In February, the NHS released statistics showing over a four year period the number of patients under 18 years treated for dog bites in London had more than doubled. In the Midlands the figure rose by 80 per cent. And since 2006, dog attacks have risen overall by more than 40 per cent to nearly 3,800 a year, and these are just the ones being reported. So, why are we seeing an increase?
In my role as a behaviour specialist, I’m often called into homes where owners have been bitten by their dogs; understandably this is very distressing and confusing for owners, especially when they believe there was no clear warning, but was there? My job is to help owners understand why this happens, how to reduce the risk of this happening by teaching them how to adapt their behaviour, help them to manage their environment and make them aware of the ‘warning’ signals to look out for.
Warning signals; notice the whites of the eyes are seen as he uses his peripheral vision to watch the approach from the right. His ears are flared up and outwards, head directed away and his mouth is tense. He’s saying “back off, it’s my stick.”
Dogs communicate all the time through a combination of visual, verbal and olfactory cues and signals. Like humans, much of dogs’ communication is sent through their body language, particularly facial expressions and body posture. Yet in the language of ‘dog’, there are no language barriers; dogs from different countries and different breeds will typically recognise the visual and vocal signals of another dog when it is feeling upset, anxious, fearful, tired, disinterested, frustrated, excited, happy and playful. Dogs can also demonstrate through these communication signals whether they’re dominant or submissive, so canine communication indicates the dog’s emotional response to situations, their social status and it enables the dog to express his needs. The language of dog can be subtle ranging from a glance, tensing of muscles or a slight shift in the dog’s posture to something more obvious, such as a play bow or a loud bark. And, canine communication can be complex; a given gesture may have multiple distinct meanings depending on the situation and the accompanying behaviours.
Warning signals; notice how this dog leans away, his tongue comes to the front and there is licking His ears are flat and he averts his eyes. This dog isn’t happy about being hugged.
For example, many people believe the gesture of a wagging tail is the sign of ‘friendliness and approachability’, however, a dog can bite you hard when he’s wagging his tail. Many owners, especially children will hug their pets. Yet, hugging is an action only performed by humans and primates as an act of love and friendship. So, when an owner hugs a dog, there’s the potential for misunderstanding because dogs simply don’t hug! And, many dislike being handled in this way especially those sensitive to touch. The two most common contexts in which children are bitten are; when a child approaches a dog that’s tied up because he wags his tail and “looks friendly”, secondly when a child hugs a dog. Often children want to touch or hug a dog as a way of expressing affection, yet the dog may easily misinterpret the well meaning intensions of the child. Like many adults, children are often unaware of the visual signs of an anxious dog, and often the irresistible urge to caress the dog overrides that individual’s ability to accurately ‘read’ the dog. Below are common signals to look for, which we call the ‘Ladder of Aggression’.
- Blinking, lip licking, nose licking, yawning
- Looking away, turning head away, panting
- Sittting, paw lift, turning body away
- Walking away, creeping back
- Standing crouched, tail tucked under
- Lying down, leg up
- Stiffening up, staring
- Growling, snapping, lunge then bite
