Biting

The bad news: Dogs of any breed or size can, and do, bite. The good news: There are really very few aggressive dogs. Most dogs bite because they’re afraid. This means there are steps you can take to prevent your dog from biting and prevent you and your children from being bitten. Here’s some information on dog bite prevention from Kate Knutson, DVM, of Pet Crossing Animal Hospital & Dental Clinic in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Most dogs bite for two reasons: They’re afraid, or they think you’re prey.

Take these steps when meeting a new dog

• Slowly approach the dog and owner
• Ask the owner’s permission to pet the dog
• If the owner and your parent or guardian says it’s OK, slowly extend your hand, allowing the dog to sniff the back of it
• Pet the dog’s shoulder or chest – not the head

If a dog approaches or attacks

• Don't run
• Look away from the dog’s eyes
• Stand like a tree with arms by your sides
• Give the dog your jacket or anything not attached to you
• If the dog knocks you down, remain quiet, curl up in a ball and cover your ears - most dogs will leave

Preventing your dog from biting

Following these directions won’t guarantee that your dog won’t bite, but they’ll certainly make it less likely. Any dog that is well restrained and well trained can be perfectly safe, regardless of breed. The truth is, an irresponsible owner is much more dangerous than any dog.

• Restrain your pet. Unrestrained dogs cause about 82 percent of all fatal bites. Keeping your dog on a strong leash whenever you’re in public is a big first step toward preventing bites. Strangers and a strange environment may startle your pet. Extra precautions should be taken to make ensure your pet is at ease. If you leave your dog alone outdoors, your yard needs to be enclosed with a six- to eight-foot fence, depending on your dog’s size.
• Socialize your puppy. Puppies are more open to learning between the age of 8 and 12 weeks. This is the opportune time to start puppy classes and begin socialization with other pets. It is important to introduce the puppy to animals with a known vaccination history. Talk to your veterinarian about the proper time to take your canine friend to puppy classes, the park and the pet store. Socialize your puppy by taking him anywhere where he can interact with people and other dogs in a nonthreatening environment. Be sure to praise him when he interacts well with others.
• Spay or neuter your dog. Intact (non-neutered) male dogs are responsible for approximately 80 percent of fatal bites. When dogs are altered, they lose some of their territorial instincts, including a lot of their territorial aggression.
• Train him not to bite. Dogs will mouth, chew and bite everything from your hands to your furniture until you teach them that it’s inappropriate. If your dog is biting or growling at you or other family members, distract him with a quick sound, such as a clap or a sharp "ouch!" Then redirect his attention to a chew toy. Remember, timing is everything. Make sure your noise is heard at the exact moment the dog is biting. The dog will not understand what is going on if the noise occurs after the bite (they cannot make that connection). Also be sure to reward him when you catch him chewing on the right things.
• Watch your dog’s behavior. This may be the most important part of preventing your dog from biting. It’s easy for owners to be in denial that their sweet, furry Fido may be a threat. But if your dog exhibits any of the following behaviors, it’s time for your veterinarian’s help: growling at, snapping at, or biting family members; growling or snapping at strangers; or extreme fear of strangers.

Why some dogs bite children

Teaching children how to approach dogs slowly and carefully as well as how to recognize warning signs are critical components of dog bite prevention. Remember, not all dogs are friendly and not all dogs want to be touched. Children are often at eye level, and may stare directly into dogs’ eyes. They also run and move suddenly, appearing like prey. Any dog may bite, even your family pet. Adults should always supervise children when they play with any dog, and they should teach children the best ways to approach and treat animals to avoid being bitten. 

If your dog is growling, barking, or behaving aggressively

If your dog is growling or behaving aggressively, he/she may be in physical pain. Take your dog to your veterinarian to rule out any health problems. If there are no health problems, ask your veterinarian to refer you to a Certified Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), a veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB), or Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). Check references and see if you can meet the trainer first. Trainers should emphasize positive reinforcement training methods. Consequences of a dog biting a human vary from state to state. In general, penalties have increased. They range from liability insurance requirements to euthanaizing your dog, so it is important to address biting behavior early to prevent serious problems from arising.

Breed characteristics

It’s difficult to determine just how much a dog’s genetics determine his behavior, just like it’s hard to know how much of a person’s personality is nature and how much is nurture. It’s true that some breeds simply have more ability to injure people than others do. Though it’s no more likely to bite than a smaller dog, if it does bite, a big dog can do much more damage than a small dog, for example. (Even very small breeds can be dangerous to children, however.)

A study performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, analyzed dog bite statistics from the last 20 years and found that the statistics don’t show that any breeds are inherently more dangerous than others. The study showed that the most popular large breed dogs at any one time were consistently on the list of breeds that bit fatally. The study also noted that there are no reliable statistics for nonfatal dog bites, so there is no way to know how often smaller breeds are biting. Nearly any dog can be aggressive or non-aggressive, depending on his training and environment. Owners play a big part in making sure that their pet is safe around other people.

https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/pet_health_library/dog_care/behavior/biting.aspx

Biting: Causes, Prevention, and Control

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal agency which monitors and controls human diseases, estimates over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States every year. One in five of those bitten requires medical attention.
In addition to physical injuries, people, especially children, can be emotionally scarred as well. It is sad, indeed, when a person who has suffered a dog bite can no longer feel comfortable around animals, and may in fact, be terrified of them. Such people lose a wonderful aspect of their lives and a chance to have a meaningful human-animal bond.
Reduce the risk of your dog biting
There is no way to guarantee that your dog will never bite someone. But you can significantly reduce the risk if you:

