HOW TO PREVENT DOG BITES

An article in the NST on 13 May - "You can stare down killer dogs" got me really worried.

This article was an interview with two supposed dog trainers who encouraged people to "stare down killer dogs" should they come across an aggressive dog.

According to these two dog trainers - "Anytime you go face to face with a dog, it will view you as a threat. When you have eye contact with them, they will be weakened"

The advice given by these two so called dog trainers to prevent dog bites is just completely ridiculous. I really believe that their advice will cause alot more people, particularly children, to be bitten by potentially aggressive dogs.

Anyone who has worked with dogs before will tell you that you do NOT face an unknown dog (or even a known dog) that is showing any sign of aggression.

Giving a dog eye contact literally tells that dog that you are challenging him. And unless you are an experienced or professional dog handler, and you know for a fact that you can overpower or dominate the dog, challenging a dog will only result in you being bitten, possibly with severe ramifications.

Any qualified canine behaviorist or even just your experienced pet owner will tell you that in such a circumstance, i.e. when faced with a dog that may potentially attack or bite, you do NOT give the dog eye contact!

By eye-balling the dog you are challenging him and effectively asking for a fight! What you really want to show the dog is that you are not a threat to him.

The UK and the US have annual dog prevention campaigns and you will find that in all their campaigns, they NEVER advocate staring a dog down. So what should you do in the event that you come across a potentially aggressive dog?

• Don't stare dogs in the eyes - dogs often feel as though you're challenging them when you make direct eye contact with them, so this should be avoided to reduce the risk of attack.
• STAND STILL - or maintain a constant slow pace while BACKING out of the dog's territory if you are withdrawing. Do not turn away from the dog.
• Never try to outrun a dog as this will provoke the dog to chase you and this can end in an attack.
• Start by slowly distancing yourself from the dog if it begins to approach you. Get something between yourself and it - for instance if you're on a bike, place the bike between you and the dog; if there is a tree post or bench, ensure they are between yourself and the dog. Once behind the object you can speak softly and gently to calm the dog.
• Do not use part of your body - e.g. an arm - to distance yourself from the dog as the dog may snap at you, causing injury.
• Keep a safe distance between yourself and dogs being walked on a lead, and always ask the owner's permission before approaching any dog.
• Be aware of areas that dogs frequent and change your route to avoid dogs which are not on leads.

What to do if a dog attacks you

• Call 999 (or ask somebody else to) as soon as it is possible to do so. 
• Do not use part of your body - e.g. an arm - to distance yourself from the dog as the dog may snap at you, causing injury.
• If you are attacked or knocked to the ground, take measures to protect your face, neck and head by curling up in a ball and putting your hands on the back of your neck. Try to be still and do not wave your arms around. By struggling with the dog, you will only increase their predatory instincts and at the same time you will cause even more injury to yourself as your flesh WILL tear. By curling into a ball and staying still you are submitting to the dog, i.e. offering peace and telling the dog that you are no threat to him. The dog should leave you alone after he has had a good sniff, or if he has bitten you, chances are that he will release you once he realises that you are no longer a threat.

I sincerely hope that the general public will take time to research dog behaviour and learn from qualified experts on the steps that can be taken to prevent dog bites, instead of just swallowing what these two so-called trainers have advocated.

Even the great Cesar Milan would not advocate staring down a dog. And I know this for a fact as I have attended his workshop on dogs in London and he advocated his simple "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact" rule when fielded a question on dealing with a potentially aggressive dog during a private Q&A session after his workshop.

I am also re-publishing an article that has appeared on Cesar Milan's website in line with National Dog Bite Prevention Week in the US, and you will also see that Cesar's age-old rule of "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact" is also used as a guide to prevent dog bites!

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How You Can Prevent Dog Bites 

By Joe Wilkes (extracted from Cesar's Way)

This week (May 20 to 26) is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate there are over 4.5 million dog bites in the U.S. every year and of those 800,000 require medical attention and 31,000 require reconstructive surgery. While the statistics are alarming, the good news is that most dog bites are easily preventable.

Most dog bites fall into two categories: accidental biting or aggressive biting. Accidental bites can happen while playing or during normal activity with a dog, and generally are relatively minor.

Unlike us lucky humans, dogs don’t have opposable thumbs, so if they want to catch a ball, carry a treat, or try to keep from falling off the car roof on a road trip, they’re pretty much left with their mouth to perform the task at hand. We just need to be cognizant that dogs need to use their mouths for more than just eating and keep our hands and other body parts away from the chomp zone.

Aggressive biting is usually caused when a dog is provoked. It may be because his owner has commanded him or trained him to attack. It could also be a protective instinct if the dog has somehow been made to feel threatened or feels his companion is being threatened. It’s extremely rare that a dog will attack a human without some form of provocation. But the provocation may be unintentional, which puts the burden on humans, especially when encountering a dog we don’t know.

