Don’t shoot the dog – Ways to help prevent dog attacks

There is a lot of controversy these days surrounding particular breeds of dogs, and the risk dogs can present to people. The threat is particularly real to children, and sometimes even lethal. But there are ways to prevent dog bites and tragedy from striking your family.

First and foremost – small children and dogs do not belong together unattended. Period!

So, what factors determine if a dog will become aggressive? It is a complex combination of nature versus nurture.

While natural predisposition of some breeds certainly plays a factor, this is more due to poor parentage than breed specific problems. Aggression in one or both parents may produce aggressive puppies for example. All dog breeds have their merit and purpose, but some are better suited to particular lifestyles than others. 

Although a Jack Russell Terrier may look like the perfect dog on Frasier, they are high energy, easily bored, and territorial. They are not typically suitable for homes with small children, and require a lot of time be spent on training and exercise. On the other hand, they are intelligent and charming companions. 

Labrador Retrievers enjoy a well-deserved reputation of being wonderful with children, but demand a heavy exercise regimen until they are at least 3 years old. If you have older children who will want to play with the dog, then a lab could be a very good choice. If you are a couch potato, then maybe this isn’t the dog for you. Sadly, the shelters are full of labs and lab mixes for this very reason.

Boston Terriers and Bulldogs often make much more sensible choices for people who are seeking a less boisterous, and child friendly companion. And believe it or not, Pitbulls are reputed to be excellent with children. In fact, their ancestor the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is known in England as the “nanny dog”.

But even though these and other breeds are known to be good with children, it is never appropriate to leave any small child unattended with any dog.

It is a little more difficult to determine how a mixed breed will turn out, so ask as many questions as possible at the local shelter or rescue. The workers spend time with the animals, and if the dog is lucky enough to be in foster care you will get an excellent evaluation of it’s temperament and personality. Puppies are a lot of work too, so consider the older dog for your new pal. Once they are over 2 years old, you can eliminate a lot of the guesswork.

There are exceptions to every rule but why not do your homework anyway and get a dog that will be compatible in your household? There are so many wonderful choices out there.

How a dog is raised is arguably more determinate of how the dog will turn out in most cases.

It is very important to understand that a dog’s mouth is it’s primary tool for discovery, play, and communication. You can compare the way a dog uses its mouth, with the way humans use their hands. If your dog doesn’t understand that teeth don’t belong on humans at any time, this can become a big problem for you later on. Be vigilant while your dog is young to teach it that chew toys are appropriate, and human hands and clothing are not. Do not encourage rough play that allows a dog’s teeth to come into contact with you. Especially if your dog exhibits any type of dominant behavior.

Your dog truly needs to understand that it is at the bottom of the pack in your home. The person that controls the resources will hold the position of top dog. Resources include food, toys, exercise, and attention. Basically your dog should have to work for anything he requires or desires. He will be a lot happier this way. You are not doing Fido any favors by free feeding him and leaving his toys all over the floor. 

There is no reason or benefit to being angry, forceful, or physical with your dog. 

“A dog owner (who is in no way respected by his dog as his master due to inconsistency and over-permissiveness) who tries to become "top dog" by imitating canine ways of physical domination, by fear conditioning, and punishment-by-force correction will only be able to temporarily dominate his dog as long as the dog feels weaker. However, the dog will immediately express dominant behavior toward smaller and weaker beings, such as children, and enforce his position with his teeth. Such a dog will not respect humans, but only fear them, as long as they are physically stronger. It is a well know fact that respect cannot be punished into any living being, not even into a dog.” – CW Meisterfeld.

If you have convinced your dog that you are Alpha in a gentle way by controlling the resources, than this should be sufficient. Please seek professional help if it is not. Obedience classes and ongoing obedience training that is integrated into your daily lifestyle are also excellent ways of achieving the status of top dog. Your dog will learn that pleasing you is fun if you work on a reward system instead of a punishment system. That’s why we call them man’s best friend!

Sometimes it seems like we are still in the “dark ages” of dog ownership in Nova Scotia, but there are more and more dog-friendly professionals on the scene every year. Bob Ottenbrite, of the Lietash Society has been spreading the word for about 20 years now. Check out www.maritimedogs.com for more dog-friendly professionals and resources in Nova Scotia. 

Also, please be sure to teach your children how to greet dogs in a safe manner. You may not know it, but our four-footed friends interpret eye contact as a challenge, or an assertion of dominance. Petting strange dogs is not recommended. Ask the owners permission, and if there is no owner present it’s probably safer to not approach the dog at all. If you insist on petting a strange dog keep your hands low, and let the dog approach you. Check with the SPCA for more information on bite prevention, as it is part of their education program.

A dog can bring a lot of joy into your household, but please remember that they are not human. They enjoy being a part of your pack, but are a lot happier when they don’t have all the responsibility of running the pack. They are intelligent, hard working animals that are a lot happier when they have a purpose. Even if that’s fetching a ball for you in the back yard…

- Angela Granchelli

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