How to Avoid a Dog Bite (and What to Do If You’ve Been Bitten)

By following these seven simple tips, you can reduce the chances that you’ll be bitten by a dog. We also offer helpful information on what to do if you’ve been bitten by a dog.

Like most people, we love dogs. My wife and I grew up with dogs and we have a family dog who has been a part of our family for eight years. We believe that it is the responsibility of a dog owner to ensure that the dog does not present a safety risk to others. We also know, however, that there are things that all of us can do to minimize the risk of a dog bite and that the more that can be done to educate the public about these behaviors, the more likely it is that the tragedy of dog bites can be avoided. So, here, we offer seven tips from the Humane Society of the United States on how to avoid a dog bite (and what to do if you’re attacked):

1. Never approach an unfamiliar dog, particularly dogs in cars or dogs who are tied or fenced in.
2. Don’t pet a dog (even your own) without giving the dog a chance to see and sniff you first. Remember that older dogs, or dogs who are deaf or blind, may require particular caution in this regard.
3. Don’t disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy, or caring for puppies.
4. Avoid direct eye contact, particularly with strange dogs.
5. If you think that a dog may attack (or if you’re just afraid of dogs), resist the temptation to turn your back and run away. Instead:
   • Stand motionless with your hands at your sides and your eyes looking away from the dog.
   • Wait for the dog to lose interest in you.
   • Slowly back away.
6. If a dog does attack you, try to “feed” the dog anything you have that you can put between you and the dog, such as a jacket, purse, bike, etc.
7. If you fall, curl into a ball and try to remain motionless.

If you’ve been bitten or injured by a dog attack, don’t panic. Instead:

1. Most wounds will benefit from washing with cool water.
2. Use soap and a soft washcloth to clean the skin around the wound.
3. Bleeding can be helpful in that it helps clean out wounds and most small cuts or scrapes will stop bleeding in a short time, though head and face wounds may bleed a lot because of the rich blood supply. To stop bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure on the cut with a clean cloth or gauze. If blood soaks through, do not take off the cloth; just apply more gauze on top and apply more pressure for 20 to 30 minutes. Bleeding on wounds to your arms or legs can be slowed by raising the extremity above your head.
4. Contact your physician or call 911 for additional care and advice.
5. Report the bite to your local animal care and control agency.

The Erie dog bite lawyers at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. have experience representing people who’ve been injured in dog and animal attacks. Our primary goal and objective is to make sure that our clients and their families receive the compensation and resources they need to treat and manage their injuries and to compensate them for their losses.

As skilled Erie injury lawyers who have helped injured clients who have been attacked by dogs, we understand how to evaluate these cases and can help you obtain the funds necessary to pay for your medical care and compensate you for your losses.

Call Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. today, locally at 814-273-2010 or toll free at 814-273-2010, to schedule your free and confidential consultation with an Erie Dog Attack Lawyer.