It seems that there's always a story on the news about another dog attack, or of some child being bitten by a dog that had never offered to bite before. Just last week a man in London, Ontario was killed by his dog. He was in the driveway of his home and he and his wife were (as the story goes,) enjoying some horseplay. He kept poking her. His dog attacked him, got him on his back and sank his teeth into his throat. The dog pierced his aorta and he died. The wife ordered the dog to be put down.
This is an instance when I feel sorry for the dog. Why? Because it probably gave a warning that was ignored. Dogs don't usually attack without warning, though they can. People seem to think it's funny when their dog growls at them and sometimes tease it. This is asking for trouble.
The majority of dog bites occur in the owner's home and most all of those attacks involve children. We teach our dogs inappropriate behavior because we try to get them to act like humans. They're dogs and human traits confuse them. When our dogs act inappropriately, we wonder why. We've done our best to instill proper etiquette toward both humans and animals. We're confused. Why does the dog act this way? Well, if we're confused, think how the dog must feel.
4.8 million people are bitten by dogs annually. Statistics for Canada are unknown. Of those bitten in the US, 750,000 have to seek medical treatment. Why do dogs attack this many humans each year? Because we have put them in situations where they become defensive. We need to put ourselves in the animal's position and be aware of how they will react to certain stimuli. We have to learn to read their body language, just as we expect them to read ours. In order to do this, we need to learn some basic knowledge to avoid being bitten.
* Never leave a child alone with a dog, no matter how well they get along. This puts the dog in a position of authority. He feels he is in the position of alpha dog when he's with children. This also goes for female dogs.
* Do not let young children walk a dog or play rough with the family canine.
* Never allow your children to approach or pet a strange dog even if the owner is present. This is asking for trouble. No matter how docile the dog is, he may not want a child sticking his fingers in his ears, poking his eyes or pulling his tail.
* Do not allow children to go near your dog if he/she is eating or sleeping. Startling a sleeping dog can invite an attack and dogs, including my own, are very protective of their food.
* Never approach a dog that is tied on a chain. My dog, Meeko, is a gentle giant, but when he is tied in the yard, he is very protective of the property. When he's on his leash, he befriends everyone.
Signs of Danger
Dogs tell us of impending danger with their body language. If you see the following signs, use extreme caution.
* Backward leaning posture.
* Teeth bared or the mouth shut tight.
* Tail lowered.
* Ears flat against the dog's head.
* Hackles raised.
If a dog approaches you and you feel you are in danger, there are tips that should be followed.
* Stand tall, stand still and don't move. Never run. When you run, this initiates the "hunt instinct." The dog will chase you.
* Always face the dog. Attacks most often occur from behind.
* Never try to make friends with the dog.
* Allow the dog to sniff you, but never extend your hand.
* If you are knocked down by the dog, roll into a fetal position and cover your head with your arms and hands. Be sure to protect your throat. Remember, you only do this if you are knocked down. Never put yourself on the ground.
Teach your children these rules as soon as they are old enough to understand. Many dog bites are avoidable and we need to educate ourselves in order to avoid attack.
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Comments: 24
I have four dogs that share a food bowl, love everybody (well almost), and are not aggressive at all. But if someone starts to punch me in the shoulder in fun, or pretend fight, my dogs want to protect me. They don't recognise it as play, not initially anyway. Anyway, I was just going to add to the point of not continuing to do so, if it is obvious the dog don't dig it.
I also highly recommend as mentioned, to research the breed before buying. Especially if you have children. Too often people get a dog because it "looks neat" or something without thinking it through.
Thanks for the article.
This is true multiple times over for dogs, who share a similar social structure. If you meet an aggressive dog you can be 100% positive that, barring some sort of extreme hormonal imbalance or rabies, it is or was abused. Sometimes owners don't recognize that their behavior is confusing or abusive, as you mention. The fact of the matter is that if you're not fighting or actively abusing your dog and it has behavioral problems, you need to examine your treatment of it, psychologically.
I also wanted to throw in that for the wonderful people who adopt battered dogs, they need to be especially careful. I've known most battered dogs to go on to be the sweetest most gentle and caring creatures most people have encountered. However, being aware of latent triggers or biases is your responsibility. Many beaten dogs become sexist or racist or become suddenly violent when elements of their past resurface. It is your responsibility to prevent these situations from growing into a risk to the dog or others. Alright, now I've gone on for quite a while. Thank you Mary for this article. Please republish it to the Animal Rights Touchstone if you feel so inclined.
This is just not for those who have dogs. The information is useful in case of dog attack when you are on the street, in the park or entering someone's property.
Cat, Thank you for your input. The information that you have given is most helpful. Any dog can attack and I feel that pit bulls get a bad wrap. Though I wouldn't own one, I've met some adorable pit bulls that had wonderful personalities. I blame many things that happen on the owners. If you treat your dog properly, don't abuse it, exercise it, feed it and give it lots of attention, it will remain sweet and gentle. I don't believe there is a bad breed of dogs, but rather, bad owners. I would love to see every dog owner take a test and get a license before being allowed to adopt or purchase a dog.
There was two pit bulls here in town that almost killed their owner's girlfriend. Her face is scarred, her nerves are damaged and she will never again be the same. The owner used to train it to knock people down. She was a little woman and no match for an aggressive pit bull. Once the first dog attacked, the second moved in. Luckily, she was able to lock herself in a bedroom. The police shot the dogs when they entered the home.
Ludolf, Thanks so much. Your comments are appreciated.
I'm beginning to believe that it isn't the dogs that need the lisense, it's people who need a lisense to be "allowed" to own a dog. Many people haven't a clue what owning a dog is about --I feel sorry for the dogs.
Deborah, Yes, if dogs are properly trained and treated with respect, they will respond in kind. I had an American Eskimo that hated people in uniforms. Why? Because an ignorant mailman kicked him when he was a puppy. He lived 13 years and never forgot that incident.
Just for the record to the responders of this article: Pit Bulls are NOT naturally animal aggressive, that is not true. Do your research before you make snap judgements and ignorant statements. Any breed is subject to aggression, it is a learned behavior. Improper training or lack of training and socialization leads to dog aggression. My pit bull is in training for her TDI certification (therapy dog) and has earned her CGC (canine good citizenship) certification. If you would like to read about REAL pit bulls and what wonderful dogs they are, try the gather group for pit bull lovers .
People don't understand them.
=(
Chihuhuas are just as aggressive, only difference is, you can drop kick one if need be. (sorry to little dog owners haha, it's the only way I could think of to describe what I mean)