“Whom do dogs most often bite? Toddlers. Next, the elderly; and coming in third–you guessed it–postal carriers.”
As a U.S. Postal Service slogan in support of National Dog Bite Prevention Week says, “There are 70 million good dogs, but…ANY DOG CAN BITE.”
…Patterson of the AVMA calls insurers’ singling out certain breeds misguided. The data, she says, do not bear out the contention that one breed is more apt to bite than another, though she allows that big dogs, by virtue of their size and strength, may do more damage when they bite. “A Great Dane, a retriever can do a pretty good job of biting, if they decide to.” But if you look at “willingness to bite,” she says, there’s no evidence that pit bulls, for example, are more dangerous than Pekinese. “Communities with a lot of pit bull bites are communities with a lot of pit bulls.”
…Patterson of the AVMA calls insurers’ singling out certain breeds misguided. The data, she says, do not bear out the contention that one breed is more apt to bite than another, though she allows that big dogs, by virtue of their size and strength, may do more damage when they bite. “A Great Dane, a retriever can do a pretty good job of biting, if they decide to.” But if you look at “willingness to bite,” she says, there’s no evidence that pit bulls, for example, are more dangerous than Pekinese. “Communities with a lot of pit bull bites are communities with a lot of pit bulls.”
http://gma.yahoo.com/dogs-put-489m-bite-home-insurance-industry-141829262–abc-news-topstories.html
Children aged 12 years and younger were the victims in 51% of cases. Compared with controls, biting dogs were more likely to be German Shepherd or Chow Chow predominant breeds, male, residing in a house with ≥ 1 children, and chained while in the yard
If we want better outcomes in our communities, we need to promote responsible pet ownership: the humane care, custody and control of all dogs.
If you’re REALLY worried about dog bites, you should support correcting the things that cause them: like making sure that all dogs are trained & socialized properly, making sure that all dogs are spayed or neutered, making sure that no dogs suffer neglect and/or abuse, and if they do, making sure the dogs are properly rehabilitated.
You should NOT fixate on one particular factor to the exclusion of all else and which is not determinative in predicting bites – the breed of dog. When you see a web site or story reporting that the breed is the SOLE determining factor, THEY ARE LYING TO YOU! And when you spread their lies, you are doing nothing to help curb the problem you’re concerned about. And when you support Breed Specific Legislation, you’re actually making that problem worse.Why? Because it is a simplistic approach to a complex problem, and it doesn’t address the real issues.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022910141
The breeds that scored the average or below average rate of or attempted bites are Pit Bulls and Rottweilers. The breeds that are the most docile with the utmost least aggression are Bassett Hounds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Siberian Huskies and Greyhounds.
http://www.petwatchman.com/the-top-three-most-aggressive-dog-breeds-youll-be-surprised/
Prevention
How to “Be a Rock”. In the Be a Tree dog bite prevention program we teach kids to Be a Rock if a dog knocks them down, or they are playing on the ground when a strange dog comes near. We don’t talk about dogs attacking them, since we don’t want to create a fear of dogs where there is not one. We don’t talk about protecting the throat and internal organs in case the dog rips them out (yes, some dog bite prevention educators actually talk about these things and put terrifying images into the heads of kids and parents – yikes!)
The fact is, that the rock is very rarely needed, because if kids “Be a Tree”, the dog will go away. The vast majority of dogs do not intend harm and they quickly lose interest in a child that is standing still.
http://doggonesafe.com/Be_a_Tree_program
Remember, a responsible dog owner should:
- NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it is a family pet. Children are often bitten by a dog in their own household.
- Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals.
- Never put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased.
- Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.
- Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.
- Regular veterinary visits are essential to regulating the health of your dog. A sick or injured dog is more likely to bite.
- Be alert. If someone approaches you and your dog while out on a walk, caution them to wait before petting the dog, giving your pet time to be comfortable with the stranger.
A dog’s tendency to bite depends on such factors as heredity, obedience training, socialization, health, and the victim’s behavior. There are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed. That’s why State Farm does not refuse insurance based on the breed of dog a customer owns. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite.
http://www.statefarm.com/aboutus/_pressreleases/2013/nj-sf-lists-top-states-for-dog-bite-claims.asp
Vets in Australia are calling on governments to ditch bans on dangerous dog breeds.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AWA), which has launched a new strategy to deal with dog bites, says the latest research shows banning particular breeds does nothing to address aggression in dogs, and nothing to increase public safety.
The vets say a focus on registration, education and temperament testing would be more effective.
…Veterinary behaviourist and AWA spokeswoman Dr Kersti Seksel argues breeds-specific legislation is not the answer.
“It hasn’t decreased the number of dog bites,” she said.
“Regardless of breed, dogs are capable of biting, just like people are capable of fighting regardless of our origin either.”
…RSPCA Victoria president Hugh Wirth was once a supporter of banning dangerous dog breeds.
He advocated for the breeding out of the American Pit Bull Terrier, saying they were “lethal” and “time bombs waiting for the right circumstances”.
But not anymore.
“The truth about breed-specific legislation is that it doesn’t work, you don’t decrease the numbers,” he said.
“In fact you send the breeding of that particular breed of dog underground.
Mr Wirth says his change of heart was brought about by the latest veterinary and dog behavior research.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-14/vet-group-calls-for-end-to-dog-breed-banning/4198896
