Written By Marissa Greenberg, DVM
This week is Dog Bite Prevention Week. In honor of it, I wanted to share a story.
Many of you know Julie Belmonte (formerly Julie Wilson) who is our lodge manager. She had a dog named Speedo, a normally, very sweet, wonderful dog. One day, he bit her daughter, who was luckily ok. Julie wasn’t there to see exactly what happened, and was understandably very upset. After the initial concern and overwhelming angst, everyone calmed down, and Julie was able to get the story from her daughter about what exactly had happened. It turns out that Speedo tried to steal her daughter’s toy, so her daughter bit the dog on the ear! Speedo, in turn, bit her.
We can laugh about this story now, because no one was seriously injured. But, similar situations occur on a daily basis with much more serious consequences. I use this story often, as I explain to owners of dogs that even the sweetest, best behaved dog, should never be left unattended with small children. The easiest way to prevent a dog bite, is for an adult to always be able to supervise as dogs and children interact. Because even the sweetest dog will have the instinct to bite if a child causes them pain by pulling on extremities, or biting them first!
If your dog is showing any signs of aggression, please seek professional help. We can try to help you or refer you to someone even more qualified if needed. We also have resources to help expectant parents prepare their dogs for a baby’s arrival. We are here to help!
For more resources on dog bite prevention click the link below!
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.