Training is Key, Dog Bite Experts Warn

Each year, 4.5 million people are attacked by dogs. On average, 30 to 40 of them succumb to their injuries. What do all the attacks have in common?

• 87 percent occurred when no able-bodied person was around to intervene.
• 85 percent of people killed were unfamiliar with the dog at the time of the attack.
• 84 percent of dogs weren’t spayed or neutered.
• 77 percent of victims didn’t act appropriately with the dog
• 76 percent of owners kept the dog isolated

Surprisingly, breed was not found to be a common factor throughout the different events. Experts say training and quality of pet ownership has more influence over a dogs behavior than anything else, including their breed.

This might surprise you. After all, pit bulls, Rottweilers and German Shepherds are notorious for their violent behavior. Indeed, history shows that these dogs were often bred to be strong for fighting and protection. As pet lovers will assure you, though, there’s plenty to love about such dogs. There’s no such thing as a bad dog, many argue, only bad pet owners.

Of course, breed can’t be discounted completely. There’s a big difference between a bite from a Chihuahua and one from a pit bull. Size, strength and personality can do a lot to determine the potential for violence in a pet.

No matter what dog you bring into your home, spend the time necessary to properly train your pet. If you don’t have the patience, look into obedience classes for your pooch. Though Fluffy might seem harmless, it only takes one uncharacteristically nasty bite to ruin lives – both yours and the pet’s.

Virginia Dog Bite Lawyers

Our Virginia dog bite lawyers represent innocent victims throughout Virginia — children, delivery drivers, postal workers, joggers, pedestrians, neighbors, loved ones.

If you’d like to discuss your case with one of our Virginia dog bite lawyers, give us a call to setup an appointment. It’s free and there is no obligation.  If you do decide to retain us to represent you, we have a no fee promise – you pay no legal fees unless we settle or win your case.