• Spay or neuter your dog. This may reduce your dog's desire to roam and fight with other dogs. Neutered dogs are 2.5 times less likely to bite than intact dogs.
• Socialize your dog. Introduce your dog to many different types of people and situations so that he or she is not nervous or frightened under normal social circumstances.
• Train your dog. Participating in puppy socialization and dog training classes is an excellent way to help you and your dog learn good obedience skills. Training your dog is a family matter, and every member of your household should be involved and use the same training techniques.
• Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Avoid playing aggressive games with your dog such as wrestling, tug-of-war, or 'siccing' your dog on another person. Do not allow your puppy to bite or chew on your hands. Set appropriate limits for your dog's behavior. Do not wait for an unacceptable behavior to become a bad habit, or believe your dog will 'grow out of it.' If your dog exhibits dangerous behavior toward any person, particularly toward children, seek professional help from your veterinarian, an animal behaviorist, or a qualified dog trainer. Your community animal care and control agency may also offer helpful services. Dangerous behavior toward other animals may eventually lead to dangerous behavior toward people, and is also a reason to seek professional help.
• Be a responsible dog owner. Obtain a license for your dog as required by law, and provide regular veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations. For everyone's safety, do not allow your dog to roam. Make your dog a member of your family. Dogs who spend a great deal of time alone in the backyard or tied out on a chain are more likely to become dangerous. Dogs who are well-socialized and supervised rarely bite.
• Err on the safe side. If you do not know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If your dog may panic in crowds, leave him at home. If your dog overreacts to visitors or delivery or service personnel, keep him in another room. Work with professionals to help your dog become accustomed to these and other situations. Until you are confident of his behavior, however, avoid stressful settings.

If your dog would bite a person:

• Confine your dog immediately.
• Check on the victim's condition. If necessary, seek medical help.
• Provide the victim with important information. This should include your name and address, name of the dog, the date of your dog's last rabies vaccination, and the name and phone number of your veterinarian.
• Cooperate with the animal control official responsible for acquiring information about your dog. If your dog must be quarantined for any length of time, ask whether he may be confined within your home or at your veterinarian's hospital (this is usually determined by the dog's rabies vaccination status). Strictly follow quarantine requirements for your dog.
• Seek professional help to prevent your dog from biting again. Consult with your veterinarian, who may refer you to an animal behaviorist or a dog trainer.
• Do not just give your dog to someone else if your dog's dangerous behavior cannot be controlled. Because you know your dog is dangerous, you may be held liable for any damage he does even when he is given to someone else. Do not give your dog to someone who wants a dangerous dog. If you must give up your dog due to dangerous behavior, consult with your veterinarian and with your local animal care and control agency about your options. New owners may be possible if they have a good knowledge of dog behavior and training, and are fully aware of the dog's behavior problems.

To avoid being bitten:

• Be cautious around strange dogs. To avoid being bitten, never approach an unfamiliar dog, especially one who is tied or confined behind a fence or in a car. Do not pet an unfamiliar dog without the owner's permission, and make sure to let the dog see and sniff you first. Always assume that a dog who does not know you may see you as an intruder or as a threat.
• Never turn your back to a dog and run away. A dog's natural instinct will be to chase and catch you. Instead, remain motionless, with your hands at your sides. Avoid direct eye contact. When the dog loses interest, slowly back away.
• Do not disturb a dog while she's sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy, or caring for puppies. Be sure the dog is aware of your presence before you touch the dog - even your own. A startled dog may bite as a reflex action.
• Teach children not to tease or chase dogs.
• Never leave an infant or child alone with a dog.

If you are attacked:

• Put something between you and the dog. Use your coat, purse, book bag, bicycle, or other object to separate yourself from the dog.
• Protect your head. If you are knocked down, cover your head and ears with your hands and curl into a ball. Try not to move or scream.
• Care for any wounds. Wash any wound with soap and water and seek medical attention.
• Report the attack to the police or animal control agency. Try to remember as much as possible about the attack.

The happiness and safety of you, your pet, and the people around you is important to us. By responsibly taking care of your dog and educating other dog owners, you can help prevent dog bites. You can help by supporting dog bite prevention educational programs in schools, and teaching children and adults the proper way to approach unfamiliar pets and avoid being bitten.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=165

In Her Own Words: Victoria on Dog Bite Prevention:

As a mother and a dog trainer, I am dedicated to raising awareness about responsible pet ownership and preventing dog bites. My public platform helps put a spotlight on the issue and my Dog Bite Prevention Task Force, comprised of veterinarians, lawyers, canine bite investigators and pediatric surgeons, are each doing what they can to educate the public about being safe around dogs. As well as working on much needed national campaigns with the Task Force, my free time is spent teaching bite prevention to children.
--Victoria Stilwell

As the canine population continues to grow, so has the number of dog bites both in Britain and the United States.

• Over the last ten years the number of reported dog bites requiring medical treatment has increased by 50% in England and 150% in Scotland.
• According to a report by the U. S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, over a sixteen-year period, the number of hospital admissions caused by dog bites in the U.S. nearly doubled, increasing from 5,100 in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008.
• According to 2011 statistics, there were approximately 4.5 million reported dog bites in the US, 800,000 of which were serious enough to require medical attention.

Why have bite incidences increased so much?

• This dramatic increase over the last ten years is alarming but not surprising considering how popular dogs have become. Census data indicates that approximately 31% of British households own a dog and that dogs now outnumber children in American households (43 million households have dogs compared to 38 million with kids under the age of 18).
• Most of these dogs are valued members of the family with nothing more to do than lie on the couch all day. Fewer dogs with jobs means more bored animals who suffer stress and anxiety as a result.
• Most dogs receive no formal training, but of those that are taken to class and are trained using punitive, out-dated methods, an increase in negative behavior is often the result. Meghan Herron, DVM, lead author of a veterinary study published in The Journal of Applied Animal Behavior (2009), says that confrontational training methods practiced by many trainers and handlers in the United States and Britain are a contributing factor to dog bites. Dr. Herron states that, "Our study demonstrated that many confrontational training methods, whether staring down dogs, striking them, or intimidating them with physical manipulation such as alpha rolls [holding dogs on their back], do little to correct improper behavior and can elicit aggressive responses."
• Poor breeding practices are utilized by the puppy mill industry and backyard breeders. Puppy farmers care little for the dogs they breed as long as they make money, churning out puppies with no attempt to breed for good temperament or to socialize them with humans and other animals. Lack of socialization causes fear and insecurity, which is a leading cause of aggressive behavior.
• Irresponsible people who use their large breed dogs for protection and intimidation without adequately socializing them, are responsible for the greatest number of incidences.

Is there any correlation between serious maulings and human deaths from dogs?While investigating many of the more serious maulings and fatalities over the last ten years, Victoria and her team noticed a common theme.

