Here’s How Dog Bites Can Be Prevented

There are three situations when a dog is most likely to bite: if it feels threatened, if it is in a situation it’s not trained to handle, and when it’s protecting its puppies and food. Staying alert around dogs is crucial, considering they are still animals. Unfortunately, most dog bites affect children since they are more vulnerable and cannot easily discern when a dog is aggressive. Dog bites are preventable since most protection dogs become aggressive when provoked. You can see canine training here for expert dog training. Below we look at the various ways to prevent dog bites.

Proper Training

Ensure your dog is trained by an expert. You may decide to train your dog, but the techniques you use may turn out to be detrimental. Harsh training techniques such as physical punishment are inappropriate since they suppress a dog’s behavior. This leads to aggressive behavior in the future. A dog training facility is well equipped with experts who understand animal behavior and psychology, and this ensures only appropriate methods are used during training regardless of the dog breed.

Be On High Alert

One way to protect yourself from a dog bite is by being on high alert. This is being aware that a dog,  regardless of breed, age or size, is capable of attacking and biting you at any moment. Some of the vulnerable moments you should be aware of include dealing with a sick or injured dog and approaching a sleeping dog. Avoid a barking or growling dog as it’s already showing signs of aggression. A dog with puppies is also dangerous since it will do anything to protect its young ones. Passing near such a dog is very dangerous whether you provoke it or not. Other instances to avoid include approaching a lone dog, reaching over a fence to pet a dog, and approaching a dog that seems to be hiding or feeding.

Read The Body Language

Understanding a dog’s body language can help you notice when it’s aggressive, and this ensures you take action before the issue gets out of hand.  An aggressive dog may bark continuously, run around, and scratch. Under most circumstances, the dog could be in distress, threatened, or feeling frightened and the only way it can fight back is through biting. Some of the measures that you can take in such an instance include alerting those around for help, calling the owner if they are in the vicinity, or moving to higher ground to get away as you wait for help. This is the simple reason why children are the most affected by dog bites since in their friendly nature, they can barely notice aggression, and even if they do, they may not know what to do in such an instance.

Socialization

As a dog owner, you need to socialize your pet to live with people. If possible, take your dog for training as a puppy. The best age to socialize a puppy is between 8-16 weeks. If you rear a dog for protection purposes only, ensure you adhere to all the safety measures and that the dog is let out on security missions such as when you are leaving home for work or at night when everyone is inside the house.  When in public, ensure your dog is on a leash so that you can keep it in check

Keep Dogs Away From Children

A study conducted in 2013 showed that 77.4 % of dog bites occurred when the victim’s ability to interact with the dog was compromised. An infant can barely discern aggression. Do not leave an infant with a dog without supervision, especially if they are rolling or squealing on the floor. Children tend to bite and pull the tail and ears of dogs. The canine may interpret this as aggression and bite back. You should leash your dog on a specific spot away from the infant.

Avoid Wrestling And Playing Tug Of War With A Dog

Though this may seem normal to humans, the game may excite a dog causing it to bite or a nip. Play is fun to a dog, but most times, it’s dangerous to people since a dog may turn into the animal that it is in a split second. Avoid games that involve rolling and wrestling; the games may begin well but escalate into a dangerous event in a short while.

As you have seen, simple measures can go a long way in preventing nasty dog bites. Out of all the tips mentioned above, dog training is the most effective way of preventing a bite. Therefore, don’t hesitate to contact a professional to get your dog trained.