Preventing Dog Bites

Laurie Anne Walden, DVM

Even friendly dogs can bite if provoked.

Dog bites are physically and emotionally traumatic and can also have serious consequences for the dog. National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the second full week of April, is a good time to learn more about dog bites.
 
Why do dogs bite?
Dogs bite as an instinctive response to provocation. Even friendly, tolerant dogs can bite under the wrong circumstances. A dog might bite a person in situations like these:

• The dog is afraid, startled, or nervous.
• The dog feels threatened.
• The dog is protecting something (food, a toy, a person, territory, or puppies, for example).
• The dog is in pain.
• The dog doesn’t feel well.
• The dog is fighting with another dog or animal.
• The dog is playing too roughly.
• The dog is (or has been trained to be) aggressive to people.

 
Which dog breeds are likely to bite?
Trick question! Any dog can bite if provoked.
 
Assuming that a dog is aggressive because of its breed is unfair to responsible dog owners and (in the case of breed bans) potentially unsafe for the dog. It’s even more dangerous to assume that a dog won’t bite because it looks like a breed people think of as “friendly.” It’s almost impossible to tell the breed heritage of a mixed-breed dog just by appearance anyway.
 
A dog’s body language and facial expressions are better indicators of bite risk than its (apparent) breed is. These cues can be subtle, but learning to tell if dogs are feeling anxious, afraid, or aggressive can help keep you safe.
 
Who’s at risk of being bitten?
At least half of the people bitten by dogs in the United States each year are children, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Older adults are also at higher risk. Most people with dog bites are bitten by their own dog or another dog they’re familiar with.
 
How can I keep myself and my kids from being bitten?
These measures can reduce the risk:

• Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog. Any dog.
• Teach children to respect dogs’ space: don’t approach dogs that are eating, sleeping, resting inside a crate, or nursing puppies.
• Teach children not to kiss dogs. In most cases they shouldn’t hug dogs either (you’d have to be absolutely sure the dog is OK with being hugged).
• Before petting a dog, ask permission from the dog’s caretaker.
• Always let the dog decide whether to be petted. Let the dog approach you and be sure she has space and opportunity to walk away.
• Don’t reach through a fence or inside a crate to pet a dog.
• Don’t lean down over a dog.

 
What can dog owners do?
Socialize puppies and newly adopted dogs so they’ll be comfortable with different people and new situations. Dogs who are well socialized are less likely to feel nervous or threatened when they encounter new people and unfamiliar environments. Obedience training using positive reinforcement also builds trust between dogs and their owners.
 
Be sure your dog’s rabies vaccination is up to date. Monitor your dog’s health; pain and illness reduce a dog’s tolerance for being touched and handled.
 
Don’t let your dog run free outdoors, and follow your local leash laws. If your dog is nervous around unfamiliar people, be sure he has a place to get away from visitors to your home.
 
More information

• iSpeakDog: http://www.ispeakdog.org/
• The Danger Hidden in Plain Sight in Photos of Dogs and Children (by Zazie Todd, PhD, Companion Animal Psychology): https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/08/the-danger-hidden-in-plain-sight-in.html  
• Dog bite prevention (AVMA): https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention
• How to read dog body language (AVMA): https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/how-read-dog-body-language

 
Photo by Ralu Gal

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