• Many of the attacks, particularly on children, are from dogs that are known to the children, but do not live with them full time. The child is either visiting a friend or family member, or the dog is staying with the family while the owners were away at the time of the attack.
• Most attacks on infants occur within a couple of months of birth and many of these attacks happen while the parent or guardian has left their infants in a valued area such as the parents’ bed, that is also shared by the dog.
• Many of the dogs that kill have a history of aggressive response and high prey drive.
• After the attacks occur almost all the dogs are quickly euthanized before being properly assessed by professionals. The need to get rid of the pet that has mauled or killed a family member surpasses any desire for an evaluation, which might otherwise provide valuable insight as to why the attack occurred.

Children and Dog BitesThe Humane Society of the United States reports that 50% of children will be bitten by a dog before their 12th birthday.

• Children under the age of five are most likely to be bitten and most of these bites come from a dog that the child knows; the family dog or that of a relative or friend.
• Children are most likely to be bitten in the face as they are closer to a dog’s eye level making it easier for a dog to feel threatened by eye to eye contact.
• Children love to kiss and hug dogs, even though these expressions of affection do not translate well in the dog world.
• Fast movements can stimulate a dog’s prey drive and/or chase instinct.
• Higher pitched voices can sometimes startle a dog and make it fearful.
• A dog can be frustrated through rough play or by teasing and a child can inadvertently inflict pain with the pull of a tail or a poke in the eye.
• It is hard for a child to read and understand a dog’s body language, therefore missing vital signals that can put them in harm’s way. Parents and guardians also miss these signals, but even in cases where dogs are known to respond aggressively in certain situations, little is done by their owners to curb the dog’s behavior. Most people believe that such tragedies will never happen to them.

How to Keep Children Safe Around DogsEducation for parents and children is essential and it amazes me that parents seem to be more ignorant than their children about how a dog should be greeted. The only way to keep young children safe around dogs is for parents and guardians to be responsible for their dogs at all times and to teach their children not just how to behave around the family dog, but with other dogs that they might come into contact with too.

• A young child should never be left unsupervised with any dog at any time and all interactions need to be actively supervised between them.
• If active supervision cannot take place, the child and dog need to be safely separated so that no interaction can occur between them.
• A dog should not be allowed to sleep with a child at any time according to many pediatric surgeons that I have interviewed, as some of the worst bites have happened when a sleeping dog has been awakened suddenly, either by a child knowingly waking it up, or accidently rolling into the dog while they are sleeping.
• All dogs need to receive a humane canine education to help them live successfully in a domestic situation and if a dog is showing worrying behavior, help should be sought from a qualified professional. Dogs with big mouths can inflict the most devastating and potentially fatal injuries, but a well-placed bite from even a small breed of dog can cause major damage.

Read the Positively Child/Dog Safety Guide Here.

https://positively.com/animal-advocacy/dog-bite-prevention/

Observing Body Language = Important for Bite Prevention
Body language signals are easy to miss because they are either misunderstood or so subtle that a person doesn’t see them. However it is vital to learn when a dog is uncomfortable because these are all warning signs that communicate what a dog is feeling. These signals can happen by themselves or in combination with other signals so it’s important to look at the whole body to get a clearer picture of what the dog is feeling.

Read Victoria's Canine Body Language Descriptions Here

Related Reading:

• Fatal Dog Bites Share Common Factors
• Dog Bites by the Numbers
• Why Dogs Bite Children: A Lesson in Preventing Dog Bites in Kids
• Dog Bite Prevention: Part I
• Dog Bite Prevention: Part II

- See more at: https://positively.com/animal-advocacy/dog-bite-prevention/#sthash.e9Vcmqws.dpuf

HOW TO AVOID A DOG BITE

Be polite and pay attention to body language.

Embedded with permission from TheFamilyDog.tv.

How do you avoid getting bit by a dog? Start by being polite and respecting the dog's personal space. Never approach an unfamiliar dog, especially one who's tied or confined behind a fence or in a car. Don't pet a dog—even your own—without letting him see and sniff you first.

Don't disturb a dog while she's sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy or caring for puppies. Be cautious around strange dogs. Always assume that a dog who doesn't know you may see you as an intruder or a threat.

Pay attention to the dog's body language

Put a safe amount of space between yourself and a dog if you see the following signals (illustrated in the video above) indicating that the dog is uncomfortable and might feel the need to bite:

• tensed body
• stiff tail
• pulled back head and/or ears
• furrowed brow
• eyes rolled so the whites are visible
• yawning
• flicking tongue
• intense stare
• backing away

When putting space between yourself and a dog who might bite, never turn your back on him and run away. A dog's natural instinct will be to chase you.

What to do if you think a dog may attack

If you are approached by a dog who may attack you, follow these steps:

• Resist the impulse to scream and run away.
• Remain motionless, hands at your sides, and avoid eye contact with the dog.
• Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away until he is out of sight.
• If the dog does attack, "feed" him your jacket, purse, bicycle or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog.
• If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball with your hands over your ears and remain motionless. Try not to scream or roll around.

How to prevent your dog from biting someone »

What to do if you're bitten by a dog

If you are bitten or attacked by a dog, try not to panic.

• Immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water.
• Contact your physician for additional care and advice.
• Report the bite to your local animal care and control agency. Tell the animal control official everything you know about the dog, including his owner's name and the address where he lives. If the dog is a stray, tell the animal control official what the dog looks like, where you saw him, whether you've seen him before and in which direction he went.

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/avoid_dog_bites.html?referrer=https://www.google.com.au/

According to a survey conducted in 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

Dog Bite Prevention

According to a survey conducted in 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 2% of the U.S. population—about 4.7 million people—are bitten by a dog each year. The vast majority of these bites (about 83%) don’t result in injury, and no medical treatment is sought. About 800,000 individuals, however, half of them children, seek medical treatment for dog bites. Among children 14 years and younger, injury rates are significantly higher for boys (57%) than for girls (43%), and the rate of dog bite injuries is highest among children ages five to nine years. Between 15 and 20 of these annual bites nationwide are fatal.

