dog bites?Who are the victims of?
Dog’s bite : Obviously, the greatest victims are children, especially those under the age of 15. And given their size, when faced with a large dog, it is often in the face and neck that they are attacked. They may sometimes need surgery for facial reconstruction.
So why children?
This is often linked to their behavior (fast and unpredictable for the dog) and their (legitimate) inability to understand that the dog does not want or no longer wants to play with them. The dog sends many signals to signal to his congeners that he wants to be left alone (yawn, lick his lips or his muzzle, look away, turn his head, move away, etc.) or that the interaction be less intense.
So, if a child grabs and hugs a dog tightly and the dog shows these signs, perhaps you can show the child how to have a gentler interaction that reassures your dog of the child’s caring intentions. or even allow him to withdraw from the interaction if he wants to. In any case, all the studies agree that a child under the age of 10 should not be left alone and unsupervised with a dog, even the nicest one.
Moreover, in adults, it is more often the hands and arms that are bitten, during interactions often at the initiative of the human. Owners trying to intervene during a dog fight may be bitten by their dog or the other dog involved. When a dog is cornered during a punishment, it can also bite to free itself and scare away the person attacking it.
Finally, territorial aggressions are quite frequent on postmen, for example, who enter the garden considered as his territory by the dog guarding the house.
How to prevent dog bite?
The dog has a natural attack inhibition towards immature dogs (puppies), and this also applies to human children as well. But given the ever-present risk of biting, it is better not to leave the dog alone with the child and show him how to handle him gently.
You should also learn how to approach an unknown dog and explain it to your children as soon as possible. English speakers use the W.A.I.T. (“wait”) to teach bite prevention when you come across a dog you want to touch in the street.
W: Wait, wait until the dog and the owner who accompanies him have noticed us. Wait to see if the dog looks friendly. If he looks scared or angry, it’s best to move on.
A: Ask, ask the master if the dog is nice and if you can touch it. Do not insist if the owner refuses or if he says that the dog can bite.
I: Invite the dog to feel our hand: present the hand, palm up and fingers folded towards us, at a distance from the dog, leaving the dog the choice to come or go away. Use a calm voice to call her. If the dog is not interested, do not insist.
T: Touching the dog: Well done, we can pet the dog, preferably not on the head or lower back. Let’s touch it rather on the sides or on the back, passing by one of its sides.
Dogs that do not return when called must be kept on a leash.
What to do in the event of a dog bite?
The first step is to clean the injured area with soapy water for a good 5 minutes and then disinfect. If the wound is deep, bleeding or has reached parts at risk such as the head, neck and hands.
In any case, you should consult a doctor. The mouth of dogs is septic, that is to say that it contains a large quantity of bacteria and even if the initial wound is not serious, an infection is always possible. This rule is all the more important if the person bitten is one of the fragile people (child, elderly person, immunocompromised person).
Any dog that has bitten a person enters the “biting dog” protocol, for the prevention of the transmission of rabies. It must be declared to the town hall. He will have to be seen by a health veterinarian three times at one week intervals. The first visit must take place within 24 hours of the bite. If your dog is the biting animal, you are responsible and you must take the contact details of the person bitten and give them yours.
You have to report it to your insurance. Special provisions can be taken by the mayor of the city against the biting dog if the behavioral evaluation indicates a real dangerousness of the dog or if there is irresponsibility of the dog guardian.
