The news of the recent death of a four year old child from a dog attack was extremely distressing. Our sympathies extend to the family.
There have always been dogs in society that, if not well managed, can be adanger to others. The dog involved in the latest incident was clearly one of those. Euthanasia of the dog was the only option.
Unfortunately, there has been a lot of negative publicity about the breed of the dog. In this clinic, we see a variety of dogs which, when placed in conducive circumstances, will bite either people or other animals. Some of these dogs are breeds that you would normally associate with gentleness such as Golden Retrievers and Labradors. Some are also other strong, large breed dogs. Many of the dogs that are inclined to bite are small dogs. We also see MANY strong, large breeds dogs, including some with pit bull heritage, that are fantastic family dogs.
We feel that the issue of dog attacks is multi faceted.
1. Biting often occurs due to anxiety rather than aggression.
2. The effects of a bite are worse if it is a large, strong breed.
3. It is not necessarily particular breeds but individual dogs that are a risk for biting.
4. Biting is sometimes directed towards people and sometimes other animals but rarely both. Some dogs will target only one section of society eg children or men and some dogs only people outside of their family. Some dogs will only attempt to bite whilst on the lead.
5. Dogs only bite people or other dogs when they can. This is a VITAL point. Owners of dogs who have a propensity to bite have a DUTY to protect their dog and the public by not placing the dog in a situation where it can or is likely to bite. For fear biters (this would be the vast majority of dogs who are likely to bite here), this means being kept from situations that they find anxiety producing.
The issue of biting dogs in society is a management one. Dog owners need to do the managing. Know your dog. Know it's strengths and weaknesses. If your dog has a propensity to bite in some situations then avoid those scenarios.
A dog who cannot be managed safely does not belong in society.
Be aware also of figures that were produced by the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne some time ago. The most common age group to be bitten by dogs is 4-5 yo. They are usually bitten on the face and the dog is most often a family dog or that of a friend.
Children do not read dog body language. Never leave children alone with a dog.
Finally we, as dog owners, need to remember that not everyone likes dogs. It is important that, when out of their yards, dogs are on leads so that people who are wary of dogs are not threatened. What to us may be an enthusiastic, happy dog can be seen as a frightening threat to someone who has been previously bitten or has had little exposure to dogs.
In addition, we need to be aware that not all dogs are receptive to the attentions of other canines. Sometimes we will hear of a dog, who has a tendency to bite, being approached by another dog off lead. The owner of the off lead dog often yells that it is Ok as their dog is friendly not realising that it is the dog on the lead who may not be Ok to play with. Often this scenario ends with a dog fight.
Dogs play a vital role in society. They offer unconditional love, companionship, bring us joy and encourage excerise. They work for us as guide dogs, police dogs, farm dogs etc. And........ we need to be responsible pet owners and manage them well.
