What You Need To Know About Avoiding Dog Bites

For years, dogs have been recognized as man's best friend although every passing year millions of individuals, half of them under the age of 13, are bitten by dogs in the United States. A huge percentage of those incidents has something to do with a dog the victim knows and regularly interacts with. Because children tend to get excited around dogs and often approach them too quickly and/or too loudly, children are three times more likely to sustain a serious dog bite than adults.

How to Approach a Strange Dog

� You must never try to pet a dog in his owner's car because dogs are extremely protective over their space and owner.

� Never pet a dog that is behind a fence; they are protecting their property and will most likely bite.

� You should never pet a dog without first asking the owner. If the owner indicates it's ok, approach the dog slowly and quietly, let the dog sniff your hand, and then gently pet the dog's sides or back.

� Never pet a dog that is playing with a toy; the dog may think you are trying to take his toy from him.

� Never approach a dog that is eating or sleeping; startled or frightened animals are much more likely to bite.

Like humans, dogs utilize body language to show emotions like fear and anger. Teach your children how to read a dog's body language to decrease their chances of being bitten. An angry dog's ears may stand up, the fur on his back may stand on end, and the tail may be pointed straight up. An angry dog will also usually bare its teeth, growl, and stare at the approaching threat. A dog that is scared might crouch to the ground, put its tail in between its leg and fold its ears back.

Loose dogs normally pose the worse threats and ought to not. If a loose dog approaches you, evade eye contact and slowly walk away from the dog. If the dog comes right up to you, however, stop and stand perfectly still with your arms and hands at your sides. Never, ever try to outrun a loose dog.

According to the National Association for Human and Environmental Education, a large amount of dog bites may be prevented if these easy suggestions are followed.

How To Stop Your Dog From Biting Other Dogs

You might have saved your new pet from the local shelter. Your neighbor could have done extensive research and located his pet from a dependable breeder.

Despite where the animals came from you are both proud of your brand new pet. After you get settled in at home, you will more than likely take your dog out for a walk to show him off.

You and your neighbor run into each other and have a little talk. As you and your neighbor chat about your tremendous dogs, you are horrified to see your new dog bite your neighbor's new dog. This is every pet owner's nightmare scenario.

Prior to you rushing to return your dog where you found it, you should evaluate the situation. There are many reasons why one dog might bite another.

Your job is to attempt to learn your dog's breed and personality and the reason why he did the bad thing. Often, dogs bite not from aggression but simply as a form of play.

If the dogs were wagging their tails rolling around there is probably no danger at all. In fact, the dogs may have been getting to know each other in the best way possible, by taste and smell.

Some dogs, such as Labrador retrievers, are known to use their mouths in unusual ways. Labs were bred to carry birds, unharmed, back to their owners during hunting.

They like to put everything in their mouths. So labradors are usually not biting, but instead trying to hold something. Just like human babies, puppies also like to bite things when they are teething, so there is no reason for alarm there.

That's not to say, however, that some dogs aren't aggressive, because they certainly can be. Instead of giving up, though, try to learn the root of your dog's aggression.

Probably your dog is the nervous type and bites because it is scared. In that case, you will need to take care to introduce your dog to others slowly so that he can become more comfortable.

In the case of a shelter rescued dog, get as much info as you can regarding the dog's history. Shelter workers are a splendid resource in finding out what might trigger your dog's aggression. Remember that all dogs deserve a loving home, and with patience even an initially aggressive dog can turn into the family teddy bear.