A DOG may be man’s best friend, but do you know how to reduce your chances of being bitten by one?
Having recently been called out to attend to patients who were attacked by dogs, ER24 is urging pet owners to take good care of their dogs by ensuring they are well socialised and trained from a young age, and kept safely on their property.
ER24 is also urging people to avoid approaching unfamiliar dogs and to report stray dogs to the relevant authorities. Children should also be educated about how to act around and take care of their dogs.
According to Samantha Walpole, the secretary of Animal Behavioural Consultants of South Africa, children are the most at risk of being bitten by dogs.
“Children are generally drawn to dogs. Wagging tails are attractive to them,” she said. ”Unfortunately, the public is ill-informed that if a dog’s tail is wagging, it means that it is happy and is safe to approach. This is far from the truth.
”Children are also taught that hugging and kissing is an acceptable form of affection; to humans it is, but to canines this is perceived as confrontational.
“Fundamentally, humans and dogs speak a different language. When communication is misunderstood, people get bitten.”
Walpole, who is also a dog behaviourist and trainer, said dogs could turn on their owners as a result of a number of reasons.
She explained that dogs that bite their owners, or anyone else, could have an underlying medical condition. The dog could also be pushed to a point where it has no choice or could feel that its life is being threatened.
Harsh and confrontational training methods could also be a contributing factor with regard to human-related dog aggression.
Walpole advised people to purchase dogs from reputable breeders, to minimise the risk of being bitten.
“If you want to purchase a puppy, do your homework to match the right breed with your lifestyle,” she said.
”Join a reputable, positive reinforcement socialisation school. There should be continued training to build a good bond between you and your dog and you should seek assistance immediately if there are any early signs that make you uncomfortable.”
Further tips provided by Walpole include the following:
*Be respectful to your dog.
*Research and learn how to ”speak dog”. There are a number of body signals that a dog displays to indicate that it is uncomfortable and needs space, or that it likes what you are doing. By watching your dog’s body language and understanding what your dog is saying, you are able to stop or change the reason for your dog feeling uncomfortable.
*Learn what your dog likes and dislikes and respect these needs.
*A dog should not be treated like a toy or tested to see how tolerant it is. Do not poke, push or sit on a dog, or pull its tail.
*Stop what you are doing if a dog shows discomfort. Signs of discomfort include when the dog turns its head away from you, when the dog yawns, flicks his tongue out of his mouth or licks his nose, when the dog’s body freezes, when it moves away, lifts its lips or growls. Also stop what you are doing when the dog shows whale-eye (pronounced whites of the eye). This is often misunderstood as a ”guilty look”, when it is actually an appeasement gesture in response to the stimulus.
*Never corner a dog.
*Do not reprimand a dog when it growls. This is a language prior to a bite. Growling means that a person should leave the dog alone.
*If your dog bites someone, do not place the dog in a similar situation. If necessary, temporarily confine the dog in a safe area with water and shelter. Immediately seek the assistance of a qualified trained professional. Ensure the behaviourist has the correct credentials and is affiliated with a reputable organisation. Organisations such as Animal Behavioural Consultants of South Africa or COAPE SA can be contacted.
Walpole urged people to take care of their dogs, to feed and love them.
“Also remember, you take your children for their vaccinations. You should also take your dogs for their vaccinations. Remember to supervise your children when they are around animals,” she said.
*Source: Chitra Bodasing, ER24 spokesperson
