By now you've all heard or watched Kyle Dyer being bitten by Maximus, a dog that made news when he was rescued after following through the ice. You know the details but let me tell you, based on my experience, my observations. And yes, she was not educated (as most people are not) on how to not only approach a dog but how to tell that a dog is nervous and potentially dangerous because something is making them uncomfortable. As I watched a clip on the Today show, the first think I noticed was how uncomfortable the dog was. He was licking his lips (a sure sign that they are nervous) and panting and his ears were back (instead of forward pointing). When you see one of these signs let alone all three, you never approach a dog - you let them come to you. And you should never, ever bend down to a dog that doesn't know you and is showing signs of distress. Most people have never been taught this. My husband got over sixty stitches in his leg from being an idiot with a dog and he readily admits he deserved it. She wasn't being an idiot but she was clearly not educated on what to look for and how to approach a dog. The dog was clearly not in his comfort zone. He's in an environment that he doesn't recognize with people he doesn't know. Of course he's going to be skittish. Imagine having a twenty foot person bending down in your face (which is probably how the dog perceives a much larger human bending down over them). I'm sorry to hear that she was bitten - what is ever sadder are the people who are condemning the dog. Ignorance will get you injured. Just ask my husband who had to get sixty stitches in his leg because he was being an idiot (his words, not mine).
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2099063/Worried-viewers-News-anchor-Kyle-Dyer-savagely-bitten-dog-air-released-hospital-speak.html#ixzz1lwBjypVP
http://3lostdogs.com/do-you-recognize-these-6-signs-of-a-stressed-out-dog/
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