Preventing Dog Bites

Preventing Dog Bites

While we all think our dog is the best, most of us give little thought to preventing dog bites by holding onto the belief that our dog would never intentionally do us harm. Our trained staff welcomes all dogs with confidence by knowing the dos and don’t s when handling dogs. They know that trained and well-socialized dogs are much less likely to bite. But make no mistake about the one thing, they all have the ability to bite!

Take Time To Learn About Prevention

National bite prevention week, the third week of May, does more than increase our awareness of dog bites. It calls us to take action to protect our families and man’s best friend.  Home owner’s insurance agents now ask if the family has a dog. Rates are often higher if there is a dog on the property.  Lawyers are now putting information about preventing dog bites on their web sites.

The following tips for preventing dog bites are from the American Humane Society:

• Never leave a child unattended with any dog, regardless of the dog’s demeanor.
• Teach children that dogs deserve respect.
• Explain to children that they should never play with any dog in a rough manner.
• Pet parents of puppies should teach socialization skills starting the day they bring the pup home so the dog will feel more at home among other people and pets.
• Never put a dog in a situation which will make him or her feel threatened.
• Walk with your dog, as regular exercise to maintain both physical and mental health.
• Always walk your dog on a leash.
• Keep regular Veterinarian visits, as a dog who is ill or injured is more apt to strike out at people.
• Caution people who approach your dog. Strangers should allow pet to come to them for petting so the dog can have time to familiarize themselves with the unknown person on their terms.

Start Preventing Dog Bites Now

Start early training with new puppies. Although it is normal for young puppies to put everything in their mouth, seek out successful tips if you have a puppy that is carrying nipping and biting too far. What ever the age and stage of the dog, determine why the dog is biting and how it can be stopped.

Millions of people in the United States experience dog bites each year with over one quarter of them seeking  medical attention for their injury. Children are the most common victims with half of bite injury victims being under the age of thirteen. Children are far more likely to have significantly injuries by dog bites due to their small size and not understanding how one need to act around a pet.

Here’s How To Start

There is no way to guarantee that your dog will never bite someone. But you can significantly reduce the risk. First, spay or neuter your dog. Next, be sure to train and socialize your dog. Finally, consider your activities and your relationship with your dog. Dogs who are well-socialized and supervised are much less likely to bite.  Enroll in a dog training class today!