Let's Stop Dog Bites In America!

Thousands of people are bitten by dogs every year. Most of the injured humans are children. However a dog bite is no less traumatic for a child than it is for an adult or a senior citizen.

Another fact is, most dog bites on people are from small dogs not from large dogs.

I have a neighbor who spent three days in the hospital following a dog bite...due to the trauma of the attack. It was a nasty, aggressive, small dog, too.

A major problem is that very few people even know how to read dog body language... or even how to approach a dog in the first place.

Dogs always give a clear warning before they bite. And dogs are consistent. If they give a warning and you don't heed it, they are going to bite. They don't mess around like humans do.

Some things you should always keep in mind:

(1) Never stick your fingers through a fence to pet a dog.

(2) Pet a dog on the chest when you first meet it, not the head. Petting on the head is threatening to the dog.

(3) Do not make any attempt to touch a dog until after it has smelled you and relaxed.

(4) Dogs operate in scent, sound, and site... always in that order.

(5) Always treat a dog with respect.

Instead of a person taking responsibility himself if he has been bitten, to see if he might have done anything to provoke the dog, the dog is more often than not blamed. Then it is reported. The dog is considered dangerous, and its life is pretty much over.

I would be the first to say you should euthanize vicious dogs. I've done it before. But I'm even faster to say, there should be a requirement that two dog behaviorists must determine beyond a shadow of a doubt that a dog is truly vicious and deserves to die.

The irresponsibility and lack of education of the public needs to stop. And the only way it's going to, is when professionals like me speak up!

For more information, check out my articles:
Children and Dogs - How To Approach Dogs and
Dog Body Language - Sam, Say What?

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman