Avoid being bitten
While minor dog bites are relatively common, full-blown dog attacks are rare. However, it's essential to know how to respond in the unlikely event of an attack. Avoiding a dog bite involves understanding dog behaviour and taking proactive measures to ensure your safety. Here are some quick tips to help you avoid being bitten by a dog:
Immediate Actions
Stay Calm: If you encounter a loose dog displaying aggressive behaviours like staring, growling, baring teeth, barking, or showing the whites of their eyes, stay calm. Avoid sudden movements or loud noises that might startle the dog.
Avoid Eye Contact: Direct eye contact can be perceived as a threat. Instead, look slightly away while keeping the dog in your peripheral vision.
Stand Still: If a dog approaches, stand still like a "tree." Do not run or flail your arms, as this can trigger the dog to chase you or act defensively.
Slow Movements: If you need to move, do so slowly and calmly. Back away without turning your back on the dog.
Use a Barrier: If possible, place an object (like a bag, jacket, or umbrella) between you and the dog to create a barrier.
Do Not Yell or Shout: This will likely stress the dog further and be interpreted as threatening behaviour.
Seek Higher Ground: Use the hood of a car, a large rock, a tree with low branches, or any elevated surface to raise your head and body. This makes it much harder for the dog to bite effectively from below.
Preventative Measures
Avoid Unknown Dogs: Do not approach unfamiliar dogs, especially if they are tied up, behind a fence, or in a vehicle. Reaching your hand out towards a dog might feel threatening to them.
Ask for Permission: Always ask the owner for permission before petting a dog. If the owner is not present, it's best to avoid interacting with the dog.
Learn Canine Body Language: Recognise signs of aggression or anxiety in dogs, such as growling, barking, showing teeth, stiff posture, and a fixed stare. Understanding dog body language is crucial for safety.
Don't Disturb: Never disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping, or unwell, as this can cause stress or defensive behaviour.
Teach Children: Educate children on how to behave around dogs. Teach them not to hug, pull on ears or tails, or disturb dogs at any time.
Ensure a Healthy Dog: Ensure any dog you care for is well. Undiagnosed pain and discomfort account for up to 80% of dog aggression cases. Dogs in pain often display unpredictable and sudden aggressive behaviour.
What to Do in the Unlikely Event of a Dog Attack
Protect Yourself: If a dog attacks, try to put something between you and the dog (like a bag, jacket, or bike). If knocked down, curl into a ball, cover your head and neck with your hands and arms, and remain still.
Seek Help: Call for help if someone nearby might be able to intervene. Try to avoid screaming.
Do Not Fight Back: Resist the urge to yell or fight back. When a dog attacks, it is reacting instinctively. By remaining quiet and calm, you reduce the perceived threat, which can lead the dog to stop its attack.
What to Do if You See a Dog Attack
Call 999: Contact emergency services immediately for professional assistance.
Do Not Intervene Directly: Unless you have professional experience working with dogs, avoid trying to break up the attack yourself, as you might get bitten.
Use a Distraction: Throw a jacket, scarf, or blanket over the attacking dog to distract it, potentially allowing the victim to escape. Do this from a place of safety.
Stay Calm: Do not yell, hit, or kick the attacking dog, as this could escalate its aggression.
Avoid Pulling the Dog Off: Refrain from pulling the attacking dog away, as this can worsen the victim's wounds and redirect the dog's aggression toward you.
Why Dogs Bite and Factors Influencing Behaviour
Socialisation: Proper socialisation from a young age is crucial. Well-socialised dogs are less likely to exhibit aggressive behaviour.
Training: Consistent, positive reinforcement training can significantly influence a dog's behaviour. Punishment techniques are associated with increased aggressive behaviour.
Owner Responsibility: The behaviour of any dog is heavily influenced by the actions and attitudes of its owner. Responsible ownership includes appropriate training, exercise, diet, and care.
Genetics: While genetics play a role in a dog’s temperament, aggression is not isolated to specific breeds but can occur in any dog due to various factors. It is vital to bring a dog into your home bred by someone educated in dog behaviour, genetics, and ethics.
Responsible ownership, including adequate socialisation, training, exercise, diet, and care, is crucial to ensuring that any dog, regardless of breed, behaves appropriately and safely. By understanding dog behaviour and taking these proactive steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of being bitten. If you are concerned about your dog's behaviour, seek help and advice from a qualified dog behaviourist, behaviour consultant, or veterinary behaviourist.