Dogs Are Not Mans Best Friend When They Bite!

For the record, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am an avid dog lover. I believe that man's best pal is the canine. I am a dog owner, and I'm owned by 2 beautiful Golden Retrievers. However, even your most trusted pet can turn on you and can cause horrific damage to you or your children. Despite a dog's domestic status and records, they are by animals, and even the most trusted and revered dogs can attack and cause major injuries to children and adults. I myself have seen the horrifying effects of dog bites in children who have missing ears, gaping holes in their faces, and gashes all over their body- inflicted by "friendly" dogs.

Know that residents of California are held to high liability standards for injuries caused by their dog. If the dog has never shown aggression towards people or other dogs nor bitten anyone before, it makes no difference. A dog doesn't get one free bite! As a pet owner, if your dog bites someone, you may be responsible for medical bills in the past and the future, future and past earnings, and for pain, suffering, and emotional distress as well. The compensation to be paid can be as monetarily overwhelming to the dog owner, the damages are to the injured party.

It is important to note that a dog owner can be considered grossly negligent and therefore responsible for punitive damages (which can be massive!) if the owner knows of the dog's vicious tendencies and does not take proper precautions to safeguard people from his dog.

In my practice, I have noticed that it is typically the same breeds attacking people. They also seem to bite children more than they bite adults. Breeds most apt to bite are Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, Akitas, German Sheperds, and German Sheperd mixes.

Injuries caused by dogs are usually covered by homeowners insurance, but the above-mentioned dog breeds are now being excluded by some companies on the grounds that they are assumed vicious. You'll need to contact your insurance company to check the status of your dog's breed in this regard. If your particular dog breed is not covered, then you bear the full responsibility in the case of any injury inflicted by your dog on another party.

If you own a home and a dog, especially a big dog, be careful to make sure that your dog never attacks anyone. Here are some helpful tips:

1. Dogs should always be kept on a leash and children should not walk large dogs which they cannot handle.
2. Consider having your dog sent to a professional dog trainer.
3. It is very important that your dog is in a fenced in area all of the time. Fences should be high enough that dogs can not jump over. Also, you should lock gates and make sure there are no holes under the fence.
4. Keep the dog away from visitors, especially children.
5. Be sure to lock all doors and windows. (There was a case in which a dog had came through a torn screen door after a child.)
6. Keep your dog up to date on its shots.
7. Before buying a dog, know the dog's breeder. Get the breeder's references if you can. You may discover that a trusted breeder has a history of breeding fighting dogs.
8. No one should ever put his/her face near a dog's face.

Dog bites are a serious matter and can be expensive for all of those involved in the incident. Be cautious and use common sense around all dogs, keep in mind that some dogs will not react as you would expect them too.