According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are approximately 800,000 dog bites requiring medical attention every year in the United States, with significantly more children being bitten than adults. Dog-bite prevention should periodically be reviewed, and now that kids are back in school, Dr. Dean will be visiting some area classrooms soon with information and demonstrations regarding safety around dogs. One of the big messages is that when an unfamiliar dog approaches you, stand still “like a tree,” and if you are knocked down by a dog, “lie like a dog,” lying still with your face covered.
By standing like a tree, you will minimize the stimulation of a dog’s natural affinity for chasing things, and be much less interesting to them. You’ll know you’re really good at it if the dog lifts its leg on you, I suppose. If knocked down, being as still as possible will minimize the dog’s impression that you are challenging them, wanting to continue the battle. Much before ever having to exercise the “Stand like a tree, lie like a dog” skills however, the AVMA has several tips to avoid bites.
Never leave children or babies alone with any dog. Some breeds have reputations for biting, but any dog of any breed could bite. Be very careful when selecting your dog, and consult early with your veterinarian about any troubling behavior. Socialize your dog, especially when it is a puppy if possible, exposing it to as many positive experiences involving humans and animals of all ages, shapes, and sizes so it has the confidence to not feel scared or threatened by anyone or anything it shouldn’t later in life. The same is true of situations, such as car rides, vet visits, groomer visits, and loud noises such as fireworks, thunderstorms, and gunfire. The more they do and hear these things with positive reinforcement, the less likely they are to become fearful to the point it could lead to behavior problems such as biting. Train your dog to be as obedient as possible. Keep your pet healthy, since their behavior is strongly correlated with how they feel – if they’re uncomfortable or painful, the wrong touch or just their own general grumpiness from not feeling well could lead to a bite. Be a conscientious dog owner, obeying leash laws, and keeping your dog current on its rabies vaccination. Neutering has shown to decrease the likelihood of a dog being aggressive.
Speaking of dog bites, my favorite dog teeth story is that of the canine officer who was injured in the line of duty, losing his top front canine and incisor teeth. A dentist created for him a shiny platinum implant, replacing his missing teeth with bright metal replicas. The officer in charge of handling the dog subsequently trained him to “smile,” where with one signal or word this big German shepherd would look through the window at the bad guy in the back seat, curl his upper lips, and reveal the fact that he was robodog with metal fangs, fully capable of taking a bite out of crime.
Stand like a tree, lie like a dog – behavior you should have around a strange dog
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