Dogs may be our cuddly best friend but they can still be dangerous creatures. According to the dog bite statistics gathered by the Center for Disease Control, almost 5 million cases of dog bites happen every year in the US alone. The vast majority of these tend to be minor with no medical attention necessary in the aftermath. However, about 800,000 are serious enough to merit the care of a doctor. Think about these numbers as they relate to the overall US population. There are just over 300 million Americans as per the latest surveys. That means a small but significant portion of them are at risk of getting bitten.
Note that dogs vary in their behaviors and tendencies. Certain breeds show greater aggression than others including bulldogs, pit bulls, Chihuahuas, German shepherds, Jack Russel terriers, and Lhasa Apsos. The latest estimates show that there are 90 million dogs in the country – that is almost one dog per 4 residents. Although the risk of getting bitten is fairly high, the probability of dying due to bites is very low. Bee strings, accidental gunshots, massive hurricanes, and plane crashes claim more lives every year. This shows that although bites are a real threat, it is not a cause for alarm.
What This Means for Owners
These are not meant to dissuade people from owning pets. Dogs can bring tremendous benefits to every household. They can guard the house and alert owners about trespassers. They can prevent thieves from entering the house by scaring them off. They can bring comfort to the owners in times of stress and provide companionship to those who are alone. Many will attest to their loyalty and unconditional love. However, the numbers do not lie. People must be careful around dogs. They should train these from an early age to reduce aggressive behaviors and make them easy to control.
The Need for an Animal Behavior Expert
Most dogs are fairly responsive to training. If done early in their development, they are more likely to adopt the desirable behaviors and maintain them until adulthood. Appropriate techniques should also be used to enforce good behaviors while discouraging them from adopting bad ones. Several tools are also available to aid in this activity including treats, leashes, shock collars, and so on. Owners should pay attention to this as they may be held liable if their pets injure other people. Animal Behavior experts can be called in for advice in extreme cases. They may be able to figure out what’s wrong and train the dog the right way.
