Avoiding Dog Bites
I’m Ed Smith, a Woodland dog bite lawyer. Many dog bites leave people with serious injuries that can have lasting effects and dangerous complications. While most people can tell when dogs are acting aggressively, dog attacks often happen without warning. There are many common misconceptions about dog behavior that can lead people to accidentally provoke a dog and suffer severe trauma as a result. Knowing about common dog behavior misconceptions can help you to better understand the way that these animals think and react and may even save you from suffering serious injuries. Below are some of the more common pieces of misinformation regarding when dogs are likely to bite.
Barking Dogs Won’t Bite
Barking is usually the first sign that a dog will give in order to let others know that it is uncomfortable and can be seen as a sort of warning. According to the popular dog trainer and canine expert Cesar Millan, barking shows that a dog is attempting to defend what it thinks of as its own territory. Barking is able to increase a dog’s level of aggression, and this behavior can easily escalate into an attack.
Kicking and Yelling Will Scare Away a Dog
A dog showing signs of aggression such as growling or barking can tell when a human feels threatened. Reacting to an aggressive dog by yelling or kicking at it lets the dog know that you are afraid and can cause it to feel more powerful, increasing the chance that it will attack. The best thing to do when confronted by an aggressive dog is to remain calm and avoid direct eye contact. It’s also a good idea to stand slightly to the side and let the dog see a smaller target, which can cause the dog to lose balance as well as reduce tension by removing yourself as a primary threat. However, it should be noted that this method is not always successful.
Only “Dangerous Breeds” Bite
Even the most friendly, calm, and well-trained dog can be provoked to bite under bad circumstances. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, even small, seemingly harmless dogs can quickly turn aggressive due to factors like stress, illness, over-excitement, or protectiveness. While knowing which dogs most often bite is useful, the best way to keep yourself safe is by knowing the warning signs that show when a dog is likely to bite.
All Dogs Are Friendly
Just like not every person likes every other person, not all dogs will like all people. Looking for the correct warning signs when you approach a dog makes a big difference in whether or not you are likely to be bitten. If a dog shows the following warning signs, it is probably best to back away and give up on the idea of being friendly so that you can avoid a serious injury such as a facial laceration or fractured bone.
- The dog is showing the whites of its eyes
- The dog yawns
- The dog turns its head away as you approach
- The dog is stiff and standing still
More by Ed Smith, Woodland Dog Bite Lawyer
Woodland Dog Bite Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Woodland dog bite layer. The injuries that people suffer from dog attacks can be severe. If a dog bite has injured you or someone you love, contact me locally at (530) 392-9400, or at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly case advice.
I’ve assisted people from Woodland with claiming fair compensation for their traumatic injuries and wrongful death claims for more than three decades.
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