Approaching A Dog Safely
Affectionate, loyal, friendly, gentle – these admirable qualities are the reasons why dogs are considered as man’s best friends. Not all dogs though are the epitome of gentleness as a number of breeds are noted to have a ferocious nature and ownership of these dogs is actually restricted by law. Breeds of dogs that were specifically bred to be utilized as protection dogs are actually trained to hone an already aggressive temperament.
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years and these animals have become well loved members of the family. A well mannered dog can easily bare its teeth and show an aggressive temperament as in spite of the long years of domestication the ferocious nature remained. Because of this, over 4 million dog bite incidents occur in United States every year. Majority of the dog bite cases were caused by the victim’s own dogs. In order to prevent similar incidents it is necessary to learn how to safely approach a dog.
Learning how to approach the dog safely is a must. Dogs are territorial animals and food motivated as well. Guarding the territory, the food and even the toys is a natural behavior of dogs. Once a threat to its territory is perceived, even a friendly and gentle dog would bare its teeth, growl and get ready to attack. Taking away the dog’s toy or the food bowl or to approach the dog hastily would never be a good idea. Even if your intention is to add more food to the bowl, the dog can still bite.
Kids are generally fascinated with dogs. The little ones cannot resist touching a sleeping pet. A startled dog would instinctively bite. It is very necessary to warn the kids not to startle a sleeping dog. Dogs must be approached slowly and make sure that the dog can see you.
The dog may tolerate the family members to invade its territory but a ferocious temperament will be shown at the intrusion of other people. Dog lovers find it hard to resist touching an attractive and gentle looking dog. A gentle looking dog though may turn aggressive to the touch of an unfamiliar person . Ask the owner if it is alright to touch the dog. Slowly approach the dog but don’t stare directly as it can be misconstrued by the dog as a challenge. Test the temperament of the dog by extending a palm-down hand. A friendly dog will sniff the offered hand.
Read more about how to approach a dog and dog first aid at Sarah’s Dogs.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
- Related posts on animals
- Funny Animals – Photo Collection 3
- HR669 Bill and the ban on exotic animals in British Columbia …
- Related posts on approach a dog
- Protect Your Child From Dog Attacks by Teaching Them, These …
- Approaching a dog safely | trainingyourdoginfo.com
- Related posts on dogs
- For the Love of Dogs
