There is an increasing number of pet owners in the United Kingdom yearly. As of February 2020, 51% of the population of adults in the UK own a pet. In addition, 26% of them own a dog, with an estimated population of 10.1 million dogs. However, the study conducted by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs shows that approximately 740 per 100,000 people in the UK are bitten by dogs yearly while 250,000 people are attending minor injury and emergency units due to dog bites.
While keeping dogs as a pet can be beneficial for the companionship and attractiveness they provide, it also has its disadvantages. One of the downsides of owning a dog is that your dog can bite you or someone else. Thus, it is crucial to know who is most likely to be bitten by dogs so you can take the necessary precautions to avoid unwanted incidents. Here are some findings on who is most likely to be attacked by dogs:
Postmen
According to union health and safety representative Andy Hickerman, a Staffordshire postman was attacked by an aggressive dog that bit his finger after putting the letters through a letterbox. His fingernail didn’t grow back until five years later, and he was left with a nasty cut that caused permanent damage. The same incident happened with another worker who was suddenly bitten by a dog that she had known for eight years without any problems. The dog was said to be previously well-behaved when it attacked the worker. This means that even if your dog is usually accepting visitors and is well-trained to socialise with other people, the appearance of the postman in front of your house every day can trigger your dog’s behaviour.
The Royal Mail states that the most significant hazard to the health and wellness of their deliverymen is dog bites, with recorded figures identifying an average of over 2,000 attacks by dogs on postal staff annually. Dogs often view postmen as intruders to their territory as postmen or mail carriers tend to visit briefly, not giving enough time for dogs to get to know them or even be familiar with them. Often, dog bites to postmen happen through the letterbox and when dogs face the postmen physically.
Strangers
It is entirely normal for dogs to protect their territories and bark when strangers approach them. It is estimated that 60-70 per cent of dogs will act hostile and bark threateningly at strangers. This is mainly the reason why dog owners adopt a dog in the first place because barking at strangers is typical behaviour for dogs. While this act is natural for them, biting strangers is a sign of a larger problem. Dogs do not know what strangers might do to them, but they know that they need to protect what is theirs.
As a stranger approaches near you and your dog is barking, it is important to watch his body language. For instance, when his body is stiff, his hair is standing on end, and he is growling with bared teeth, it is most likely that your dog is aggressive. This usually happens when dogs are afraid of unfamiliar faces. Hence, when they are aggressive, they bite the strangers approaching them. Therefore, you can help your dog lessen the tension that he experiences when encountering a stranger by training your dog to accept strangers through socialisation and some behaviour management techniques.
Babies
In 2018, a newborn baby died in Cambridge hospital because of severe head injuries after being mauled by two dogs. The same incident happened in South Yorkshire when a dog fatally attacked a 12-day-old baby. The baby’s parents were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
These are just some of the incidents where dogs attack babies at home. According to the Health and Social Care Information Centre, nearly 600 babies and toddlers were admitted to UK hospitals in 2013 after being savaged by dogs. 31 of them are babies under 12 months, while 135 were aged between one and two. This happens because newborn babies are foreign to dogs and they also bring foreign sounds, smells and unfamiliar movements to dogs. Even the loud and high pitch sound of a baby cry can be very stressful to a dog. Dogs do not understand the unexpected movements of babies and may bite simply because he is startled and feels defensive.
Children
Children in general love to play with pets and engage in some games that involve pets. They even love to kiss the dog on the muzzle and get close to his face. Unfortunately, according to CDC, “Young children 5 to 9 years old are most likely to be bitten by dogs, with boys being bitten more than girls.” Sometimes, it’s the mere presence of the child that instigates the attack of dogs. Therefore, pediatric dog bites are increasingly recognised as a medical and public health issue with apparent consequences in functional, aesthetic, and psychosocial aspects.
Chasing a dog may seem a lot of fun, but children unknowingly do obnoxious things that dogs hate and trigger them to bite children. It is essential to take note that dogs do not bite for no reason. Most of the time, dogs are being threatened because children are not approaching the dog correctly, which causes fear and threat to the dog. They also use tactics to scare the dog, step on the dog’s tail, and force their touch onto dogs, causing extreme discomfort and stress to the dog.
As a dog owner, you want your dog to offer protection and ward off any potential intruders. However, you do not want your dog to harm strangers, postmen, or even your family. Therefore, preventive measures are crucial to help your dog deal with the people around him to decrease the chances of becoming anxious and aggressive. Dogs are not totally dangerous and unkind to humans, but they have their own set of rules. While ensuring people’s safety from dogs is important, respecting your dog’s perspective and protecting him from feeling afraid and overwhelmed is also essential.
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