Dog-bite claims cost insurers over $489 million in 2012, accounting
for more than a third of all homeowners insurance liability claim
dollars paid out in the year, according to a study by the Insurance
Information Institute and State Farm, but these claims could be
prevented if pet owners pay attention to their own body language
and signs from their furry best friends.
Melissa Berryman, a dog bite specialist who designed and teaches a
safety and liability class for dog owners says, "Those claims can be
financially hard on the homeowners and tragic for the dogs, which is
especially troublesome when you know that bites aren’t a ‘bad dog’
problem – they’re a human ignorance problem."
She adds, "Dogs react based on their pack positions, the handling
ability of their owners and the situation and context. People have the
power to recognize this and redirect the interaction to that of
friends."
Berryman is the author of
“People Training for Good Dogs: What Breeders Don’t Tell You and Trainers Don’t Teach.
Following are tips Berryman offers to help owners understand the
signals they are sending to their dogs when visitors arrive at the home.
Consider your dog’s “rank”
Dogs have superior/subordinate relationships similar to the military,
Berryman explains. Rank of family and guests dictates a dog’s behavior
towards them. A high-ranking dog, a “general,” won’t tolerate
insubordinate behavior from a perceived low ranking “private’’ child or
guest. Berryman says bites often occur when human “privates” try to take
food or toys away, or hug or pull a “general” type dog by the collar
off of furniture.
Yelling can exacerbate a dog’s agitation
Your dog doesn’t know you’ve ordered pizza, Berryman notes, so when
the delivery person arrives, your dog is agitated by the threat at the
door and starts barking. She explains that when you yell at your dog to
stop barking, he interprets this as agitation on your part; he
understands tone, not language. That only increases a dog’s anxiety and
vulnerability. When the door opens, the dog bites because it thinks you
and he are both feeling threatened and you’re both going to attack the
threat. Berryman says it’s best to happily reassure your dog when
someone arrives and leave the greeting of guests to you, and not the
dog.
How you treat strangers influences how your dog treats them
Dogs respond to their owners’ behavior, which gives them signals
about whether or not a situation is safe, says Berryman. When the dog’s
owner meets a stranger and interacts formally with that stranger, as
many of us do, dogs can view this as the behavior of foes, or as
apprehension, such as that of prey. Owners holding leashes tightly
unwittingly place their dog in the dangerous fight stance of the fight
or flight response, she notes, adding that it’s best to relax and act
like a friend when meeting strangers, which will elicit a friendly
response from a dog.
Remember, dogs aren’t trying to protect a home when they react negatively to strangers or visitors
Dogs place no value on your home, car, or the valuables they might
contain, says Berryman. When they’re in a home or car, they are trapped
in an enclosed area and will respond to perceived threats with an
automatic fight-or-flight response. Berryman says it is the owner’s
responsibility to train dogs to calmly signal someone’s approach and
then to assert authority over the situation.
By understanding and respecting how dogs’ instincts and natural
behaviors differ from ours, dog owners can prevent bites and insurance
headaches, Berryman says.
Does your Homeowners Insurance Policy exclude Dog Bite Liability? We can offer a Dog Bite Liability policy. Call us for a quote today at (321)725-1620.
Contact us for all your Insurance needs! (321)725-1620
Bob Lancaster Insurance
Serving Florida since 1964
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