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

If Your Dog Bites Someone For No Reason

If your dog bites someone for no reason...
What should you do?

Get help from a dog behaviorist right away. The laws about dangerous dogs are very strictly enforced.

Don't misunderstand me. There are insane dogs here and there. Those should indeed be euthanized. But I just hate to see dogs that could be rehabilitated have no quality of life from dire restrictions of be put to death. The safety of people always comes first with me though.

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman

The Little Dog Bite

If a little dog becomes nasty and bites all members of the family but one, that one should be the person who removes the dog. The others might get bitten. If the dog is on a bed, couch, lap ... wherever, put him on the floor each time he becomes aggressive.

Then the dog should be put back where he was, such as in the person's lap. But he should be removed again if he becomes aggressive.

This should be repeated until every member of the family can touch the dog and the person without a problem.

My grandfather always said, "Be sure that you never disrespect a dog. And don't EVER let one disrespect you."

Rena Murray
Dog Whisper Woman

Grab The Scruff To Stop Dog Behavior Problems?

Hyper Sparky has some dog behavior problems. Now he's about to rush out an open door toward the busy road. Act fast!

Important! - Grab him by the scruff of the neck to remove or correct him.

Never grab a dog by the collar. Even an excited puppy can accidentally nip your hand if it's on the collar instead of the scruff. Any startled or angry dog would!

The scruff makes it impossible for the dog to whip around. It's also a natural touch from "mom" saying "we're going somewhere."

Just imagine if you were going to break up a serious dog fight. The dog bite would be worse on us than it would be on the other dog. They have fur for protection, and we do not.

Please remember this rule!

Rena Murray
Dog Whisper Woman

How Do I Stop Puppy Biting Me?

So you have a biting puppy?

Puppy biting and dog bite are common problems people face with young, high energy dogs.

In a dog pack, this is corrected early. Puppies in a litter correct each other by screeching and nipping each other when they get too rough.

So if your puppy is biting and nipping, use this dog instinctive behavior and the signals that will seem natural to the pup. Scream and turn away from him for 10-15 seconds. Then start the game again.

If the puppy bites again, promptly cry out and turn away from him yet again. He'll get the idea.

Your scream should be like the yip of a hurt puppy, not so loud it scares your dogs to death.

No Dog Bite!

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman

Dog Attack..For Real or Bluff?

Usually, a dog who is barking at someone does not really want to do a dog attack on that person. So how do you know if the dog is full of bluff, or he is really going to give you a dog bite?

Two of my neighbors' dogs are perfect examples. Sam barks loudly with her tail raised and her ears up. Her ears are not forward, which means she means no harm. She is just saying, "This is my territory."

At this point, one should stop, make eye contact, and move forward a few steps. Once she turns her back, you may move on. NEVER turn your back on a dog in this circumstance until he has done so first. This means he has surrendered to you. Otherwise he might chase you.

Dog body language is saying "Dog Attack" for sure when the dog's tail is up like a flag and the ears are forward.

Also, WATCH OUT for the dog who shows no emotion. If the dog is aggressively charging you, hold your ground and steady confident eye contact.

Remember, never go away before he turns away.

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman

Dog Bite on the Butt

Many people who have been bitten by dogs are often bitten on the rear end. And, all the person is trying to do is get away from the situation. What a place for a dog bite, too!

So why a bite on the butt?

If you think about it, turning your back on a dog who is not relaxed is making your rear a perfect target.

This is another reason that knowing Dog Whispering and Dog Body Language is important. Knowing what the dog is saying can save your butt! (literally)

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman

P.S. Turning your back on a dog before he has surrendered to you puts him in "prey drive." That is much more dangerous than his natural dog instinctive behavior to chase. This is why you have to learn dog body language and to address and take care of a situation before you move on.

Does the "Dog Whisper Method" Really Work on a Red Zone Case?

Some people really question if the Dog Whisper Method will work on a "red zone" dog aggression case.

I speak from personal experience, because I use the Dog Whisper Method. It DOES work! The crazy ones are the "dog whisper wanna-be's" that don't know what they are doing.

A red zone case is nothing to fool with. Any dog is capable of inflicting serious damage; however, these are the dogs that WILL inflict it. Being struck with a level 3 or more dog bite is like having several electric shocks sent through your body at the same time. The use of the injured body part is limited for a few hours up to a few days, and may require a trip to the emergency room.

The Dog Whisper Method has saved the lives of many dogs who would otherwise be euthanised. Dogs on whom Dog Trainers gave up in despair. After all, no amount of customary "dog training" can begin to solve these psychological problems!

I found a couple of things the "Dog Whisperer," Cesar Millan, has done to be crazy by my definition. But I am not going around slandering him, because I don't want people to do that to me. He does a lot of good things, and has saved a lot of dogs.

There are several of us out there who know how to do these methods. The message is not to knock the Dog Whisper Method, but to knock trying to do what you do not know how to do ... And not knowing when the dog has really had it ... And when and how to stop, to touch back ...

The results can be lethal!

Rena Murray
DogWhisperWoman

Treat Training - My Dog Won't Come Without It!

Several clients say to me: "My dog won't come to me when I call him, but when I get a hotdog for him, he's right there!"

What they don't realize is that they are teaching the dog two bad dog behaviors. Eventually, the dog will become bored with the hot dog. What do you do then?

You have to depend on your dog to come to you without a treat. That's why I have no use for "treat training." It can also turn some pets into aggressive dogs... They start nipping at their owners when they don't get the treat. Same with horses.

Have you been teaching a dog to come but with little or no success?

If you call your dog and he does not come, move toward him calmly and with authority. Take him by the scruff of the neck, and MAKE him come to you. Repeat your word-signal-sound as he moves, so that he puts two and two together. Whistle, "come," signal ... any of those that you use mean "come forward NOW, not when I feel like it!"

You should never grab your dog when you are angry. That can result in a dog bite, even from the most mild-mannered dog if he is startled.

That's why I press again. Your touch must be calm and with authority.

The reason it is so important to make the action happen right away is that dogs live in the moment. They remember what happened in that moment. Always keep that in mind.

Rena Murray

P.S. Have you visited my new Squidoo lens - Dog Whisper With Rena - Dog Behavior Training and Dog Obedience To Shout About?