Dog Bite Prevention
Dogs provide people with companionship and fun, for adults and children. Every day, adults and children sustain serous injuries from dogs bites, including disfigurement and sever emotional distress. How can this be prevented?
Avoid Assumptions
For better or for worse, dogs can’t talk. You may not know whether a dog is having really, really bad day (from internal aches, strains, pains, or other discomfort) until it’s too late. The truth is, sometimes we never learn what caused a docile dog to suddenly attack. Do not assume any dog is 100% safe until you see the dog on a daily basis and are totally familiar with its station in life, including its history, triggers, medical condition, and current sources of stress.
Understanding Adopted Dogs
Many dogs come from pet shelters. The idea behind many shelters is noble, and a dog from a shelter can be a wonderful addition to one’s home, but a dog (like a person) can have deep seated psychological issues, or merely just need ongoing guidance or behavioral training, as shelters often recommend to new owners. Adopted dogs are not necessarily more dangerous than a dog you raised from a puppy, but you have to give adopted dogs space until you fully know and understand that particular dog’s behavior in a variety of settings.
The Dog’s History Matters
A dog that has bitten before is dangerous, no matter how many excuses the owner makes for it. Some dogs have never bitten before, but not for lack of trying. Others may be safe, but have uncommon reactions to certain things. For example, a dog may have served as a drug sniffing dog for the police. In that case, the smell of alcohol or drugs on your clothes (or the clothes of someone in your group) can change the dog’s demeanor, making the dog uncomfortable.
The Wrong Way to Approach of a Dog
If you only learn one thing from this article, know this: never greet a dog by standing over it and looking down on it. Merely standing over a dog can be scary or intimidating for the animal. But don’t fret for the dog. It has a defense: its jaws and teeth are very effective at neutralizing enemies.
A dog has the most leverage to attack when lunging upward; it transfers energy from muscles in all four legs and its neck to spring upward and attack a target from below. Don’t be that target. Don’t let your child be the target. Some of the most gruesome dog bite cases we handled involved the exact scenario set forth above.
The Correct Approach
Always ask for the permission of a dog’s owner before you approach a dog. When possible, kneel down some distance from the dog and avoid eye contact. Extend your hand, keeping your distance. Do not shove your hand in the dog’s face. You wouldn’t like that if someone did that to you. Be calm and let the dog come toward you. Study the dog’s appearance as it approaches. Does it look safe? Dogs get riled up easily. Don’t get the dog exited with rapid or high pitched speech, even if you are happy to see the dog.
Avoid Hugging Dogs Unfamiliar Dogs
Never greet a dog by hugging it, of course. Dogs see hugging as an expression of dominance. A dog will defend itself. Do not start playing with a dog until you are sure it is comfortable with you.
Your Demeanor
Your neighbors might like when you raise your voice and joke with them, playfully, to acknowledge them, but their dog may have a different view. Dogs are oblivious to social mores. Avoid making loud or sharp sounds when greeting a dog. Saying in a loud and high voice to a dog, “HI BOY! HI BOY! HI BOY!” may be socially tolerable, and your neighbor may be mostly OK with it, but you may still get bit. Always look from the point of view of the dog.
Your Child’s Demeanor
The fact is, children get bit more often than adults. Even worse, the bites on children tend to be more serious than those on adults. A dog may not know how to interpret loud, high pitched sounds from your lovable (but sometimes noisy and boisterous) child, except to attack.
Look For the Warnings Signs of an Imminent Attack
A dog’s demeanor can change quickly from happy tail wagging to a powerful bite. Dogs offer clues about what they’re thinking. When you see a dog’s ears go back or its hair stand on end, you may only have seconds, if that, before an attack. If you see these things, or if the dog shows its teeth, of course, slowly step away from the dog.
Know Your Surroundings
Dogs are affected by the environment more than we are. For example, a dog is not “himself” when it thunderstorms outside. Although you might not feel threatened when a car backfires in the distance, or when truck goes by noisily on the road, such things can trigger a fight or flight response from pets. Hence, you may want to hesitate before you and your children stop to greet a dog on a busy street, or a trail crowded with joggers and walkers. Wait until you are in a less chaotic environment.
Stay Aware
Do not get so involved with a conversation with your neighbor such that you ignore the environment around you. Look from the animal’s perspective. Does it have reason to be nervous? A dog might be comfortable on a leisurely stroll in the neighborhood, but anxious during air travel, should be seated near one.
Avoid Dogs that Are Fenced
A dog will defend the space of its owner. Be cautious of a dog behind a fence. In that instance, think twice before reaching your hand over a fence, or through a space in the fence.
Question All Training of a Dog
Just because your neighbor claims to have trained his dog to be “safe,” there are many things that can make a normally dormant — and trained — animal attack. Don’t let your guard down.
Teach Children This Information
Most attacks involve children. Thus, children need to be especially mindful of the above. The breed of dog is irrelevant. It’s easy to blame pit bulls and other breeds for the attacks that occur, but insurance companies (who see more of these claims nationally than any one law firm) know better.
No breed of dog is “Safe”
Some of the most gruesome and permanent facial disfigurement cases involved small dogs attacking young children. Every breed of dog can be dangerous, for more, click here. Thus, a seemingly docile beagle can permanently change the appearance of a child’s face, forever, exposing the insured (and liability insurance company) to hundreds of thousands of dollars of liability.
Dog-on-Dog Aggression
Many humans are bitten when a dog because aggressive in response to the presence of another dog. Remove small dogs from contact with other dogs. When possible to do so safely, pick up your little dog and turn away from the more aggressive dog. This does two things. It removes your small dog from the large dog’s easy striking range. It also can calm your small dog by removing the large dog from sight.
If All Else Fails?
You have tried everything to prevent the attack, but starts happening anyway. You have to defend yourself. To learn how, click here.
Dealing With the Aftermath
Get in touch with our experienced Pittsburgh dog bite lawyers who are advocates for victim’s rights. We are here to help adults and children injured during an attack.
Call For a Free Consultation
412.400.5476