Anatomy of a Dog Attack

Just reiterates the importance of knowing your dogs body language.

Sorry! If the dog was socialised it wouldnt be an issue! No dog should perseve a person or other animal as a threat if socialized & well trained. Dogs do see their owner & property as their family / territory but, should welcome others onto & into their space. That's an anti social dog & the owners training is at fault.

v sad

Good article - agree 100%.

All dogs are different and some are more social than others. Yes, training & socialisation come into it, but that won't stop all dogs from biting if pushed far enough.

What people need is a course on recognising a dog's body language so that confrontation can be avoided.

Caryll wrote:All dogs are different and some are more social than others. Yes, training & socialisation come into it, but that won't stop all dogs from biting if pushed far enough.

What people need is a course on recognising a dog's body language so that confrontation can be avoided.

Yes, some are more social than others, even mine could bite if pushed. However....too many people do not sufficiently train their dogs. Mine stop when told, even while being challanged or attacked. That point has been proven. They wouldnt dare attack a person i l let in my home! It's called obedience.

You need only look to trained police dogs... also trained to listen to their owner & not just react.

Sorry.. same post twice.

Mine do not have an option but to listen & be gentle with everyone. That is how I can take them anywhere to meet anyone or any species.

I understand what you mean, but not every potential police dog makes the grade - some just can't be trained to that degree. Also, there gave been many reports of police dogs NOT releasing when told.

It's all down to the temperament they are born with and the position they are in at the time.

In a perfect world ALL dogs would be perfectly trained and socialised it's true.

My personal opinion is that most dogs' aggression is fear based. It's such a pity, if only we could explain to the dog that there is nothing to fear with this particular dog even though it looks like that particular dog you had trouble with before. But we can't.

In Kuchar's case it's red dogs. When he was a weensy puppy, wanting to love everyone, we had the misfortune to cross paths with the local know-all and his large red mongrel. Mongrel, being "perfectly behaved" was off lead. Kuchar bounced up (on lead), wanting to be friends. Mongrel chased him and pinned him down, Kuchar submitted. I dragged Mongrel off, and Know-all said "he was just telling him off for being too bouncy".

Unfortunately not long after we encountered a red Staff named Jigger. Again, Kuchar was "be my friend, be my friend". Jigger was "not on your life, eff off." Jigger's mum said "male staffs don't like each other".

Now Kuchar can't bear a red dog near him. Or a male Staff. I thought we were reaching a breakthrough recently when a new red mongrel met him and they played nicely, until Red Dog humped Kuchar enthusiastically, which Kuchar did not appreciate and said so.

Dempsey's the same with black Labrador-type dogs, Lynda. Mum and I were walking Demps on-lead down a dark path next to fields when a cyclist came zooming past in the opposite direction with his off-lead black dog. Dempsey is quite afraid of bikes, so that spooked him enough. Then the black dog started humping Dempsey's head, which really spooked him. Ever since then, he's been bad with medium-to-large black dogs.

That's the thing isn't it, we can't wipe these traumas from our dog's minds, unfortunately.

I've always tried to work with a dog's nature, rather than forcing it to do something it's uncomfortable with. I also try not to put them into a situation that cannot have a positive outcome!

Dempsey is, in some ways, a typical terrier - quite sharp at times, and definitely a ratter. I now know what he doesn't like & I avoid situations that would bring him face to face with his dislikes.

Bandit was extremely DA; rather than try to force him to 'get along' with other dogs (totally against his nature), I actively avoided contact. He, in consequence, was much happier & calmer - and so was I!

In both cases I learnt to recognise the signs by reading body language, therefore avoiding conflict wherever possible, or at least seeing it coming.

Plus, Dempsey's just an arse.