The importance of these numbers should not be minimized. However, the relative risk dogs pose to people compared to other causes of accidents and fatalities should be kept in mind if we are to adopt a rational, effective approach to reducing the risk of dog bites. The risk of fatal injury directly due to a dog bite is miniscule compared to human fatalities caused by other accidents, such as those caused by cars (43,730 deaths annually), falls (14,440), choking (5,555), fires (3,410), drowning (3,334), guns (791) and bicycles (774). Even among the most rare causes of accidental deaths—including lightning, forklifts and dog bites—lightning fatalities occur five times more often than dog-bite fatalities1. Among children, 10 fatalities occur annually from dog bites, compared to 826 from injuries inflicted by parents and other caregivers.

To compare accidental injuries treated in emergency rooms, a person is roughly 23 times more likely to be injured from a fall than from a dog bite, 12 times more likely to be injured by a car, 7 times more likely to be injured by a sharp object and 1.5 times more likely to be injured by a bicycle. These data are all the more remarkable if the prevalence of dogs in human society is considered—an estimated 74.8 million dogs were kept as pets in the United States in 2007–2008.

Increasing Safety, Reducing Risks

To reduce the number of injuries from dog bites, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and dog owners should practice responsible dog ownership.

Recommendations for Parents

Be aware of the fact that any dog can bite. From the smallest to the largest, even the most friendly, cute and easygoing dogs might bite if provoked. The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog known to the child—his or her own pet, a neighbor's or a friend's. You can help protect your child from dog bites by discussing with her the appropriate way to behave around dogs. To help parents educate their children about basic safety around dogs, we offer the following tips:

• Children should not approach, touch or play with any dog who’s sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy or bone, or caring for puppies. Animals are more likely to bite if they’re startled, frightened or caring for young.
• Children should never approach a barking, growling or scared dog.
• Children should not pet unfamiliar dogs without asking permission from the dog’s guardian first. If the guardian says it’s okay, the child should first let the dog sniff his closed hand. Then taking care to avoid petting the dog on the top of the head, he can pet the dog’s shoulders or chest.
• Children should not try to pet dogs who are behind a fence or in a car. Dogs often protect their home or space.
• If a child sees a dog off-leash outside, she should not approach the dog and should tell an adult immediately.
• If a loose dog comes near a child, he should not run or scream. Instead, he should avoid eye contact with the dog and stand very still, like a tree, until the animal moves away. Once the dog loses interest, the child can slowly back away until he’s out of sight.
• If a child falls down or is knocked to the ground by a dog, she should curl up in a ball with her knees tucked into her stomach and her fingers interlocked behind her neck to protect her neck and ears. If a child stays still and quiet like this, the dog will most likely just sniff her and then go away.
• Children should never try to outrun a dog. If a dog does attack a child, the child should “feed” the dog his jacket, bag, bicycle—or anything that he has for the dog to grab onto or anything he can put between himself and the dog.

The following activity will help you and your child understand the difference between safe and potentially dangerous interactions with dogs. Recite aloud with your child the following list of pledges:

1. I will not stare into a dog's eyes.
2. I will not tease, try to go near or pet dogs behind fences, dogs in cars, or dogs chained or tied up in yards.
3. I will not touch a dog I see loose (off-leash) outside.
4. If I see a loose dog, I will tell an adult immediately.
5. I will not run and scream if a loose dog comes near me.
6. I will stand still like a tree and be very quiet if a dog comes near me.
7. I will not touch or play with a dog while she’s eating or sleeping.
8. I will only pet a dog if I have permission from the dog's owner.
9. Then I will introduce myself to the dog by letting her sniff my closed hand.

Understanding dog body language is another key way to help you and your children avoid being bitten. Teach your children that they can read dogs’ body language to better understand what dogs are feeling and avoid those whose body language indicates that they’re feeling anxious, afraid, threatened or aggressive. Please see our Canine Body Language article for drawings of dogs showing what various feelings look like in dog body language.

• An aggressive dog may try to make herself look bigger. Her ears may be up and forward, the fur on her back and tail may stand on end or puff out, and her tail may be straight up—it may even wag. She may have a stiff, straight-legged stance and be moving toward or staring directly at what she thinks is an approaching threat. She may also bare her teeth, growl, lunge and bark. Continued approach toward a dog showing this body language could result in a bite.
• An anxious or scared dog may try to make herself look smaller. She may shrink to the ground in a crouch, lower her head, repeatedly lick her lips, put her tail between her legs, flatten her ears back and yawn. She may look away to avoid direct eye contact. She may stay very still or roll on her back and expose her stomach. Alternatively, she may try to turn away or slowly move away from what she thinks is an approaching threat. If she can’t retreat, she may feel she has no other alternative but to defensively growl, snarl or even bite.
• Many dogs can show a mixture of these body postures, indicating that they feel conflicted. The main idea for children to remember is to avoid any dog showing any of signs of fear, aggression or anxiety—no matter what else the dog is doing. It’s important for children to realize that a wagging tail or a crouching body doesn’t always mean friendliness.

The main lesson for children practicing safety around dogs is to not chase or tease dogs they know and to avoid dogs they don’t know. The ASPCA Online Store offers several teaching tools that can make learning about how to be safe around animals fun, including Dogs, Cats & Kids (DVD and video), Dogs, Cats & Big Kids (DVD and video), the Teaching Bite Free Package (DVD and video), and a Dog Bite Prevention Activity Worksheet. The National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) also offers The BARK (Be Aware, Responsible and Kind) Dog Bite Prevention Program, the Play It Safe with Dogs coloring book in English and Spanish, and the Doggone Crazy family board game. Please see this website for more information: http://www.nahee.org/.

Recommendations for Pet Guardians

Although you can’t guarantee that your dog will never bite someone, there are many ways that you can significantly reduce the risk.

