Dog do's and don'ts

By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 23, 2002

Here are tips for avoiding dog bites from the American Humane Society of the United States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Never approach a dog you don't know or a dog alone or confined behind a fence, on a chain or inside a car.
• Don't bother a sleeping dog or a dog that's eating or caring for puppies. Use caution when trying to help an injured dog.
• Don't pet a stranger's dog without asking the owner for permission.
• Never allow a child to play unsupervised with any dog.
• If a dog threatens, stand still and make no eye contact. Retreat but don't run. Don't wave your arms or turn your back.
• If you're attacked, try to feed the dog your book bag, briefcase, hat or an article of clothing.
• If you're knocked down, curl into a ball. Cover the back of your neck with your hands, your ears with your arms and your face and neck with your elbows. Protect your abdomen with your knees.

Tips for raising well-adjusted dogs from Pinellas County Animal Control veterinarian Welch Agnew and Maria T. Praias, owner of Dog Gone Positive Training and Day Care in Pinellas Park:

• Train and socialize your dog, beginning when it's a puppy, until it's accustomed to all kinds of situations and people, including cyclists, joggers, skaters, children and men with beards.
• Spay or neuter your dog. Dogs that haven't been spayed or neutered are three times more likely to bite.
• Never roughhouse with your dog. You'll train it to be aggressive.
• Take your dog to a professional trainer if you're having problems.
• Make sure your dog is licensed.
• Report dog bites.

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