How To Avoid Deadly Dog Attacks In Texas

You hear about deadly incidents of Dog attacks in Texas, and it's not exclusive to the Lone Star State. According to an article in USA Today, fatal dog attacks, while rare, claim dozens of lives nationwide each year. 

Although it's difficult to predict when a dog will attack, you can take precautions to avoid the risk of their dog or dogs in their area inflicting bite wounds. Most attacks also involved non-neutered male dogs.

It is difficult to predict when a dog will injure someone; most dog bites are not unforeseeable. According to Lori Teller, former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs typically bite as a reaction to something in their environment.

"If a dog feels like it's in a stressful situation and has no other way out, it may bite to defend its territory," she said. "Some dogs may bite because they've been scared or startled or feel threatened about something."

She said the keys to teaching dogs not to bite are training and socialization. Puppy owners should train their pets until they learn not to bite or nip. "Some people think it's adorable, and it may be adorable when you have a 3-pound puppy, but it's not so cute when you have a 30, 40, 50, 100-pound dog," she said.

You should always ask strangers before petting their dogs. "Just because you love dogs doesn't mean that all dogs love all people," Teller said.

Parents should teach kids how to interact with dogs. They should not be allowed to run over a dog and try to pet or hug it without knowing how the dog will react.

According to Lori Teller, former organization president, it is difficult to predict when a dog will injure someone; however, most dog bites are predictable. About pinpointing dog breeds, some say certain breeds tend toward violence or aggression. The focus on a dog's breed leads people to overlook the importance of its training. Teller stressed that it's "much more important to focus on the individual animal, making sure it's trained, making sure it's socialized."

The only real factor that can predict if a dog will bite is if it has done so before. Even then, dogs can change.

"When you think about it, it's the same with people. You don't know whether somebody will deck somebody, no matter how angry and red in the face, if they still need to do it. You don't know how much they're going to inhibit that impulse. It's the same with dogs."