A dog bite, especially if it is a medium or large dog, can be especially serious, even more so if we are talking about children. The most severe bites can cause wounds and injuries, and even put people's lives at risk.
If you are not familiar with canine language, knowing how to prevent a dog from biting you will not always be easy, for that reason on our site we will give you 10 tips for avoid dog bites, tips that you can put into practice both with your loved ones and with strangers.
1. When a dog is not yours…
Thanks to trust and bonding we may manipulate our dog in every possible way, however, it is a very common mistakeassume that any dog will tolerate the same as ours. If you're a volunteer at an animal shelter or meeting your best friend's dog, keep this tip in mind.
two. Listen to the instructions of the owner
Many dog bites could be prevented if the owner's instructions are heeded. How many times have we told someone not to do something, but they end up doing it? If the owner asks you not to give him food or not to arouse him, is for some reasonAnd remember, even if it is not related to aggressiveness, one action of yours can ruin weeks of work.
3. Dogs don't always like hugs and kisses
This is not a general rule, since many dogs have such good associations with this type of display of affection that they accept it without problems. Hugs and kisses are signs of love and affection that people and apes use, but that are invasive and even aggressive for most dogs.
Hugs and kisses to the dog's face are among the leading causes of marking and biting, especially if accompanied by immobilization of the dog. The best way to show affection to your dog, especially a strange dog, is to scratch his chest or the sides of his neck.
4. Don't get a dog too excited
Except in especially temperate dogs, hyperarousal causes a dog to significantly lower his self-control. Because of this, it is likely that if we play bite and overexcite him we will end up being bitten.
5. Avoid using your body to stop a dog's aggression
If you are carrying a dog that is reacting violently or you are near him, be careful and never put a leg (or any part of your body) in the middle to stop it, that could cause to redirect the bite towards some part of your body.
The best thing you can do if you are walking it is to hold it firmly (without choking it) at a safe distance from your body, tying it short if necessary. On the contrary, if the dog is unleashed, it is best to stop the episode with a pressurized water hose.
6. Avoid misunderstandings
Sometimes our own body language can be perceived negatively by a dog. Something as insignificant to us as blowing in the face, staring for a long time, playing in a corner or leaning over him can be intuited as threatening behavior. Avoid using them.
7. Pay attention to the warning signs
While some calming signals are very easily confused, such as smacking, turning your back or yawning, others are easily identifiable: we are talking about baring your teeth, growling or barking If a dog warns you, don't ignore him, stop doing whatever is bothering him.
8. Don't go overboard
There are many dogs that suffer from pain, discomfort or simply are not well used to handling. In these cases it is best to avoid touching certain parts of the body that may make them feel uncomfortable.
Examples might be touching an elderly dog's hip, sticking fingers in the mouth, ears or nose, pulling on the tail, or handling a tangle. Especially if the dog is not yours, it is best to be minimally invasive and predictable.
9. Never bother or mistreat a dog
If you decide to tease or mistreat a dog, especially a stranger, be prepared to receive a warning or, in the worst case, a considerable bite.
Dogs when faced with something unpleasant have two options: run away, stand still, warn or attack, and if it is dogs with little self-control, from dogs that have bitten before or from dogs with a lot of self-confidence, the answer will probably be the latter. Avoid interrupting dogs when they are sleeping, feeding or protecting an object (toys, their bone, etc.).
10. If it looks like a dog is going to attack you…
If a dog is barking at you and showing signs of aggression, chances are you just think of running away in a hurry, however, that's not always a good idea: the dog alwayswill run faster than you.
In these cases, it is best to stay motionless, with your arms close to your body and avoiding eye contact. For most dogs this indicates that you are not a threat When he stops growling, it's time to start moving slowly, without looking at him and without turning your back on him.
