Meridian Park Veterinary Hospital

Dog Bite Prevention Week

May 20-26: National Dog Bite Prevention Week

In honor of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, we wanted to give you a few pointers about making sure you and your family members (both two- and four-legged) are safe.

• Make sure you do your research before bringing a new dog into the family.  Think about breed and temperament of both the new dog and your existing dogs when making the decision.  Your veterinarian would be able to offer advice about what dogs match your lifestyle.
• Socialization is key.  Once you get your new dog make sure to start the socialization process immediately.  Teach it simple commands (sit, come, “no”) to build your own bond as well as provide supervised interaction with dogs, children, adults, and other animals.
• Make sure any children in your care know the proper way to interact with dogs.  Remind them not to approach a strange dog.  If an unknown animal comes up to them, remain calm and quiet with your hands in fists at your side, looking forward and not at the dog’s eyes.  Do not bother a dog when it is eating, and make sure you never accidentally corner a dog.  This might make it lash out in fear.
• Expel any pent-up energy with lots of exercise and frequent walks.  Just make sure the play doesn’t become too aggressive, so avoid things like wrestling with your pup.
• Promote good leash manners.  You want to ensure that you are in control of your dog if you encounter other people or animals on a walk.  Even if you feel your dog is friendly, that doesn’t mean the other dog will be.
• Get your new dog spayed or neutered and keep up with his or her wellness care.  Good health promotes good behavior.

If you have any questions about your dog’s behavior, contact us at (503)692-3300.