- By Rebecca Woods
- BBC News, West Midlands
image sources, Getty Images
There is no evidence that any particular breed of dog is likely to be more aggressive than another, according to the Dogs Trust.
The number of dog attacks tends to increase in hot weather – but why? As the school holidays begin, experts call on the population to be vigilant, children under 14 being the most exposed.
They tend to come in waves and statistics show there are more attacks in the summer months in the UK. On the one hand, it’s easy to imagine dogs getting just as hot and bothered as people – going wild in the only way they know how.
According to the Dogs Trust, however, this increase is more likely due to our behavioral change in hot weather, rather than something biological.
“There is no evidence linking dog attacks to hot weather,” said the charity’s Maria Murray. “But there is certainly a link with the increase in aggression against children during the summer.
“Children are a lot more at home and dogs are a little more fed up with the presence of children.”
People are also spending a lot more time outdoors, which increases the chances of coming into contact with a dog.
“Children under 14 are most at risk of being bitten, as they may not be able to read their dogs,” Ms Murray said. “There are also more opportunities to play with the dogs in the garden, so these things can happen.”
Statistics show that nearly 9,000 people were hospitalized in 2022 due to dog bites, an increase of more than 1,000 incidents from the previous year.
The number of dog owners has also increased significantly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with around 12 million dogs owned by families in the UK, up from nine million five years ago.
“With more dogs and more homes having a dog, it is inevitable that we will have more incidents,” Ms Murray said.
‘got me between the teeth’
Simon Edge was among them and said he had remained extremely suspicious since the attack.
“I was coming from the dentist and walking home. Two dogs rushed at me, I didn’t think about it at first,” he said.
“Then one got in front of me, the other behind and the next thing you know, they both took me in the teeth.”
Barford Primary School had to be locked for the safety of the children.
During an attack that lasted “approximately 80 seconds”, Mr Edge was bitten four times.
He told the BBC he was lucky as he was told a teenage girl suffered 42 separate injuries that day.
Mr Edge was bitten as he left a dentist in Birmingham
“We were just outside the primary school and I thought to myself, ‘if dogs could do this to me, what would they have done to a young baby’?” said Mr. Edge.
He said he was suspicious of large dogs when they passed him on the street and was shocked to see more and more reports of attacks.
“It seems to be happening more and more. To be honest, I don’t know why they took away the dog license, at least it made people responsible.”
Unscrupulous Breeding
Although fatal dog attacks are rare, there have been five in the UK so far this year. There were nine in 2022, more than double the previous year.
It is possible that the confinement and the fact that new dogs cannot be socialized properly during these crucial first weeks is still having an effect.
“We know that aggression is usually caused by dogs being worried about something and if they haven’t been able to be socialized from the start they are more likely to worry around people,” said Ms Murray.
Unscrupulous breeding is also on the rise, with more and more cases of puppy trafficking; dogs illegally imported from Europe for the pet trade.
“It’s a huge money-making opportunity, so people who don’t have the right breeding dog experience and even the eight-week window that a puppy is with the breeder is so important to that this dog is socialized in the same way,” Ms Murray said.
“If you think of Eastern European dogs, chances are the first weeks of their lives are spent in a kennel, seeing nothing, then being transported for days on end in a small cage outside. back of a van.
“It’s not a good start and there will always be problems.”
image sources, Dan Jones Images
Maria Murray of the Dogs Trust says owners need to watch their pet closely – be present and pay attention to what the dog is worrying about
The Dogs Trust suggests that people wanting a dog first look to rescue centres. If you are buying privately, the advice is to research the breeder thoroughly first – first try to meet the parents of the pup and find out the temperament of the potential animal.
“You know these puppies had a really good experience in those first eight weeks of life.”
As for reducing the number of dog attacks in the summer, Ms Murray urged owners to have ‘very good close supervision – be present, pay attention if the dog gets worried or a child becomes exuberant’.
The charity runs child safety workshops for parents, where people can watch live webinars for advice.
“There is no evidence that any particular breed of dog is likely to be more aggressive than another,” Ms Murray said.
“A small dog can still do damage, can still mark a child, because most interactions happen when children hug or kiss dogs, so a lot of those injuries are also facial.
“So we have to be very careful.”