Before You Get a Dog

• Avoid purchasing your new dog at a pet store. Most pet store puppies come from “puppy mills,” large-scale commercial breeding kennels that often house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, without adequate veterinary care, food, water and human companionship or socialization. By buying a pet-shop puppy, you’re likely supporting a cruel industry, and you run the risk of taking home a sick puppy. Dogs from puppy mills have been reportedly diagnosed with ailments such as respiratory infections and pneumonia, as well as hereditary defects like hip dysplasia. They may also be poorly socialized to people and other animals. In addition, your new “purebred” puppy might not actually be purebred. Dogs at puppy mills are often bred indiscriminately, and lineage records are sometimes falsified to misrepresent mixed breeds as purebred dogs. Responsible breeders do not sell their dogs through pet stores.
• Consider hiring a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB) to assist you in selecting a well-socialized dog of stable temperament that best fits your family’s lifestyle.
• Adopt from a well-managed animal shelter whose staff and volunteers can fill you in on the dog’s background, her personality and her behavior in the shelter.
• If you prefer to purchase a dog from a breeder, find a small-scale, reputable breeder who sells only one breed, breeds only once a year or less, and allows you to visit his or her home and kennel. The breeder should show you the mother and relatives of the puppy and provide a clean, loving home environment for them, including lots of handling, play and interaction with different people of all ages.
• Avoid purchasing dogs through classified ads in newspapers or through the Internet. Many puppy mills and backyard breeders sell their dogs through newspaper and Internet ads. (A backyard breeder is a pet owner who breeds dogs on purpose or just allows dogs to mate on their own. Backyard breeders usually have little to no knowledge about breed standards, genetics, or proper puppy-rearing and socialization.)
• Consider waiting until your children are older. Because so many dog bites happen to young children, waiting until they are at least 10 years old is recommended. Please visit our website for information about finding responsible breeders.
• Educate yourself on dog care, raising a puppy and humane, reward-based training methods. Some of the books and DVDs that top our list of recommendations are Dog-Friendly Dog Training by Andrea Arden, PetsIncredible Complete Dog Training (DVD), New Puppy, Now What? (DVD), Maran Illustrated Dog Training, Your Outta Control Puppy by Teoti Anderson, Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson, Taking Care of Puppy Business: A Gentle Approach for Positive Results by Gail Pivar and Leslie Nelson, How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Dr. Ian Dunbar, Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog by Pat Miller.

After You Get a Dog

• Spay or neuter your dog as soon as possible. Healthy puppies can be spayed or neutered as early as eight weeks of age. Spayed or neutered dogs may be less likely to bite.
• Socialize your dog! An ounce of prevention (puppy socialization) is worth a pound of cure (trying to fix behavior problems in adulthood). Well-socialized dogs make enjoyable, trustworthy companions. Undersocialized dogs are a risk to their owners and to others because they’re frightened by everyday things. Fearful dogs are more likely to aggress or bite. They tend to fight with other dogs. They don’t adapt to new situations, and routine outings (like to the vet’s office) become difficult for them and everyone involved. Socializing is the opposite of isolating. It means to let puppies meet, greet and enjoy a variety of people, animals, places and things. Done properly, socializing helps puppies feel comfortable and friendly—rather than uncomfortable and potentially aggressive—in many situations and around all kinds of people and animals. The main rule for effective socializing is to let your dog progress at her own pace and never force her to be around someone or something when she’s clearly fearful or uncomfortable. Please see our article, Socializing Your Puppy, for more information.
• Take your dog to humane, reward-based training classes—the earlier the better. We recommend starting your puppy in puppy kindergarten classes as early as eight weeks, right after her first set of vaccinations. Early training opens a window of communication between you and your dog that will help you consistently and effectively teach her what you expect of her.
• Make your dog a part of the family. Don’t chain or tie her outside, and don’t leave her unsupervised for long periods of time—even in a fenced yard. Because tied-out dogs become frustrated and can feel relatively defenseless, they’re nearly three times more likely to bite. Well-socialized and supervised dogs are much less likely to bite.
• Don’t wait for a serious accident to happen. The first time your dog shows aggressive behavior toward anybody, even if no injury occurs, seek professional help from a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), a veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB), or a qualified Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). If you elect to hire a CPDT because you can’t find a behaviorist in your area, be sure to determine whether she or he has professional training and extensive experience in successfully working with aggression, as this training and experience are beyond what CPDT certification requires. Please see our article, Finding Professional Help, for information about finding an expert in your area. Your community animal control agency or humane society may also offer or be able to refer you to helpful services.
• Err on the safe side. Be aware of common triggers of aggression, including pain, injury or sickness, the approach of strangers or strange dogs, the approach of people in uniforms, costumes or unusual attire (especially hats), unexpected touching, unfamiliar places, crowds, and loud noises like thunder, wind, construction, fireworks and appliances. If possible, avoid exposing your dog to these triggers. If she seems stressed or panicked in crowds, leave her at home. If she overreacts to visitors or delivery personnel, keep her in another room when they come to your house. Work with a qualified behavior and training professional to help your dog become more comfortable with these and other situations. Please see our article, Finding Professional Help, for information about finding an expert in your area.
• Always supervise children and dogs. Never leave a baby or child younger than 10 years old alone with a dog. Teach your children to treat your dog gently and with respect, giving the dog her own space and opportunities to rest. Some good books and videos that we recommend on children and dogs are Living with Kids & Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar, Raising Puppies and Kids Together—A Guide for Parents by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt, Child-Proofing Your Dog by Brian Kilcommons, and Dogs, Cats & Kids, a video by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). For more information about children and dogs, please see our article entitled Children and Pets Living Together.
• Fulfill basic animal-care responsibilities. License your dog as required by law and provide regular veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations. Don’t allow your dog to roam alone.

Breed-Specific Legislation

Some cities and municipalities have tried breed-specific legislation (BSL)—which regulates or bans certain breeds of dogs—as a way to reduce dog bites. Although the effectiveness of this type of legislation continues to be hotly debated, two recent scientific studies comparing bite rates before and after BSL have shown that the rates remained the same after legislation was enacted. There are several reasons why legislating against certain breeds is not likely to be effective.

First, the breeds most often involved in bite injuries and fatalities change from year to year and from one area of the country to another, depending on the popularity of different breeds. Although genetics do play a role in determining whether a dog will bite, other factors—such as whether the animal is well socialized, supervised, humanely trained and safely confined—play much greater roles. Aggression comprises many complex behaviors that are influenced by a wide variety of factors.

