Educating owners does not prevent dog bites, study finds

It has been argued that the best way to prevent dog bites and dog attacks is to educate California owners about their canine friend's body language. However, researchers at the University of Liverpool have discovered that this type of education may not be all that effective.

Part of the problem researchers found was that, in some cases, the dog involved was not known by the person who was bit. The bite often occurs before the person has the ability to assess the canine's behavior. In these instances, the person who was bit either blames themselves or the owner of the dog and not the animal itself. Further, those who did know the dog often believe that they will not be bite; these people often completely disregard the warning signs.

According to a dog behavior expert at the Institute of Infection and Global Health, the responses from those who have suffered bites in the past showed that the problem did not stem from canine-human relationships. All dogs have the potential to bite, even though owners or strangers may not believe that a bite is possible. It was argued that one way to prevent dog bites in the future is to be careful when selecting a pet and ensuring its training. Additionally, dog breeders should be selecting dogs that are less likely to bite.

Dog bites can cause serious injuries to a person, especially if that person does not know how to protect themselves against further damage. An injured victim who did not own the dog and was not trespassing on the owner's property may have the ability to hold the dog's owner responsible by filing a personal injury lawsuit with the assistance of an attorney.