Preventing Dangerous Dog Bites – According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of around 4.5 million people suffer injuries during dog attacks in the United States each year. Out of these 4.5 million injuries, about 800,000 leave people in need of medical care and around 20 cause the injured individual fatal trauma. While children and elderly people are the most at risk of suffering serious dog bite injuries, everyone is at risk. It’s important to be familiar with the most effective ways of avoiding being attacked. It’s also vital that dog owners do everything they are able to in order to prevent their dogs from becoming aggressive. Below are a few of the best methods used to prevent a dog bite incident.
Learning Warning Signs
Dogs communicate with people and learning their language can help you to notice warning signs that might let you know a dog is unsafe to approach. Some of the more common warning signs that a dog might become aggressive include:
- Ears are flattened to the back of the head
- Growling
- Intense staring
- Tense body and motion
- Bared teeth
- Stiff or erect tail
Always Ask Permission
When you meet a dog you don’t know, you should always ask its owner if it is ok for you to pet it. If the owner approves, you should let the dog get comfortable before you touch them. Dogs will usually become comfortable by smelling your hand. If you don’t allow a dog to “check you out” before approaching them, they may bite out of self-defense.
Don’t Run Away from Aggressive Dogs
If you are near a dog that seems like it might become aggressive, it is important to not make eye contact and to not run away. Running can let a dog know that you are afraid, which may make them more likely to attack. If you are afraid that a dog may turn aggressive, you should slowly back away and try to put a large object between you and the animal. If you can’t back away, you should stand tall, hold your hands in front of your body, and look away from the animal while keeping them in the corner of your vision. Try not to provoke the dog until it leaves or help arrives.
Avoiding a Bite
If you are attacked, the most important thing to do is to avoid the dog’s teeth. If you can, defend yourself by putting an object between you and the dog’s mouth. You can use a jacket, backpack, or purse to do this. If you are knocked over, do your best to protect your head by curling into a ball. Tuck your head in and wrap your arms around your neck and ears. This will make it difficult for the dog to bite areas that could leave you with serious injuries.
What to Do After a Bite
If you are unable to avoid a bite, there are a few steps you should take after you’ve been injured. To learn more about recovering from a dog bite injury, take a look at the video below:
More by Ed Smith, Auburn Dog Bite Lawyer
- Common Dog Bite Injuries
- Getting Help From An Auburn Personal Injury Lawyer
- Correcting Aggressive Dog Behavior
Auburn Dog Bite Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn dog bite lawyer. Dog bites can be hard to recover from. If you or someone you love was bitten by a dog, contact me and get free, friendly legal advice. You can speak to me at (530) 392-9400 and (800) 404-5400.
I’ve helped Auburn residents get the money they deserve for wrongful death and personal injury incidents for over three and a half decades.
Get information about my verdicts and settlements here and browse my client reviews below:
I’m a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. MDAF is a forum for top trial attorneys with a past case in which their client was awarded at least one million USD.
Preventing Dangerous Dog Bites: Ed Smith
Photo: ab / Preventing Dangerous Dog Bites
:ms llo [cs 667] cv