Dog Bite Prevention Week

It’s well known that human personalities change as we age. Just as a child's behavior is different than an adult's, your puppy's behavior will change as he matures. As he develops physically and socially, his conduct will also transform in subtle and perhaps not-so-subtle ways. As such, it is important not to assume, even if you've done an excellent job socializing and training him, that your dog is a "finished product" at any given point in their life and it is imperative that we be conscientious, responsible dog parents.

Whether we are raising a dog from a puppy, or adopting an older dog, it is up to us to manage and train our dog in a manner that will diminish the probability that it will bite. That entails raising our dogs in an amicable, loving environment, respecting their tendencies and instincts, and seeking a professional for dog walking. This is important as sometimes a bite is not a result of the underlying dog's personality. Unfortunately, there are times the reason a dog offers to bite is because of who is at the other end of the leash or as a result of humans or animals coming at them. A Professional is experienced in maximizing safety according to the dog's personality and in accounting for the other variables involved in the walk ensuring the Walker is a safety tool instead of a risk and ensuring the ongoing positive growth in your dog's personality.

Because we cannot stress this enough! As we talked about, dogs don’t speak human language but they do talk to us! Dogs can’t tell us how they are feeling with words but their body language speaks with just as much clarity. Some signs that a dog is uncomfortable include: .

• Avoiding eye contact

• Licking their lips

• Tail tucked between their legs

• Stiffened body

• White showing around the eyes

• Moving away from a person or situation

• Crouching low on the ground

• Ears back or pulled tight against the head

• Excessive yawning

These are some signs the dog is at its limit and needs someone to intervene immediately to maintain a safe and comfortable environment.