Preventing Dog Bites

Several AGaG members were proud to attend a thoughtful presentation by Steve Dale at DuPage Animal Services in Wheaton on March 1. Steve, a nationally recognized animal behavior expert and author, spoke about something that affects every community that loves dogs: preventing dog bites.

Even though more dogs than ever are living in our homes and 95 percent of pet owners consider them family, bite incidents have increased in recent years. Steve encouraged the audience to rethink the way we approach dogs. His message was simple: don’t just ask the owner, ask the dog.

Dogs are constantly communicating. Subtle signals like lip licking, turning away, stiff posture, freezing, or showing the whites of their eyes are early signs of stress. Too often, those warnings are missed, and the first behavior people recognize is a growl or snap. Most bites are not random acts of aggression. They are the final step after earlier communication has been ignored.

One practical takeaway was how we greet dogs. Many of us were taught to put our hand out so a dog can sniff it. In reality, dogs can smell us perfectly well from where we are standing. Reaching into a dog’s space can feel intrusive. A better approach is to pause, observe, and allow the dog to choose. If the dog wants interaction, it will move closer. If it turns away or moves off, that is communication and it should be respected.

Steve also discussed factors contributing to rising bite statistics, including pandemic-era under-socialization, punishment-based training that suppresses warning signals instead of addressing fear, lack of supervision between children and dogs, and untreated medical issues that make handling painful.

Reducing dog bites protects people, preserves the human–animal bond, and prevents unnecessary surrender or euthanasia. Most importantly, it reminds us that dogs are not objects to be handled. They are sentient companions who deserve to be understood.

It was an important reminder that sometimes the safest thing we can do is slow down and ask the dog.

Steve Dale is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (CABC)
Link to his web site: https://stevedalepetworld.com