A dog bite can be a very serious injury depending on the type of dog involved, as well as how long the bite lasted. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every single year. Now, not every case is severe enough to turn into a personal injury claim, however, that is still a lot of injured people every single year. Sadly, most of these bites occur with children.
Let’s cover some simple steps you can take to prevent dog bites, since most of these accidents are preventable in the first place. As an owner of a dog it’s your responsibility to ensure that an accident such as this never takes place.
Train Your Dog According to Its Breed
Different breeds of dogs have different requirements if they are to behave in a normal manner. For example, some dogs require a massive amount of space to run around in each day, while others may require a lot more social time with other dogs. Some dogs might require constant intense training, while others might not need as much and are much more obedient.
The requirements to keep your dog at a healthy non-aggressive level may depend on its genetics. If you don’t know what breed your dog is you can always take him to a pet store, where they may be able to give you a good idea, or you could get a dog DNA test, which are available online.
Socialize Your Dog
If you want a dog to behave well around humans and other dogs then you’ll need to socialize them. Socializing a dog is the process of allowing them to spend time with others so they’re comfortable. A lot of times dog bites occur because a dog lashes out in fear, or simply doesn’t know that biting hurts. If an animal is startled, biting is often their first line of action. Take the time to take your dog out to dog parks where they can meet other dogs and their owners.
Spay or Neuter Your Dog
When you spay or neuter your dog, a lot of times this will decrease their aggressive tendencies. Animals who have had this procedure don’t tend to develop in the same aggressive manner as their counterparts who haven’t had the surgery.
Enroll in Obedience Classes if Necessary
If your dog is incredibly hard to control, you might want to consider enrolling them in obedience classes. This will help to diminish any aggressive tendencies in your dog and will give you better management techniques for when your dog does get out-of-hand.
By having a kind and caring relationship with your dog, you will allow them to feel safe, comfortable and less threatened. All of which will contribute to lessening the chance of having your dog bite someone.
I hope this article has been valuable in giving you the information necessary to prevent a dog bite from occurring in the first place. The last thing you want is to injure a child, simply because you didn’t train your dog properly. You can take these steps to properly train your dog, which will protect both others and your dog.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/dog-bites/index.html
