Dog bite signs and prevention: Expert reveals the simple things dog owners can do to help prevent dog bites
Ben Madilynn
While it’s not always possible to prevent dog bites, there are plenty of things owners can do to help make them less likely.
Kathryn Calthorpe, education programs coordinator for Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ), tells 9honey Pets dogs are all different so won’t have the same triggers or tolerance level, making it hard to stop them altogether.
The causes of dog bites include children not being taught how to interact with dogs and being left unsupervised with them, dogs off leash, a lack of basic training and socialisation from puppy age and a lack of understanding of a dog breed’s instincts.
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Because of this Calthorpe says, “dog and child interactions should ALWAYS be supervised.
“Training is vitally important, especially the basics like; sit, stay and leave it,” she says.
“Know your dog and build a bond with your dog [and] learn to ‘listen with your eyes’, watching your dog and the environment you are in for known ‘triggers’ [and] respond appropriately.”
Calthorpe is sharing her knowledge about dog bite prevention and responsible dog ownership at a series of workshops in Queensland after the state government introduced tougher penalties for irresponsible dog owners.
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She says being a responsible dog owner means four things: “Always walk your dog on a leash, know your dog, train your dog [and understand that] not all dogs want or should go to a dog park or off-leash beach.”
There are warning signs that a dog is about to bite, ranging from intense staring and a rigid raised tail to barking, growling and snapping among others.
“Dogs will display signals to alert us to their discomfort, often referred to as the ‘canine ladder of aggression’. We need to be cognisant of these and ensure that we don’t ‘go too far’,” Calthorpe explains.
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When you notice signs a dog is becoming stressed, the advice is to, “Stop what you are doing immediately and re-assess and re-think your approach.”
The first Dog Bite Prevention and Responsible Pet Ownership Workshops will be held in Robina on Thursday October 10. Click here for more dates and locations.
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