Why Does A Dog Bite?

There are a lot of scary stories about dogs attacking people these days. But the reality is that dog bites are a lot more common than you might think - it’s just the serious, terrible, and disastrous incidents we hear or read about in the news. In fact, there are over 4.5 million dog bites that occur every year, most of which are mild accidents - and almost all of them can be avoided.


The key to understanding how not to get bitten is to learn why dogs bite. Having covered what to do to avoid and deal with a bite from a dog, we thought it was time to explore the reasons why it happens so much. Let’s take a closer look.

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Why do dogs bite?

The first thing to understand is that any dog can bite. Sure, there are aggressive strains and personalities out there in the world, but even a timid dog will snap at you in fear if you close off their escape route. Big, small, male, female, young, old, cuddly, scary: any dog will try to protect themselves the best way they know how when they find themselves in a stressful situation.

‘Stressful’ is the key word to understand, here. Almost every dog bite will occur as a reaction to something - they don’t just do it for the sake of it. It could be to protect something, or to ward you off from its territory. It might be because they feel threatened - or even that someone or something is threatening you. They can even bite when they feel unwell and just want to be left alone. But the key thing to remember is that in almost every scenario, it’s because your dog is stressed.

Understanding the issue

The trouble is that too few owners understand the signs that their dog is stressed. And unless you learn those signs yourself - as a dog owner or otherwise - it could spell trouble. For example, if you have a small child who loves pooches and sees one on the street, can you be sure that the dog they go up to and try and stroke isn’t afraid? And can you guarantee they will not bite? Educating yourself and your kids on how to approach - or not - any animal is wise.

That said, if you do ever receive a bite from someone else’s dog, it is the owner’s fault. Contact a lawyer to file a claim for canine bites and make sure you get the relevant medical attention - every owner has a responsibility to look after their animals. And if you know your dog is stressed, make sure you have full control over them and let the approaching party know to keep a good distance away.

 
What about play?

In their natural environment, dogs will play with other dogs - and they tend to nip at each other for fun. The trouble is that they nip and bite during play with humans, too. And while it’s fun for them, it’s dangerous for you - and especially for your kids.

You can avoid getting bitten by not wrestling with them, or playing tug-of-war. Ultimately, these are games that will overexcited your dog and accidents are more likely to occur.

How to Welcome a Rescue Dog to Your Home

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Rescuing a dog is incredibly fulfilling. Just knowing that you are giving this pooch a second chance to be loved is a wonderful feeling. However, taking care of a pet who has a dark past can be quite challenging so before you bring your pup home, think carefully about how you are going to approach this transition.

When dogs are loved, they bring love to your household. Your kids will benefit from having a new furry friend and you can all benefit from a healthy lifestyle walking together. Here’s what you need to do to make sure that they settle in. Just remember, time and patience are key.

Take a Tour of Your Home

The first day is vital for laying down some ground rules but also for familiarizing your dog with your home. Keeping your pup on the leash for the time being, let them have a good sniff around the outside of your house first. Give them plenty of time to look around and don’t pull them around. 

Taking a tour of the house is a good way to establish their territory but also to create some rules. If they start chewing or scratching, be firm but fair. Say no clearly and then supply an appropriate toy instead. Praise all good behaviour with a treat.

Make Them Feel Safe

Dogs who have been abused in the past can be quite aggressive when they feel threatened so avoiding this is absolutely vital. The last thing you want is an animal attack so keep in mind your dog’s history and be patient with your homemaking. If you are really worried about this, you can view more here.

Making a dog feel safe is actually quite easy from your perspective - you just need to create a space they can call their own. It might be a crate or a pillow, or even a full room. When your dog is here, you won’t disturb or try to pet them - this is their personal space.

Lots of pets will want to hide from you when they first get home. They might run behind a sofa or dive under a blanket but the most important thing is that you let them hide. Your pet will come out when they are ready and then you can shower them with praise.

Establish a Routine

Dogs are big fans of routine; it keeps them grounded and makes them feel more secure. Think about it this way, we humans like to know that we are going to have dinner at a certain time and dogs are very similar. Putting down food at the same time each day, going for regular walks and spending playtime together are all ways of establishing a good routine.

Training is also very important as this teaches your dog which behaviours are okay and what they should stop doing. Following instructions is also a vital part of training as this will ensure that everyone knows you are in charge.

Just take your time and you will all be getting along perfectly in no time at all.

How To Keep Your Home Together When You Own A Dog

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When you’re house proud, there’s often nothing that you love more than to have a home that looks great. If you know that you want a house that is well kept and clean, and incredibly beautiful, you will often do anything and everything to keep it that way. So much so, that you may be put off from owning a dog, because you’re worried about how the dog would fit into your home life. But when your family wants a dog, or you are actually a dog lover, this may be something that actually happens in your life. 

And then, you may worry that your perfect home won’t be so perfect after all. Because maybe you’re concerned that having a dog will mean that your house will get messed up so much more easily! But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Or maybe you aren’t super insanely house proud, but you just want to be able to keep your house together. Maybe you already own a dog and you’re realizing that your house seems so much harder to keep together because of the dog! 

