Again, an unfortunate attack by a group of dogs was known today. This time the victim was a 9 year old girl, who is in serious condition, after suffering the amputation of one of her arms and an exposed fracture of the shoulder blade, and had to be admitted to the Hospital de Niños de la Santísima Trinidad in the city of Córdoba. The dogs were euthanized by the family itself. A absurd behavior by their guardians or owners.
Let’s analyze it point by point. First, 92% of the fatal cases in which dogs are involved, throughout the Argentine Republic, are carried out by one or more dogs. linked to the family. In this case it is verified what I have been maintaining, and science has maintained for many years, that the race It has nothing to do and it does have to do with the bearing of the animal for the consequences.
When you have 4 dogs, as in the case of Córdoba that moves us today, it doesn’t matter if they were fine fed or not. I heard a journalist say “they were well fed”, as if the dog attacked to eat. That’s not understanding dog behavior.
Once again, I maintain that in Argentina we don’t know how to keep dogs and that we believe that dogs breed on their own and that dogs can never cause an incident with serious or fatal consequences — and I’m not saying accident because accidents cannot be avoided and incidents can.
Although they are house dogs, what may have happened is that the girl has run, has generated the prey instinct, has fallen, has been attacked first by one, based on having awakened what is known as the hunting chain.
The first wrong thing is that you have to understand that never again a boy should be left alone with four dogs, it doesn’t matter if they are the boy’s dogs. And with a dog either, he never leaves him alone. The second wrong thing is to have four dogs that have not been properly trained, properly managed. That is, dogs need time, play, energy discharge, among other things, and we think that dogs raise themselves.
Finally, to have killed the dogs is to have misunderstood one’s own responsibility. Dogs are not responsible for their behavior, they are not contract killers, serials, or hitmen. Dogs are the product of serious error, ignorance, ignorance of what it means unsettle them properly, at least 60 days old, socialize them properly until four months of age and educate them systematically afterwards and take all precautions when you have large dogs.
Here there was a farmer and a mestizo among others that the popular imagination would never qualify as aggressive, however they generated a very serious attack that has a clear explanation in the conduct of the dog and in the not education of these animals and in the responsibility of their supposed guardians.
And it must be remembered, the danger of an animal is always determined by its bite power and its size. In addition to inappropriate human behavior regarding the language of dogs. Aggression in dogs is one of the most significant behavior problems that companion animal guardians have to deal with. To pave a path that throws a solution, tutors must understand the language of the dogs and pay attention to their periods of development, as well as be attentive to different aspects that can affect canine aggressive behavior.
This fact was added to a long list of aggressions that have pedigree dogs as protagonists, sometimes, and not others. In last April three dogs rottweilerThey were part of the family attacked an 11-year-old boy in the Buenos Aires city of White Bay. suffered injuries on the back, one of his arms and the face.
That is why it is important to note that, as I already said, there is no genetic marking with respect to potentially dangerous or aggressive breeds. The danger of an animal is given by the bite power and its size. In the majority of bite incidents, 63% occur with animals of medium size which, of course, do not have fatal consequences.
It is not a question of racial genetics, there are no dogs that are born aggressive. Konrad Lorenz, Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1973, demonstrated that the final genetic behavior of a gregarious species, the dog is and the human being too, depends on genetics, but that 70% or 80% depends on what environmental. That is, of education, upbringing and among other aspects.
In the case of the dog, it gets out of control, that is, it is removed from the mother’s environment, very early and this means that it does not normally inhibit the bite. In addition, they are inadequately socialized through what is called sanitary confinement, which is that they do not go out and do not step on the sidewalk until they are four months old, until they have their full vaccinations, but this must be taken with a grain of salt.
It is true that it should not step on the sidewalk, but it can be adequately socialized by taking it in a car, in a cart, on a bicycle, on a motorcycle or in a backpack or taking it to houses where the presence of other dogs is reliable. puppies have a critical period of socialization which is located, with some differences according to different authors, races and individuals, beginning in the third week of life and concluding between the 12th and 16th week of age.
What happens during that period, known as the sensitive stage or printingdie-cut or printed, will mark the individual for the rest of his life and will be very difficult to modify in the future. If a puppy was not properly socialized in this sensitive period, he may never feel fully confident around people or other dogs.
On the other hand, puppies should ideally be adopted (whether by purchase or full adoption) from week eight, that is, from sixty days of age for a good adaptation to the new home. Within this period runs the call period of fear which is located between the eighth and tenth week of lifeduring which the puppy must not be punished under any circumstances.
After evaluating all these aspects, it is noted that it is not the race, but the size what determines the dangerousness potential. But, in addition, these incidents occur because they do not understand the language of dogs and have transgressed explicit rules of upbringing and education.
Dogs in an aggressive attitude, as in any self-respecting species, they want to appear bigger than they are as a logical response to what they perceive as a threat. That’s why, your body will be rigid, stretched and leaning forward, hiding and wagging its tail in a fast and frantic way. The bristling back hair will make it appear larger than life and menacing.
A dog in an aggressive attitude is ready to pounce on what disturbs him, showing attitude and presence as big (or enlarged) and intimidating as possible. The teeth will be exposed with a wrinkled nose, ears back, and accompaniment of grunts or short barks. The mouth, seen from the side, is in the shape of an inverted letter C.
This is one assertive Aggressive Sign, that is, clear, in its intentions to communicate but without consequences for now. A royal warning. On the other hand, when the growl and the exposed fangs are accompanied by the back of the body and the drooping ears, they are a sign of aggression but defensive. In both cases there is usually a fixed and penetrating gaze directed at the latent threat.
Sometimes wide-eyed stare could be the awakening of a predatory bent which is very important to note especially when smaller dogs, cats or small children live in the same place.
If the dog is aggressive with people when it is outside, or with other dogs that walk, it should always be with the belt
If a dog To attack it is recommended to move the extremities away, put one arm in front to make a block, while the other arm is hidden behind the back. This will repel the dog and it will make it not hang on the arm, or drop if it had already bitten you.
*Prof. Dr. Juan Enrique Romero @drromerook is a veterinarian. Specialist in University Education. Master in Psychoimmunoneuroendocrinology. Former Director of the Hospital Escuela de Animales Pequeños (UNLPam). University Professor at various Argentine universities. International speaker.
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