by Officer Brandon Loomis
We all, or at least most of us, will agree: Dogs are pretty cool animals generally speaking. There are a lot of things dogs do that make them likeable. They can do tricks and clean stuff off of the floor. They can show affection and protect the home. Some people would even say they taste good, but some dogs do have a bad side. Some bark too much and others spread trash all over. The worst thing however, is that biting thing they do. Biting wouldn’t be so bad if dogs’ teeth were made of a less hard material, but nature decided that, in order to survive, dogs need hard teeth. Go figure. Anyway, my aim is to assist in helping you avoid those canines’ canines.
The way to preventing bites is to understand why bites occur. There are a lot of reasons a dog will bite but the most common reason is fear. A dog may be scared and if it believes it has no route of escape it will attack, leaving its victim with a bleeding limb and/or soiled undies.
Preventing this kind of bite is simple. First, don’t mess with the poor thing. It’s not yours, don’t touch. Second, I mean it, no touchy the doggy. Most of our bite reports are from people who just couldn’t leave a frightened dog alone. We can tell because these folks are usually bitten on the hand (dead giveaway).
Another reason dogs bite is for fun. Fun loving puppies that don’t know their own strength will commonly be accused of attacking. They will grab hold or mouth someone playfully but if that someone is afraid and doesn’t know this is play, the person will rip themselves free. This jerking away is what causes the injury most of the time, not the dog. If this happens to you, quickly grab a handful of McDonald’s napkins or something and laugh as though nothing happened. Trying to hide the wound so you don’t look like a fool helps to begin the healing process. It has worked for me several times.
We also get calls for miscellaneous bites and weird circumstances. There are herding or working dogs that mistake someone for livestock, sneak up behind them, and bite them in the hoof. There are little dogs with a Napoleon complex that bite to prove they’re still descended from wolves. But the worst biters are territorial dogs. If someone is out running, jogging, biking or whatever and enters a dog’s territory they may be attacked by a territorial dog. This type of attack usually involves a dog running full speed at its intended victim, barking loudly and snapping its teeth. If you see the whole show, then buckle up because you’re in for a ride. When faced with a territorial dog consider them vicious; do whatever you can to protect yourself. Keep in mind, a dogs territory is not always marked by fences or property lines.
What can we do if a dog attacks? I can’t tell you anything that will guarantee you escape unharmed but there are several things you can do that might work, or at least buy you time. The first thing you need to do is stand your ground and always face the dog. Don’t let them get behind you and don’t run away. Even if it’s a three legged basset hound tripping over its ears, you can’t outrun a mean dog. Next, immediately become that dog’s new master. Be confident and start giving the dog commands that you would give your dog and mean them. Say things like “SIT”, “STAY”, “NO”, or “BAD.” I’ve even pointed to an imaginary “No-No” on the ground and said “Did you do this?” It worked. Whatever you say, it’s important to remember there are things that your body and your voice are doing when you’re frightened. If there are slight breaks in your confidence the dog will see them as an opportunity to move in. If this has bought you time, then start looking for a weapon. Not one you can throw because if you miss, you now have no weapon. Pick one you can hold, like a double edged battle axe or a chainsaw. If one of these things isn’t lying around, look for a large stick. Be prepared to use it if necessary; remember you are in a fight. If you have pepper spray now’s your chance to see if it works, but pay attention and aim for the nose. Some people tend to spray behind them while running with their eyes closed. If they’re lucky, they might hit the dog in the paw but will more than likely paint a tree or mailbox.
We have all heard of ways to stop an attacking dog. Some of these urban legends are lame. I’ve been told to “kick the dog in the throat. It’ll kill it instantly” or “shove your fist further down its mouth; they’ll choke to death and die.” Don’t try anything like this because I know if you kick a dog, you will be bit in the leg, and if you put your hand in its mouth, you will most likely be bit in the hand. The whole idea is to try to bluff a dog because if a fight between a dog and a person goes from verbal to physical, the person will usually lose, weapon or not.
There are dogs everywhere and we should assume that they all want to bite us. This is a safe assumption because if we believe this way then we will have the same kind of respect (fear) we had when we were children dealing with strangers. I’m sure not all dogs want to bite me just as not every man in a dark-colored van wants me shackled to a bench in his basement, but I treat them all with respect just the same. If an animal shows signs of aggression by running at or chasing someone, then it should be reported; the same goes for the man in the dark van if he tries to lure you with a kitten. Remember, if you are bitten by a dog, call the police. All bites should be reported so the proper measures can be taken. Better yet, don’t get bit; I hate doing bite reports.