Second, correct breed identification by bystanders, pet owners, police, medical and animal control personnel is unreliable. It becomes virtually impossible with mixed breeds. Just because a dog looks like a Labrador-shepherd mix does not mean she is. A mixed-breed dog’s genes often include more than just two pure breeds, and, thanks to their genetic diversity, mixed breeds may not even look like their parents. It’s convenient for us to identify dogs by the breed (or two breeds) we think they most look like, but the label in no way accurately describes their ancestry. A case in point is the so-called “pit bull.” This term is loosely used to describe four breeds of dog: the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier and the bull terrier. Because these breeds, and mixes of these breeds, are hard for people to identify, any short-haired, medium-sized dog with a wider-than-average jaw who’s involved in an aggressive incident can be labeled a “pit bull.” It’s not uncommon for newspaper stories about aggressive “pit bulls” to be accompanied by photos of boxers, bullmastiffs and even Boston terriers.

Third, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which conducted a 20-year study that listed the breeds involved in fatal attacks, there’s currently no accurate way to identify the total number of dogs of a particular breed and, consequently, there’s no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill. In fact, the CDC says its own 20-year study is not an appropriate tool for making breed-specific policies or legislative decisions. Instead, the CDC advocates “dangerous dog” laws that focus on individual dogs of any breed who have shown aggressive behavior.

Responsible dog ownership of all breeds is the key to dog bite prevention. More effective legislation than BSL is legislation that holds pet guardians accountable for their dogs’ behavior by requiring them to pay for victims’ pain and suffering and to take corrective action, such as spay/neuter surgery and proper confinement and supervision of their dogs.

1Bradley, J. (2005). Dogs bite, but balloons and slippers are more dangerous. Berkeley, CA: James & Kenneth Publishers.

Related Links

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https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/dog-bite-prevention

Dog attacks can kill your child

Dog attacks and dog bites are amazingly common in America. According to this site, there are about 5 million dog bites per year. Over half of the people bitten by dogs are children.

There are four ways for your child to get bitten by a dog:

• The family dog bites your child (by far the most common way)
• A friend's dog or a neighbor's dog bites your child
• Your child approaches a dog (even a dog on a leash) and gets bitten
• An unleashed dog attacks your child

Here are several news stories that show what can happen:

• Maryland Infant Critical After Mauling by Family Dachshund
• Valiant effort couldn't save dog victim
• Pit bull mauls boy, 11

Steps you can take

To protect your child against dog attacks, you should take the following steps:

• You should NEVER leave an infant, toddler or child alone with the family dog or a friend's dog, even if the dog is "as gentle as a lamb" and "loves children". It does not matter if the dog is large or small. It does not matter what breed the dog is. Even if you are in the room, a baby or toddler should NEVER be left on the floor in the same room with any dog.
• If you are playing or walking in an area with your child and a dog approaches, you should pick up your child and leave the area.
• You should train your child to never walk up to and pat any dog on a leash, or any strange dog not on a leash. The child should always keep at a safe distance and ask the owner's permission before approaching any dog.

Un-neutered male dogs are the most agressive. If you have a dog and children, you should have the dog spayed or neutered.

If you have been around dogs all your life and if you love dogs, these measures sound extreme. They sound extreme only until you realize that there are 5 million dog bites in America every year, and more than half of them happen to children. The reason they happen to children is because children and dogs are about the same size (or the dog is larger). A dog can be intimidated by the physical size of an adult, but not by a child. The most common place for a dog to attack is the child's face. Dogs are animals, and even the best animals can act in unpredictable ways for unknown reasons.

A friend of mine was at home sitting on the couch. His daughter, a toddler, was on the floor watching TV in the same room. The family dog of 10 years ran over and bit the child on the face. The child was rushed to the emergency room and it stiches were required to repair the damage. There was no reason for the attack, and no provocation. Perhaps a sound on the TV set the dog off. Who knows? Then it happened again several months later, and they had the dog put down. This was a happy little lap dog that had never before shown signs of aggression. Dogs can be totally unpredictable.

http://www.marshallbrain.com/cp/dogs.htm

Dog attacks on children are tragic – but we can try to understand the triggers Deborah Orr

Good for the people of Llanelli, South Wales. When I walked into my local newsagent the other morning, I was disgusted by the Sun's front page, and its headline: "Dog ate my baby's head." But the people of Llanelli went further, with newsagents refusing to sell that day's edition in response to public outrage, and Rebecca Evans, the Welsh assembly member for Mid and West Wales, declaring: "I am shocked and disgusted by the callous front cover of today's Sun newspaper … [it] has hit new depths in sensationalist reporting, paying no regard whatsoever to a family who have suffered a horrific loss and a community which has been left reeling."

Quite right. It is awful that a six-day-old baby, Eliza-Mae Mullane, was killed by a family pet. The fact that this dreadful thing happened so shortly after 11-month-old Ava-Jayne Corless was also killed by a dogonly serves to emphasise the fragility and unpredictability of the relationship between dog and family.

In the latter case, people did not hesitate to point the finger of blame. The man who owned the dog that killed Ava-Jayne – which was a banned pitbull – says he has been forced into hiding by the anger against him, including death threats. In the case of Eliza-Mae, it's the shock and horror of such a terrible thing being done by their own dog, with no outsider who flouted the law on dangerous dog ownership to blame.

Yet, I cannot be alone among dog-owners in having to admit that my sympathy for these families does not quite drown out a sympathy that is perhaps less natural. I feel for the dogs. There's even a germ of concern that these cases may injure the reputation of dogs generally. I know these are skewed priorities. But I'm not the only person who is a bit unhinged when it comes to dogs.

Neighbours report that in the few days that Eliza-Mae spent at home with her family, the dog, an Alaskan malamute, had been behaving oddly, running about in the streets and in and out of gardens, which he didn't usually do. Anyone who knows dogs will recognise this – or think they do – as frantic jealousy and insecurity, the behaviour of a dog who feels that his place in the family hierarchy has been suddenly and comprehensively usurped. Other children can feel this way, too, although parents generally are more careful about reassuring siblings than they are about reassuring dogs.

