How do I keep myself safe from dog bite?
A dog bites only when she feels threatened. There are various situations when a dog may feel threatened though the threat may not be real, but it is the dog’s perception that really matters.
One can be safe from dog bite by learning about the situations that a dog finds threatening, which includes wrong body language. Like, if you tower over a sitting dog when you are facing the dog it appears very threatening to the dog because due to your height you appear enormous in size to the dog. It is always better to face the dog in a squatting posture.
To be safe from dog-bite never try to control a dog directly holding its collar. Doing this will frighten the dog which may trigger fear reaction in the dog. Using leash to control a dog is a safer option.
Another very simple way to enrage a dog is trying to take away its possessions like the toys she plays with or her favorite bone. Dogs are not very generous in sharing their personal belongings (unless a dog is specifically trained to be big hearted).
But fortunately, all these are true only for a dog with not enough training, especially in obedience and socialization. If a dog is properly trained to adapt to these types of situations from its puppy days, there is less chance of aggressive reaction.