It’s something that happens to a lot of families. But, just because you have a god, it doesn’t mean that your house has to be a mess. Instead, it just means that you need to work harder to make sure that your home looks great. With the right tips and tricks, you’ll be able to make it happen. So let’s take a look at what they are.

Set Boundaries

So the very first thing you need to do, is to make sure that you’re setting the right boundaries in place. And this is non-negotiable when you want a house that you love. If you let your dog run wild all over the house, it’s going to get messed up. Instead, set boundaries on what they can do and where they go. Maybe you want to keep them off of the couches or out of the formal living room to keep it a little more together.

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Create A Cleaning Schedule

The next thing that’s really going to help you here, is to come up with a cleaning schedule. Because if you’re worried that you’re home is getting too messed up, a good routine can help. And if you already have a schedule in place, you may just need to tweak it a little to make sure that your home is just as clean now you have the dog.

Get Your Dog Groomed

It’s also going to help you if you get your dog groomed regularly. Dog grooming can be especially important when you have a dog with a long coat or a coat that tends to malt easily. Because this can minimize the shedding and keep them looking trim and tidy too!

Train Your Dog

Now, a super important thing, is often to train your dog! Because if your dog rules the roost, then you may have absolutely no chance at keeping your home in order. SO make sure that you work on training them as early as you can. Because when you have a well-behaved dog, they aren’t really going to have an impact on your home at all.

Use Super Strong Products

So from here, you’re going to find that using the best products help. Because if you know that your carpet needs more cleaning or that you need to make sure that there’s no smell around the house, take a look for strong but natural products that are pet-safe. That way, you will find that your home stays beautiful more easily.

Get A Cleaner

And, a really simple move, is to get a cleaner! That way, you don’t have to worry about doing things yourself (especially if you’re super busy). Here, even a dog waste removal service could be perfect for you. Even more so when you’re worried about taking care of that yourself. And when you know that your home is being cleaned professionally, it’s going to always look great.

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Get A Dog-Friendly Vacuum

Next up, you definitely need to make sure that your vacuum is strong enough to pick up all of the dog hair around the home. Even if you have a cleaner, you will want to know that you can run the vacuum around and be able to keep things looking great when you want to. Plus, if you do vacuum daily, it’s so important to make sure that you invest in the best kind of vacuum - and they usually are super strong and pet-hair friendly.

Keep Things Organized

A huge thing for you to focus on is organization here. Because if you’re just all too chaotic with your stuff, it’s going to make your house look messy. And this is definitely the case with your dog-related stuff! So try to find a way of keeping their food and bed and everything else organized, so that they fit into your decor and lovely home, and nothing else.

Choose Durable Pieces

And if you really want to get smart about this, you need to make sure that you’re picking furniture that you know will withstand having a dog around. Don’t pick out pieces that will show dog hair or that can be scratched or marked easily. If you’re being tactical about what you bring into your home, then it will be so much easier for you to keep it looking great.

Let Go A Little

And finally, the last thing that you could think about doing, is just letting go a little bit. Because maybe you’re just being a bit too much of a control freak. And the thing is, when that’s your personality - it can be hard. But if you’re letting things get to you, even though they are beyond your control, you’re only hurting yourself. 

So let go a little. Don’t worry so much if there house isn’t perfect. It’s still clean and tidy! And that way, you and your family can enjoy a happier life with your dog.

Kids And Dogs: Tips That'll Make Them Pals For Life

Kids love dogs, and yours might have already started asking you if they could get a new pet to join the family. Dogs and young ones can be great friends, and watching them play together is a joy for most parents to see. However, it’s important to remember that dogs are still animals and can be quite unpredictable at times, even those that are extremely tame. So, it’s important that you teach children the correct way to act around dogs so that there is no chance of them being in any danger.

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They Shouldn’t Approach A Dog Without Permission

First of all, it’s important that you teach your child never to approach a strange dog or puppy without permission from the owner. If you visit jeffbrooketeam.com, you’ll see that treating a dog bite can be very expensive, and that most of them are caused by dogs that were previously unknown to the bitten individual. So, make sure your children know not to go up to any unknown dog on their own, as there is no way of knowing what its temperament will be like. If you ask the owner before you or your child stroke the dog, then they will be able to warn you about any potential risks.

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Never Run To A Dog

One of the main things to remember is that dogs can be easily worried or scared, so it’s best not to do anything that might shock them. That means it’s best if individuals never run towards a dog, as this could kick in some of their wild instincts, and they might think that they are being chased.

Children might be very likely to run towards a dog to say hello, so it’s worth teaching them that they shouldn’t do this. They need to be calm and collected when they see and approach a dog and should walk up to it as slowly as possible.

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Stop Them From Patting The Dog’s Head

Your child will no doubt want to pet your new family dog or any that they meet while they are out and about. Before they do, though, you need to teach them the correct way to do so. If it is a dog that doesn’t know your children too well, they should start off by stroking and scratching them on the chest.

Once the dog and children get to know each other better, then they can start to pet them on their back. However, it’s important to know that children should never pat a dog on its head or around its mouth. This can be quite a sensitive area, and stroking them near the head and mouth can irritate them. If they really don’t like being petted and strokes in this area, they could lash out at your children. 

For a complete guide on petting dogs, you can check on out at vetstreet.com.

Hopefully, your kids will now be good friends with all dogs!