Avoiding Dog Bites

If you have a dog, you know that he or she can be considered a part of the family. And family members don’t bite, right? Well, in the case of dogs that isn’t always true. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 4.7 million dog bites each year.

There are ways to reduce the chance of a dog bite. Some of these include:

• Having the animal spayed or neutered. These dogs tend to be less aggressive and have a lower incidence of bites.
• Socialize your dog to teach him or her how to behave around other people and other dogs.
• Play fetch with your pet. Non-aggressive games are preferred.
• Let sleeping dogs sleep. And let eating dogs eat. Discourage anyone from bothering a dog engaging in either of these activities.
• Avoid exposing your dog to unfamiliar or stressful situations that may trigger defensive and/or aggressive actions.
• Obedience classes.
• Obey local leash laws and keep your dog confined even if there are no specific laws in your area.
• Never approach a dog you don’t know and don’t make eye contact with a dog that appears aggressive or is acting in a threatening way.

Taking simple steps can ensure that the family pet and anyone or anything that interacts with it is safe.