Personal Injury Articles

Stevens Point Personal Injury Lawyer

Dealing with Aggressive Dogs – Part One

Nowadays, pet dogs are a familiar sight for most people. We see them around our neighborhoods, on our streets, working with law enforcement, assisting disabled people, and often in our own homes. There’s a good reason dogs are known as man’s best friends.

However, as society becomes more and more comfortable around canine companions, people tend to forget that, at their core, dogs are still instinctively geared to survive, defend their territory, and hunt. Before they were domesticated, dogs were predators – and they still are. In other words, as friendly as Fido might be most of the time, treat him the wrong way and you might find yourself facing a very angry wild animal in your backyard.

Approaching a Dog

Dogs are territorial and operate under a hierarchical social structure. In other words, a dog will lay claim to a certain area in the same way a person might buy a piece of land. If you trespass onto a stranger’s property, you’d probably expect a pretty negative reaction. The same goes for dogs, so remember to respect a dog’s space. Don’t approach a strange dog who is eating or in possession of a toy or bone. That’s his toy, his bone, so don’t look like you’re trying to take it away.

Furthermore, when you meet a strange dog, don’t do anything which might provoke it. Remember, dogs communicate heavily with body language. Learning to speak this language can help prevent a misunderstanding and subsequent confrontation. When you walk up to a dog, avoid sudden movement that may startle it. Crouch down to make yourself appear less threatening, and allow the dog to sniff your hand before moving closer. Touching around the neck and chest area is ok, but contact on the top of the head is a dominant signal and may provoke a territorial dog.

Have you or someone you love been hurt by an aggressive dog whose owner was negligent? If so, get in touch with a Stevens Point dog bite lawyer from Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C., at 715-345-0004 today.