Avoiding bites from man’s best friend
May 13th, 2008, 4:30 pm · Post a Comment · posted by sjohnson
Last week I heard of a local dog bite case via email. According to the email, a young boy walking through his Cannon Air Force Base neighborhood was attacked by a loose dog and bitten several times.
While the injuries were readily treated at the hospital, the family, through a wide email campaign, was imploring the owner of the animal to come forward with proof the animal had received rabies vaccinations so their son would not have to be subjected to injections on top of what he had already experienced.
Though I did not authenticate the story and if it was indeed true, I do not know what the outcome was, the scenario is frightening and likely one that repeats itself every time someone is bitten by a strange dog.
Here are some tips the CNJ received on preventing dog bites from the World Wide Pet Industry Association. Have a gander and share them with your kids so that with summer coming and more people heading outdoors, similar occurrences might be avoided.
How to Prevent Dog Bites
• Ask Before you Pet: Always ask pet owners before petting their dogs. Some dogs may not be properly socialized and may bite if a stranger pets them.
• Be Cautious: Avoid petting a dog if his hair is standing up. This usually is a sign the dog is angry or irritable and will not want to be touched.
• Manner Matters: Do not approach a dog from behind or make loud or abrupt movements when approaching it. Dogs do not like to be taken by surprise, especially by strangers.
• Use Common Sense: Stay away from dogs while they are eating or sleeping as they may be caught by surprise or become territorial.
• Educate Your Children: Most victims who require medical attention from dog bites are children and half of them have received bites to the face. To avoid a potentially deadly bite, teach your children the tips mentioned above and supervise their behavior around unfamiliar dogs.
How to Prevent Your Dog From Biting Others:
• Socialization: To have a dog that behaves itself in public, it is important to socialize your dog at an early age by exposing it to other people and animals.
• Training: Training for your dog is an important investment to make. Dogs that are trained are less likely to bite and learn how to behave properly. It is important that dog owners go through the training process with their dogs so they can continue to train them after the initial sessions.
• Practice Responsible Pet Care: For the safety of others, ensure your animal is properly vaccinated. Never teach your dog to attack or to chase others because he may get confused as to when this kind of behavior is appropriate. If your dog ever exhibits violent behavior, take him to training courses immediately.
• Use Discretion: If you are not sure how your dog will respond to a particular situation, leave him at home or keep him separated from guests who are visiting your home.
For more information on pet safety and articles relating to your pet, visit www.petsource.org.
