Dog Bite Prevention





By Frania Shelley-Grielen. All rights reserved.



How do we know when a dog is likely to bite? How often do dogs bite and whom? And how can we not get bitten? Dog bites can happen any day of the week in the year and any dog can bite. The second week of April is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, dedicated to increasing our knowledge at being better at preventing dog bites. There are over 43 million households owning at least one dog in the United States and over 66% of those households consider those dogs members of the family according to the Humane Society. In our dog loving society approximately 4.5 million dog bites happen each year according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) with children between the ages of 5 to 9 being the most at risk. Two thirds of the children bitten are boys and men are more likely to be bitten than are women.

The numbers are impressive and as sources such as The National Canine Research Council and the ASPCA reminds us, need to be put in perspective children are twelve times more likely to be hurt by a car than be bitten by a dog or seven times more likely to be hurt by a sharp object than be bitten by a dog or one and half times more likely to be hurt by a bicycle than be bitten by a dog. Further, with 75 million pet dogs in the United States in 2007 -2008 and 400,000 bite injuries to children the overall bite rate is extremely low.




Book an individual consultation or presentation


A popular misconception is that stray dogs are doing the biting. The fact is, children are more likely to be bitten by a dog they know, in their own home. The CDC notes that the likelihood increases with the greater number of dogs in the home. What is most important to note is that most, if not all, dog bites can be avoided. Dog bite prevention starts with education for children and adults regarding appropriate handling, training and how dogs communicate with humans along with adequate and appropriate supervision of children around dogs. Understanding why dogs bite, canine body language and the appropriate human responses can benefit our health and our dogs’ welfare as well.


Learning canine body language begins with learning that dog body language is not human body language. Dog body language has its own unique vocabulary to communicate emotions and intent. While humans may value eye contact, hand shaking or hugging as greeting behavior for dogs a sidelong glance, lowered head and a good butt sniff are a more appropriate way to say hello. A jubilant dog greeting consists of jumping, definitely not a welcome human behavior and a fearful or aggressive dog warns off another with a whole set of behaviors that communicate discomfort. Identifying what a dog is saying is what keeps everyone comfortable and safe. So how are we doing? A 2010 study in the Journal of Nursing, Social Studies and Public Health found that children correctly identify a dog’s emotions on average 17% of the time. Recognizing fearfulness in dogs was accurately reported by 41% of girls and 29% of boys studied. Adults may not be doing a much better job at reading their dogs than children. Dog expert, Stanley Coren’s viral post on not hugging your dog looked at a random sample of 250 photos posted on the internet of people hugging dogs. Researchers found that in 81.6% of the photos dogs displayed at least one sign of discomfort such as turning the head away, lip licking, yawning, lowered ears or “whale eye” -where the white of the eye is visible at the corners or rim. Coren points out that the posters of the photos are most probably posting proof of their happy and close relationships with their dogs but how close and how happy?


Dogs, like many other animals, manage conflict with highly ritualized display signals that demonstrate or promote deference. Minor signs of stress such as lip licking or yawning out of the context of being hungry or tired and or looking away are strong indicators that what is happening to the dog is not what they would like to be happening. Signs of increasing stress such as whale eye or round eye, creeping, trying to leave, tucked tail, weight back, rigid body tension and raised hackles are definite calls for more space. Because fighting is costly for animals biologically, and can result in injury there is a progression of responses to promote distance and deference in response to stress with many animals. Getting away from an antagonistic individual is always a safer and healthier strategy for both parties. Pressing the dog increases the signs given, for example, alarm barking, growling, a rigid and tense body with the weight carried forward, stiff and wagging tail. These are more severe warnings. (Continue Reading Below)



"At all times and with all dogs, be kind and remember dogs have dog behavior and not people behavior. A dog that is pulling on a leash is pulling to get somewhere fast and not because they are trying to be in charge of anyone"



A dog may raise the hair around the shoulder blades which we know signals arousal and lean forward into a "ready-to-go" stance and bark repeatedly. This kind of behavior is more of a threat than a promise. Standing squared off like this indicates the dog is ready to move forward and the barking is attention getting and warning intent. But the dog is mostly looking for more space from the other. Typically a dog displaying this kind of behavior does not feel retreat is an option and is asking for the other individual to “go away.”


Know what a stressed or happy dog looks like and how to describe one. Developing our consistent use of an objective language to describe what a dog is doing enables us to observe the dog’s behavior without infusing it with human goals and emotions that might not apply and color our responses “mean,” “nasty,” “guilty,” etc. To help shelter professional assess behavior, the ASPCA’s SAFER assessment tools included being versed in a visual glossary for what terms like “whale eye,” “open mouth” look like and in what contexts. (It is important to note that breed differences have an impact here, “ears back” on a cocker spaniel look quite different than “ears back” on a pit bull but both dogs will move the base of the ear back. Good practice in paying attention.)


