Preventing Dog Bites
November 17, 2008 by Paris and John
Filed under Tips
Barney, the White House Dog, made the headlines last week when he bit a reporter. Learning what provokes a dog to bite is the first step to learning how to prevent your dog from biting (or yourself from being bitten.) Bark Busters provides some insight into the incident and how to avoid one like it at your house:
“Barney was not in the mood for attention from the reporter,” said Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA. “Whether he was angry about the election or just unsure of the reporter, Barney’s body language showed the reporter that he wasn’t interested in the attention. By watching a dog’s body language, incidents such as these are easily avoidable.”
According to Bark Busters, there were several reasons Barney bit and clues to the upcoming bite. First, Barney was on a leash so he had no way to escape; this makes dogs more tense. Second, Barney’s body language made it clear that he was feeling nervous. His ears were back, tail was down, head was down, body was very still. He was not looking at anyone and was trying to avoid conflict. Last when the reporter bent down to pet him, he hovered over him. Barney might have seen this as a physical confrontation–and he bit.
So how can you prevent an incident like this?
Bark Busters recommends:
- Never assume a dog wants to be petted.
- Allow the dog to come into your space. Don’t invade his space like this reporter did.
- Allow the dog to smell you but don’t put your hand out. Allow the dog come near you on his own terms.
- Face the dog at all times but don’t make eye contact with the dog or stare; dogs can see direct eye contact as a sign of aggression.
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