You love your dogs, and there’s no better way to celebrate them during National Pet Week than to prevent them from being involved in a dog bite incident with the proper training and foresight on your part. As a pet owner, you know that your animal is loving and kind, but you may not realize that your dog also has fears, and that those fears can lead to discomfort and anger, which, in turn, can cause them to lash out at strangers, small children, and even family members. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of things that you can do as a dog owner to keep your pooch, yourself, and others around you safe from being involved in one of these terrible tragedies.
Get your dog the training it deserves. Dogs need training to learn how to interact with strangers, children, and other individuals in all types of situations. Training will help your dog distinguish what is playful and what is painful, reducing the chances of an attack. Training can also have additional positive impacts on your dog’s personality and behaviors.
Keep your dog in an enclosed space. It is important that you disallow your dog from roaming freely throughout your neighborhood. This can be a scary experience for your dog, cause it stress, and lead to serious incidents that could leave you and your pup in a lurch.
Give your pooch exercise and space to run. Dogs that don’t get enough exercise have a lot of pent up energy and that can lead to bite incidents. Dogs need to be able to work out their energy by going for a run, playing with toys, and engaging with people.
Don’t allow your pooch to interact with people that it doesn’t already know and be up front with strangers and young children who may approach your dog. If your dog is not people-friendly, let them know.
Most importantly, remember that your dog’s actions are your responsibility. If your dog attacks another person, you may be held legally, and in some cases, criminally liable for the injuries and damages incurred in the incident. Be sure to teach your dog how to interact with others and be present when your pooch is playing with other people.