The Sun headline sensationalises the idea that dogs are savage, and dangerous to humans. But we all know that humans can be savage and dangerous, too, especially when they feel threatened. The long-standing symbiotic relationship between humans and dogs is more likely forged from similarity than from difference. Very often, when a dog displays surprising savagery, the problem is that its potential for emotional volatility has been overlooked. The fact that dogs seem to have emotions recognisable as similar to our own is one reason why dogs are our pets more often than they are our tools. New research from Hungary, reported on the Today programme this week, found that the response to human voices in the temporal lobes of dogs was pretty much the same as in the human brain. No surprises there.

It's daft, but I always like to see my dog sighing. It seems so human. But actually, we don't know very much about either the sighs of humans or the sighs of dogs. Some psychologists argue that sighing in humans is a learned behaviour, but that doesn't seem right, because animals sigh, too. And what's the difference between a negative sigh and a positive sigh – a sigh of contentment and a sigh of exasperation?

Is a sigh a non-verbal means of communication? Sometimes, perhaps. But researchers led by Karl Teigen at the University of Oslo found that people tend to sigh just as often when they are alone as when they are in company. The same research found that sighing is more often associated with a negative mood – disappointment, defeat, frustration, boredom or longing – than with a positive one. (Not so for my dog, who seems to sigh when he's warm and comfortable.)

Another piece of research, this time led by Elke Vlemincx at the the University of Leuven, suggests that sighing is a physical manifestation of a subtle change in breathing patterns, a kind of physical and mental reset. Here's Jordan Gaines, writing in Psychology Today: "By studying breathing patterns of participants for 20 minutes while sitting quietly, the authors found that during the time preceding a sigh, breathing begins to vary, changing in speed or shallowness."

"When breathing in one state for too long," Vlemincx says, "the lungs become stiffer and less efficient in gas exchange. Intermittently adding a sigh to the normal pattern, then, stretches the lung's air sacs (alveoli). This feeling may give one a sense of relief."

This suggests that what you're feeling affects your breathing, which we all know is true from experience of things such as panic attacks. The emphasis on breathing in yoga suggests that the calming effect created by "bringing your awareness of your breathing", as yoga teachers say, has long been recognised.

But what has this got to do with dogs, or other sighing animals? Simply that, as dog lovers insist, they are, like us, emotional, their emotions influencing their breathing and their sighs a natural regulator. Dog owners will also attest that dogs sometimes appear to feel emotions so strong that a great deal more than a sigh is necessary to provide relief.

When I was about 14, I went to a local farm to pet the horses. There, we found that the last of a litter of kittens was to be drowned, because a home could not be found for it. I called my mother, asked if we could have it, and she said yes. Joyfully taking the kitten home, I was devastated by the family dog's reaction.

It wasn't just that she snarled at the kitten in a most aggressive way, causing the kitten to spit and arch his back with equal aggression. It was the reproachful, hurt, betrayed looks the dog threw at me. She seemed to be communicating that she simply could not believe that I had done this to her, had introduced this clearly unwelcome interloper on to her territory. I went straight to the local vet and asked for the kitten to be humanely destroyed, which it was immediately – in retrospect, surprisingly, because I was only a kid. My mother, when she got home looking forward to seeing the new kitten, was absolutely amazed that I'd made this decision and acted on it so definitely and irreversibly, alone. I did it out of absolute love and sympathy for my grieving dog.

I'll always believe that the dog in the Eliza-Mae case acted out of a storm of emotional upset. The dog in the Ava-Jayne case – which wasn't part of that family hierarchy – may simply have acted out of aggression against a creature more vulnerable than himself. That may seem more like animal behaviour than human behaviour. But humans behave savagely to other creatures, and each other, all over the planet, every minute of the day.

In the end, the most frightening thing about dogs may not be how different to people they are, but how much they have in common with us. It's that which persuades us that the one in our family can be trusted, that it will understand how precious and vulnerable a baby is, just like the rest of that family. The sense of security is false, and one should no more leave a dog with a child than one would with an unvouched for, unknown stranger. Tragedies happen precisely because that's so easy to forget.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/21/dog-attacks-on-children-tragic-triggers

Dogs and Children – How to Prevent Dog Attacks

Why are children more vulnerable to dog attacks?

1. Children are smaller. They move faster and more erratically compared to adults, and that may trigger a dog’s prey drive.
2. Children frequently project excited or fearful energy when interacting with dogs. Excited energy may cause a dog to become overly-hyper, and accidentally hurt the child while trying to initiate play. Fearful energy may cause a dog to become fearful himself, and show aggression because of anxiety and fear.

Always have adult supervision when children and dogs are at play.

Sometimes, children may meet off-leash, stray, or free-roaming dogs in the neighborhood. Many of these dogs have probably escaped from their backyards, and are out on an exciting day of exploration.

However, this is dangerous for the dog, who may be hit by cars, step on broken bottles, or eat something poisonous (e.g. anti-freeze, oleander leaves). This is also dangerous for people, especially children, who may inadvertently trigger a dog attack.

As dog owners, it is our responsibility to ensure that our backyard is secure, and to keep our dogs safe and on-leash while out on a walk.

Provide enough physical and mental exercise for our dog every day, so that he does not feel the need to escape and find adventure on his own.

Dogs, Children - Provide enough physical and mental exercise for our dog every day so that he does not feel the need to escape and find adventure on his own.

What Children Should Know About Greeting Dogs

What Children Should Know About Greeting Dogs.

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 1

Always ask the dog owner before greeting a dog.

If a child would like to meet an unknown dog, always ask the dog owner first. Some dogs may be fearful, or unsure of strangers. Others may be too excited, and unfamiliar with children.

Approach the dog from below the head

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 2

Approach the dog from below the head.

It is natural for children to approach a dog from above, and pet him at the top of his head.

However, some dogs may see this as a threat. Imagine if a really large stranger came up to you, loomed over you, and started to extend his hand over your head. It would be natural to feel threatened, and get a bit fearful.

Because of fear, a dog may try to run away or respond with aggression, especially if he feels cornered.

Therefore, try to approach from below the dog’s head and scratch his chest, rather than pet the top of his head. Instruct a child not to initiate direct eye-contact with the dog, as that can also be seen as a threat.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 3 - Fold our arms and turn away when a dog jumps

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 3

Fold our arms and turn away when a dog jumps.