While describing what stress can look like is helpful, seeing it is even more helpful in learning to recognize it. Videos are an invaluable tool in demonstrating stress signals and canine body language. Elemental Media’s “In the Company of Dogs” , Maddie’s Institute “Canine Body Language” and AnimalBehaviorist.Us “Stress Signals in Dogs” are good ones to begin with. Interactive web sites designed specifically for children that incorporate teaching canine body language with games, videos and photos such as doggonesafe.com are excellent for parents and children. The more comfortable we are with understanding what our dogs are saying the more likely we can respond to it.


And dogs do bite. Dogs bite for any number of reasons fear, pain, protectiveness, lack of control over an aversive situation, lack of socialization, lack of or inappropriate training or handling and of desperation when the warning signals they are giving are not being acknowledged. While there may be times when biting happens without warning such as when a dog bites out of protection when surprised by an unexpected hug or kiss on the face or where a dog has a history where warning signals are continually ignored. To lessen a dog’s resorting to biting we need to read all aspects of a dog’s body language and include the environment. We also need to know the environment includes our presence and actions in it.


Dog bite prevention is most effective if we pay attention to the dogs we are interacting with. Look first: Dogs that display fear, who are growling or barking should not be approached or stared at directly as they are asking for more distance, listening to this request takes the pressure off the dog, not listening will most likely result in biting. Dogs that are eating, chewing on toys, sleeping and caring for puppies should not be approached as biting can happen in these scenarios. Tethered dogs are more likely to bite when approached. And dogs that are behind a fence or in a car may bite to protect territory.


Proper adult supervision around children and dogs cannot be stressed enough. Children need to learn how to treat dogs humanely and adults who know how to do that need to be doing the teaching. Knowing our children is also significant, a 2012 study found that less shy children were more likely to take greater risks around a dog they did not know, even with a handler present. While most bite prevention material is aimed at children the message remains just as relevant for adults.


What is the appropriate human response to an aggressive dog? Remember, the first rule with all stressed or scared dogs is to stop what we are doing that is stressing them. A good strategy with any stressed dog including an aggressive dog is the “stop, drop and roll” technique. Stop all movement, this decreases any perceived threatening behavior. Drop our eyes, eye contact can also be perceived as threatening. Roll our bodies to the side, turning sideways to the dog as opposed to facing a dog frontally is perceived as less aggressive for dogs and many other animals. Back away slowly once the dog quiets. Never run. Any number of variations exist on this method with all approaching the same goal from wrapping arms around the body (stops movement), reciting nursery rhymes (lessens fearful behavior from humans) and dropping to the ground turtle fashion to protect the face and mid section in the case of an actual physical attack.


When can we approach dogs? There is so much wisdom in the old saying: “let them come to you.” Friendly dogs that approach us in a relaxed manner- wiggly and soft body tension, open, “smiling” mouth, ears and muzzle relaxed, tail neutral or wagging are looking for interaction. The best response is putting ourselves sideways to the dog so we are not towering over them or lowering our face into theirs. Petting on the chest or behind the neck is best. Never kiss or hug dogs. Not your dog? Always, always ask first if you may pet someone else’s dog. Follow by asking how the dog likes to be petted and remember your body position in relation to the dog. With smaller dogs it is best to lower ourselves sideways to the dog and then interact.


At all times and with all dogs, be kind and remember dogs have dog behavior and not people behavior. A dog that is pulling on a leash is pulling to get somewhere fast and not because they are trying to be in charge of anyone. Teaching our dogs what we want them to do with positive reinforcement lets our dogs know how we would like them to act. Never, ever hit or be rough with a dog for any reason. They do not understand why they are being hurt no matter how much appeasement behavior they display. Physically punishing our dogs creates fearful dogs, increases stress and can lead to greater aggression.


References

​

-Chlopčíková, M. & Mojžíšová, A. (2010). Risk factors in the mutual relationship between children and dogs. Journal of Nursing, Social Studies and Public Health, 1(1), 102–109


-Davis, A. L., Schwebel, D. C., Morrongiello, B. A., Stewart, J., & Bell, M. (2012). Dog Bite Risk: An Assessment of Child Temperament and Child-Dog Interactions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9(12), 3002–3013.


This article is an original work and is subject to copyright. You may create a link to this article on another website or in a document back to this web page. You may not copy this article in whole or in part onto another web page or document without permission of the author. Email inquiries to info@animalbehaviorist.us


AnimalBehaviorist.us is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Side photo carterese. All other photos Frania Shelley-Grielen, all rights reserved







AnimalBehaviorist.us/info@animalbehaviorist.us

Entire website copyright 2024,
Frania Shelley-Grielen, M.A., M.S., all rights reserved




The material in this website is intended for educational purposes only. No expressed or implied guarantee of the effects of the use of recommendations can be given or liability taken.