taught early on to not bite down hard on humans. See this article on creating a soft-mouth dog.
Teach your dog an emergency u-turn (a quick turnaround) in case you encounter someone on a walk. This will enable to you quickly get away without your dog getting the chance to bite
Teach a stop. An emergency stop is great for a dog that gets off leash. This may buy you the time to catch them before the bite a stranger. Remember, however, that a dog under stress or overstimulation may not be able to respond to the cue.
Bite Prevention For the Human
Awareness. If you know you have a dog that bites, don’t try and hide it! It can be embarrassing or awkward to have to tell people your dog is unfriendly and that they cannot pet it. However, it will be worse if you have to pay medical bills, face a lawsuit, or have to put your dog down because it bites someone.
Management. If you have a dog that bites, it is your civic duty to keep her managed and away from other people. These tips can help you keep the tragic from happening. Remember, it may cost her life if something happens.
Make sure your front yard fence does not have a large enough spacing for a small human finger to fit through, or your dog’s muzzle. A lot of dog bites happen in front yards with unattended dogs.
- Walk dogs that are known biters with a muzzle.
- Be ready to change routes and/or directions to avoid interaction with people if necessary.
- Do not leave your dog out when your postal carrier will be coming.
- Post signs warning that your dog bites
Approaching Dogs. The Humane Society of the United States has tips on what to do if a dog approaching you looks like its unfriendly:
- Resist the impulse to scream and run away.
- Remain motionless, hands at your sides, and avoid eye contact with the dog.
- Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away until he is out of sight.
- If the dog does attack, “feed” him your jacket, purse, bicycle, or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog.
- If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball with your hands over your ears and remain motionless. Try not to scream or roll around. (http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/avoid_dog_bites.html)
About the Author
Based in Tustin, Calif., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and works as a full time trainer. She also owns her own custom pet products company, A Fairytail House, where she makes personalized collars, leashes, beds, keepsake pillows and blankets, and anything else your imagine can think up. In her spare time, she trains and competes in herding, agility, obedience, rally, and conformation with her Shetland Sheepdogs.