If a dog becomes too excited and starts jumping on us –

• Stand up.
• Fold our arms, so that the dog cannot get at our hands.
• Withdraw our attention by turning away from the dog.

DO NOT move back or away from the dog, as that will encourage him to jump forward.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 4 - Stay calm and try not to be too excited or fearful

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 4

Stay calm and try not to be too excited or fearful.

Dogs are very sensitive to our energy. If a child gets excited, a dog can easily sense this, and will likely become excited as well. This can sometimes lead to aggression.

Fearful, frustrated, and angry energy, can bring similar responses.

When meeting a dog, try and get our child to stay calm. If the child starts to feel fearful or stressed, cut the greeting short and leave before an accident occurs.

What Children Should Know About Loose Dogs

Watch out! Shiba on the loose.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 5 - Avoid free-roaming dogs.

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 5

Avoid free-roaming dogs.

Children should avoid loose dogs whenever possible.

Tell a child not to interact with loose dogs, play with them, or try to challenge them. Do not turn his back to the dog and run, as that may trigger the dog’s prey drive. Do not initiate direct eye-contact as that may be seen as a challenge.

Instead, ask the child to stay calm and walk slowly away from the dog, while keeping the dog in his periphery view. A sideways walk usually works best.

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 6

Use the environment.

When a child sees a loose dog, he should create as much space as possible between the dog and himself. Walk behind objects in the environment such as parked cars, and hedges, so that there is a visual barrier between him and the dog.

If our child feels at all threatened, tell him to ring the doorbells of nearby houses and seek temporary sanctuary, rather than risk the longer walk home.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 7 - Never use physical force

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 7

Never use physical force.

In a physical competition, the dog will always win.

Dogs can run faster, they have much larger teeth, much greater jaw strength, and more powerful claws. In short, dogs have far superior physical kung-fu compared to us humans.

Children should never try to scare off a dog by throwing sticks or stones at him. This will only encourage the dog to engage them physically, either to play or to get them to back off.

Children should never try to beat an approaching dog with a stick or baseball bat, even if the dog is aggressive.Hitting will make the dog feel even more threatened, and cause him to escalate his aggression.

Instead of using physical force, instruct the child to be as boring as possible. Stay silent, and do not move if the dog decides to approach. Dogs will usually leave boring objects alone, because there are more interesting things to do elsewhere.

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 8

Be a ball.

If the dog becomes aggressive and starts to attack, it is safest for the child to curl into a ball, and protect his head and neck with his arms.

Socialize Our Children to Dogs

Fear is our enemy.

Children who are fearful of dogs frequently trigger a dog attack. Fearful energy makes a dog view a child as prey, or makes the dog fearful himself, resulting in fear aggression.

Introduce your children to a variety of older dogs, who are calmer, and less likely to jump and bite.

Prevent Dog Attack Tip 9

Socialize our children to dogs.

Children who have greeted and played with many dogs, tend to be more comfortable and less fearful of new dogs.

Start by introducing children to a variety of older dogs, who are calmer, and less likely to jump and bite. Once they are comfortable with that, we can move on to calm adult dogs, calm larger dogs, and so on.

Off-leash hiking parks can also be a good way to meet nice, balanced dogs. Park rules usually require owners to have good voice control over their dogs, before letting them go off-leash.

It is illegal and dangerous to let a dog off-leash if he does not respond consistently to our commands, and especially if he has any aggression issues.

Note that when I say off-leash hiking parks, I do not mean fenced or enclosed dog parks. Enclosed dog parks have a high density of dogs in a relatively small area. Many dogs are engaged in exuberant play, and may be in a highly excitable state. This is a dangerous environment for children.

Most enclosed dog parks do not allow young children to enter, because they may accidentally get hurt by the dogs during play. In fact, I have gotten “swept off my feet” several times in an enclosed dog park, when my dog came running toward me and his playmate accidentally slammed into my legs.

It is best not to bring children to enclosed dog parks.

It is best not to bring children to enclosed dog parks.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 10 - Get a family dog.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 10

Get a family dog.

If we have both time and money, an effective way to socialize children to dogs is to get a family dog. Only get a dog with a balanced temperament, who will get along with everyone in the family, and whose energy level matches our family’s lifestyle.

Remember though, that even the most well-behaved dog is a big time and financial commitment.

All dogs need daily walks, play sessions with the family, and healthy food. All dogs need to be vaccinated every year, and they also need supplements like HeartGuard to protect them from dangerous dog parasites.

Do you think dogs are good for children?

Yes.No.Not sure.

VoteView ResultsPolldaddy.com

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 11

Address our own fear of dogs.

When we are fearful of dogs, we pass that fear onto our children.

The first step in teaching our child not to be afraid of dogs, is to deal with our own phobia. One effective way to control my fear of dogs, was to take classes on how to train dogs, and how to deal with bad dog behaviors.

Once I had the tools to communicate with my dogs, and to counter their bad behaviors, I started to more fully enjoy their company. By doing joint training activity, we started building up trust and respect for each other. Once this happened, my fear went away.

Prevent Dog Attacks Tip 11 - Address our own fear of dogs.

Related Articles

Why Do Dogs Attack?

When dogs attack humans or other dogs, we usually blame the dog. Why do dogs attack? Was the dog simply born mean? Is it a problem with the dogs breed? Or is it not an issue with the dog at all but rather an issue with the dog owners?

Noisy Barking Dogs - Are They Less Happy Than Quiet Dogs?

We often associate quiet dogs with happiness and obedience. On the other hand, noisy barking dogs are considered to be aggressive, untrained, stressed, and unbalanced. Is this common perception true? Here, we discuss whether noisy barking dogs are truly less happy than their more quiet counterparts.

Are Off-Leash Dogs Happier Than On-Leash Dogs?

Off-leash dogs vs. on-leash dogs - which are happier? Clearly, a dog will be happier with more freedom if nothing else changes. However, would an off-leash dog be happier if he had to wear an electronic collar and endure shock corrections? We consider the various off-leash and on-leash options here.

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