Did you know that there are almost 4.7 million dog bite incidences a year in the U.S.? I’m not one to be paranoid, but sometimes statistics should make us perk up and pay attention. It might be a good idea to be mentally prepared for a dog attack, and what we can do legally afterward.

First, let’s start by discussing which dogs are most likely to be involved in an incident. The following breads have been statistically shown to be more aggressive:

* Pitbulls
* Rotweilers
(and to a lesser extend:)
* German SHephards
* Huskies
* Alaskan Malamuts
* Doberman Pinschers
* Great Danes
* St. Bernards

Although these breeds should be treated with a little extra caution, poorly supervised and trained dogs of any variety can be dangerous. Good defensive habits around dogs are a valuable skill.

Advice For Handling Threatening Dogs

1. Avoid baring your teeth, whether it be through a smile or any other expression. This is often seen as a primitive sing of aggression and can put the dog in an aggressive state.

2. While walking (or even just in general), have a defensive item on hand that can keep distance between you and the dog. This can be as simple as an umbrella, cane, or walking stick.

3. Use common sense strategies such as giving dogs a wide berth and not entering their territory unless absolutely necessary. Furthermore if you are visiting a friend/neighbor make sure they are present while you get to know the dog.

4. Remain calm. Dogs are extremely sensitive to your bodies signals and will become more agitated the more you tense up. Act casual calm, and confident.

5. If an attack is imminent, remain still and if necessary curl into a fetal position in order to cover vital areas of the body. Dogs often lose interest in still, noncombative prey. They also have an extremely strong chase reflex, so if you run you greatly increase your chances of getting attacked.

Legal Ramifications of an Attack

If getting attacked wasn’t bad enough, it can be extremely difficult to know what to do afterwards. What are your legal rights? Should you approach the owners, and if you do, what do ask of them?

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Watch this short video by Bill Hayes, it will put you on the right path of action:

For a free consultation with Bill, fill out the form on the right sidebar of this blog, or click the link here.