Preventing bites from your own dog

Most dog bites occur in the home. More than likely, your best friend doesn’t mean to hurt you, but might have gotten carried away during playtime and accidentally nipped you. Other dogs, especially small ones, will nip at you for attention, and puppies may use you for teething—a bone’s a bone! Here are some tips for keeping the carnage to a minimum in your home.

1. Avoid aggressive games.

If you start a wrestling match, a tug-of-war, or even a particularly energetic game of fetch with your dog, you’re going to get what you get. Remember your dog uses his mouth to grip things, which if you’re wrestling, could mean your arm or leg. Your dog should also learn a command like “drop it” when playing fetch, so you don’t have to wrest the slimy tennis ball from his jaws, which is a good way to injure a finger.

2. Teach submissive behavior.

Your dog should be trained from an early age to give up food without growling or biting, lie on his back and expose his stomach, and other submissive behaviors. If your dog knows that you’re in charge, you’ll be able to stop any unwanted or dangerous behaviors in their tracks. 

3. Spay or neuter your dog.

Not only is this a good idea for population control, it also reduces aggression in dogs. Dogs are excitable enough right out of the box; you don’t need to add extra hormones to the mix.

4. Vaccinate your dog.

The saddest thing that can happen is if your dog becomes aggressive because it’s contracted rabies. If you haven’t seen Old Yeller, I can tell you it doesn’t end well for anyone. Visit your veterinarian regularly and make sure your dog’s vaccinations for rabies and other diseases are up to date. As your dog gets older, he can also be prone to dementia or other degenerative conditions that might cause aggressive behavior, which your vet can help you with.

5. Do not leave your dog alone with babies or small children.

You may have read Alexandra Day’s popular “Good Dog Carl” series of children’s books about the family Rottweiler being left in charge of the baby, while mom and dad go out drinking (I don’t think they actually say where they go, but it’s a reasonable guess). These merry tales of felonious parental neglect always have happy endings, but in real life leaving dogs and babies alone together can have tragic consequences.

There have been many horrible stories in the news of children being harmed or killed by a family pet. Most likely it wasn’t an attack, but the dog trying to play with the baby or imitating something he saw the parent do. We’ve seen mother dogs carry their pups by the scruff of their necks. With a baby, that could be fatal. Toddlers are also prone to poke or hit dogs or try to ride them like a horse, which could also provoke a bite. Even if you only leave the room for a minute or two, you’re inviting a dangerous situation.

Rules for Children to Avoid Dog Bites

With half of the dog bites requiring medical attention happening to children, it’s especially important to teach kids how to behave around dogs, especially strange dogs, to avoid injuries or worse.

1. Stranger danger.

As with unfamiliar people, children should not approach a strange animal. Especially if the dog is cute, a child might run up to pet it. Your child should never come up to a strange dog, especially if the dog is unaccompanied by a human. Even if the dog is with its owner, it’s a mistake to approach it, unless you clear it with the owner and get instructions on how to approach the dog.

2. Don’t run or scream.

If a strange dog approaches the child, the child shouldn’t run or scream, but stand still and stay calm. Running could make the dog think it’s a chase game and screaming could also provoke aggression. Don’t escalate any situation by giving it more energy. If the dog knocks the child down, the child should roll up in a ball and lie still.

3. Report strange behavior.

If a child sees a stray dog or a dog exhibiting strange behavior, they should tell a trusted adult immediately. Especially if the dog is behaving erratically, it might be rabid, and an adult can alert animal control. Under no circumstances should the child ever approach the dog in question.

4. Report bites to an adult.

Make sure your child reports a dog bite to you immediately. If your child thinks they will get in trouble or get the dog in trouble, they might be hesitant to let you know that they’ve been bitten. Assure your child that if they’re bitten, no matter how minor the injury, you want to know, so you can make sure they receive proper medical attention.

5. No touch, no talk, no eye contact.

Around Cesar’s Dog Psychology Center, Cesar has signs posted reminding visitors, “no touch, no talk, no eye contact.” When meeting a dog for the first time, this is the rule to remember, and for adults as well as children. Many of us watched in horror when news anchor Kyle Dyer put her hands on either side of a mastiff’s face and leaned in for a kiss and was severely bitten on live TV. What we (and especially children) think of as a friendly overture can be interpreted as provocation by a dog. Let the dog come to you, sniff you, and submit to being petted.

6. Let sleeping dogs lie.

This goes for your own dogs and strange dogs. I mean, if you wake ME up from a deep sleep, I can’t be responsible for what happens to you, and the same goes with a dog. This also applies to eating. No one likes to have their chow zone invaded. Hopefully you’ve trained your dog to be submissive when you remove his food, but to be on the safe side, if the jaws are rocking, don’t come knocking. Interfering with a dog caring for its puppies is also a way to get a warning nip. Dog bites may be a frequent occurrence, but we can make them less frequent. A little caution and common sense and we can prevent almost all dog bites from happening in the first place.