Too many painful dog bite incidents happen when we least expect. That’s because many of us ignore the fact that a great number of dog bite incidents in the United States involve our own pets or loved ones’ pets.
According to official data from DogsBite.org, 86 percent of dog incidents in the United States and Canada result in injuries. Over 80 percent of the attacks registered between 1982 and 2014 involved children. In 76 percent of attacks involving pit bulls, rottweilers, presa canarios, cane corsos, mastiffs, dogo argentinos, fila brasieros, sharpeis, boxers, and their mixes, the victim died.
While these statistics are scary, the latest very public incident involving a dog bite incident impacted an Olympic skier who remained in good spirits even as she was got ready for surgery.
According to Lindsey Vonn’s own Instagrm account, the 31-year-old skier was trying to break up a fight between her two dogs when her right hand got bit. The injuries required surgery and stitches, but the athlete seemed fine.
The dog bite incident occurred on November 7. The bloody incident was registered as a video on the athlete’s Intagram account, and you may watch it here.
Those who own pets or who know loved ones or friends who have pets should always be alert to their dogs’ behavior. In many cases, dog bite incidents happen in familiar settings. Despite the familiarity, dogs may be triggered by a series of factors, and the attack may occur when you least expect.
Checking on the pet’s body language could give you an idea of when it intends to attack and how. Learning to recognize stress factors and signs could make the environment safer for everyone involved. Especially during the holidays, when several loved ones bring their pets to spend the season with their families and friends.
Some of the signs many dogs will give you before attacking include barking and growling. Their ears could be flat or suddenly prick up. But that’s not all, many dogs will salivate excessively when stressed.
According to experts, wagging tails don’t always mean they are happy. Too often, waging tails mean they are upset or over-aroused. Unfamiliar dogs that roll on their back to expose their bellies are not necessarily asking to be petted.
Since many dogs attack our of fear, you should keep an eye on the dog and move away, especially if it looks away or if it moves its head when someone approaches it.
For more tips on how to spot attack signs, watch the video:
