Dog Bite Prevention
We love our dogs and as dog owners, it’s so important to remember that in their repertoire of communication, if all else fails, they have teeth and they just might use them. Talking about dog bites often brings to mind visions of scary dogs roaming the streets or off lead at parks, but the interesting thing is that most serious dog bites happen at home. They’re also not isolated to particular breeds only.
Companion Animal Psychology released an article recently discussing dog bites based on new research from Dr Niamh Caffrey and colleagues from the University of Calgary. They looked at all dog bite incidents between 2012 and 2017 in the city of Calgary (over 2,000 of them).
Key points from the research:
People most at risk are children, youth and older adults (60+)
Research showed no different between breeds in terms of serious bites
51% were classified as low-severity bites, 35% medium severity and 13.5% high severity
The good news is that the number of severe bites fell during the research period
Education for anyone who comes into contact with dogs is critical for ensuring that canine body language is understood and respected, especially that of fear. It’s really common for people to misinterpret dog’s body language around babies and toddlers in particular.
Beyond the obvious signs (flattened ears, cowering, tail tucked between their legs), common signs of fear in dogs may include:
Lip licking
Panting
Large eyes (big pupils) / seeing the whites of their eyes
Yawning (when not tired)
Scratching (when not itchy)
Sniffing the ground
Avoiding eye contact
Pulling their head away
See my post ‘Learn to speak canine’ for more information and visuals.
All of these behaviours will happen well before a fearful dog feels they need to react further by barking, lunging or biting. They’re so important to recognise because that is how they’re telling us they’re uncomfortable, they need space, to be left alone or removed from a situation. Bite prevention is our responsibility as dog owners and the people who interact with dogs. We need to learn how to understand how our dogs communicating with their bodies, because unfortunately they don’t speak like we do.
This great quote from dog trainer Pat Miller sums it up:
“Your dog is speaking to you all the time. Remember to listen with your eyes.”
NOTE: If you’d like to learn more about dog safety for children, there is a great organisation in NZ called Kids Safe With Dogs. They are a charitable trust that educate children on how to interact with dogs safely with the aim of reducing dog bites. There’s great resources on their website and you can get in contact with them if you’d like to find out more.