How to Prevent Dog Bites: A Pet-Owner’s Checklist

• Spay or neuter your pet. Intact dogs are nearly three times more likely to attack.
• Don’t chain up your canine. This increases the risk of a bite by nearly three times as well.
• Invest in obedience training. A dog that is conditioned to behave is less likely to attack.
• Socialize your pet. The more it’s around humans, the less likely it is to attack.
• Supervise your dog, especially around kids. The presence of an adult reduces the chances a dog will bite a child, even more so when that adult is the animal’s owner.
• Keep your pet healthy. Animals react differently when they’re not feeling well. Follow up with regular vet checks to make sure Fido can be his very best.
• Always use a leash when your canine companion isn’t confined. This is the law in Philadelphia, and it will help keep your pet and the public safe.

Dog Bite Prevention: A Parent’s Checklist

• Supervise your children. You can prevent dog bites just by being present. Most young kids who are bitten are either left alone with a pet or are unsupervised and wander off to find one.
• Don’t let your kids touch the dog while it’s eating. Dogs often get defensive around food and may attack to protect their dinner.
• Show your kids the signs a dog gives when it wants space. Point out how the dog backs away, stiffens its body, pins its ears back, etc., and explain what the animal is trying to say with its body language.
• Teach your kids not to run around the pets. Dogs naturally want to chase, and an uncontrolled pet may attack or tackle as well.

How to Prevent Dog Bites When an Attack Seems Imminent

• Stay calm. The dog may think your fear response is a sign of aggression, but if you’re calm, it may view you as the authority.
• Don’t run. You can back away if it’s safe to do so, but running will encourage the animal to chase.
• Avoid eye contact. The dog may see it as a challenge.
• Put a barrier between you and the animal. Whether you have access to a chair, a backpack, a bike, or something else, move it to block the dog.

Philadelphia Dog Bite Lawyer

This website is dedicated to providing dog bite prevention tips and information for victims of attacks, as well as access to Philadelphia’s top dog bite attorneys. If you or your child was attacked by someone’s pet and you need help getting compensation for your injuries, review the profiles here and contact the professional of your choice for a free consultation today.

The post Dog Bite Prevention: What You Can Do appeared first on Dog Bite Lawyer.

How to Prevent Dog Attacks: The Owner’s Responsibility

Training is imperative in preventing dog bites. Dogs of all ages can be trained not to attack, simply by teaching them not to respond in an aggressive manner to stimulus. For instance, many pets have the ingrained instinct to chase and hunt, and it’s common for an animal to treat a human jogger exactly the same as it would a wild animal in the woods. It’s the owner’s responsibility to pick up on cues that the animal may respond aggressively and to train it not to react in this way.

Spending more time with humans can also reduce dog aggression. It’s widely known that unsocialized pets are far more likely to attack, especially those that are chained outdoors for long periods of time.

Confinement and leashes play a role as well. Ultimately, the pet owner has a responsibility to keep the animal on his property and to have his dog on a leash any time it is off his property. The city ordinances mandate this too, and pet owners who violate the laws may be fined.

How to Prevent Dog Attacks: What You Can Do

Teach your children how to prevent dog bites. The majority of victims are children, especially small ones. They are also the most vulnerable when it comes to injuries.

• Don’t approach unknown dogs.
• Don’t play with dogs when an adult is not present.
• Don’t approach animals when they’re eating.

Stay away from animals that are acting aggressively, territorially, or are actively fighting.

Watch for signs of aggression or nervousness. Some signs, such as growling, a stiff body, or a pulled-back head, are obvious, but others may require a keen eye.

• Backing away
• Intense eye contact or rolled eyes
• Ears pulled back or pinned
• Stiffened tail

Philadelphia Dog Bite Lawyer

Knowing how to prevent dog attacks is important, but the techniques mentioned here may not always be effective. They also cannot help you if someone’s vicious or untrained pet is not restrained. Animals can and will attack in public places, and may even come into your yard or home if the owner is not behaving responsibly. If you or your child was attacked by a dog, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. To find out what reparations a court may award you, get in touch with one of the experienced attorneys featured on this site and request your free case evaluation today.

The post How to Prevent Dog Attacks appeared first on Dog Bite Lawyer.