Every year thousands of people are attacked or bitten by dogs.

What makes a Dog Bite?

In the wild dogs use their teeth to determine who is the strongest, and domestic dogs have not forgotten this primal instinct. Pet dogs will therefore bite as a method of demonstrating their dominance over other dogs, animals and humans.

In the wild dogs live in packs, where one dog assumes leadership, Over centuries of domestication, dogs have relied on us as 'leader of the pack', and they have learned to serve us accordingly. A dog is happiest when it is serving, but, a dog's willingness to serve and in turn its happiness can deteriorate for various reasons including - lack of training, inappropriate training methods, spoilt indulgent lifestyle, lack of exercise, lack of social contact, general neglect. This causes the dog to resort to its primitive instincts. It should also be remembered that some breeds are naturally more aggressive than others.

Signs of Aggression

Aggressive dogs will:

• Crouch and hug the ground.
• Have a stiff facial expression.
• Have flattened ears.
• Demonstrate a general stillness.

How to avoid aggression in your dog:

• Select the correct breed for your disposition and purpose.
• Select a female rather than a male - most aggressive dogs are male.
• Large, male dogs can be castrated to reduce aggression. Following castration there is a marked reduction in the dog's dominance and aggression. The dog is more ready to obey commands.
• Always ensure that puppies are socialised from an early age. Regular interaction with other dogs, animals and humans, as well as an introduction to a variety of environments will make the dog less fearful, nervous and aggressive in later life. Puppies may also 'inherit' fears from their mothers.

Good Practice

• Don't approach a strange dog, especially one which is tied up or confined.
• Before you attempt to pet a dog, ask permission from the owner. Let the dog become familiar with you by allowing him to see and sniff the back of your closed hand.
• Never leave children unsupervised with any dog, no matter how trustworthy.
• If a dog is not be trusted with children or visitors to the home, then consider muzzling it. Modern muzzles allow free air passage and drinking, and do not frustrate the dog.

If threatened by a dog

1. Stand still.
2. Don't scream.
3. Avoid eye contact with the attacking dog but don't lose sight of him either. Try to remain motionless.
4. Keep your hands reasonably high. Moving hands tend to be the first part of your body to be bitten.
5. If you have anything to hand, like a briefcase or shopping bag, use it to block the approach of the dog. If you are a cyclist, don't cycle harder because most dogs can outrun a cyclist. Jump off your bike and position your bicycle between you and the dog.
6. If you are knocked down, lie still, curl into a ball and play dead - this is especially important for children.
7. If you are carrying food, use it to distract the dog.
8. If these things are not getting the dog away from you and you cannot see the owner, then shout 'sit', because most dog owners have trained their dog to sit and many dogs will obey it automatically.
9. Don't ever turn your back on the dog and never, ever run. The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey. Most dogs do not have the courage to confront someone who is still but they may have a bite of someone's backside if they are on the run.