SAFETY MEASURES FOR MAN'S WELFARE WHEN KEEPING DOGS
For many centuries, man and animals have developed friendship, companionship and security with each other in mutual benefits as a result of man’s ability to tame animals as pets. However, while it can be a lot of fun to live with them, the relationship can sometimes go sour as a result of negligence and ignorance of the pet’s owner hence endangering himself or the life of the pet and most often the life of other people around him which sometimes could be fatal.
While the number one and most popular category of pets remains the dog and cat, dogs' attack is more dangerous than cats due to their sizes, territorial protective instincts and pack habits. Hence, there have been more cases of fatalities as a result of dog’s attack than seen in domestic cats.
Dogs love living in pack and consider man as member of the pack. So the following are basic rules for you to always follow for the safety of your dog, your safety and the safety of other people around you.
That Dogs Have Pack Order: Dogs love living in pack and have a pack leader. You must affirm yourself as the pack leader by first knowing the basic obedient commands of sit, stand, stay, go, retreat etc while training your dogs to obey and you reward them with praises and treats immediately from when they are young or else the dog will see himself as the pack leader irrespective of your size. Do not assume that because you feed your dog daily, then he’s bound to obey you always. No! He only attaches you to food. But when there is no food in your hand because you will not always carry treats all the time, don’t be surprised if he disobeys you if he doesn’t consider you as the pack leader but simply a mate especially during such critical periods in the public when he sees other distractions. The earlier you start learning to train your dog to obey commands, the better and safer for both of you.
Never Allow Your Dog Outside Without A Leash And Collar: This cannot be overemphasized. Giving a dog unrestrained freedom is another signal to the dog that he is in control and not you. Wearing leash and collar on your dog when you are in public is your personal restraining tool and the first signal to him that you are the one in charge. Even your obedient dog may sometimes wants to misbehave outside especially when something excites him. There have been many cases of dog bites, fatal dog attacks, dog fights and accidents that could have been prevented if the dog wore a leash and collar that would make him easy to control. Walking your dog on leash prevents many problems and is also a lifesaver for your lovely pet.
Always Keep Your Dog In Well Secured And Comfortable House: Some pet owners allow their dogs to live and sleep inside the house while others provide kennels outside for their dogs. Whichever way you choose, make sure your dog is well restricted from going outside of your compound without your presence there to control him. Dogs are territorial and have a sense of smell that is about 40 times better than that of man. They mark the compound with urine as their territory to warn other dogs to keep off. Likewise they can equally smell other dogs from afar especially other female dog in heat. So both male and female dogs would always look for every way possible to go out of your compound by either jumping the fence or digging the ground to escape to look for others during mating season. You may consider castration for your male dog or neutering for the female as this would make your dog less adventurous and less aggressive.
Maintain Up to Date Medication Records With Your Vet: Vaccination of your dog and cat against rabies is essential for their wellbeing, your safety and others. Rabies is a zoonotic and terminal viral disease common in dogs and it is transmissible to man. There are other viral diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, parainfluenza and leptospirosis which though are not transmissible to man but are also life threatening to these pets. So ensure you visit your veterinary clinic for regular check up for treatment against helminths to prevent you from ingesting worm oocysts and also to maintain vaccination update. Do nail trimming expecially for those that leave inside your apartment. Long nails are dangerous to you or your little children when playing with the dog.
GPS Tracker: A gps tracker implant will allow you to always easily monitor and locate your dog even when you are not around him or when he’s suddenly missing. Remember a missing dog or a stray dog automatically becomes vulnerable and may become dangerous to the community especially if he or she has not been trained to be well behaved with other dogs.
Give Them Regular Exercise : Exercising is playtime for dogs and dogs love playing. It keeps them active, healthy and they use the period for bonding with others in the pack which in this case is you and members of your household. Remember, they always look out for a pack leader to submit to and they will willingly obey you if you are always around them to affirm yourself as their pack leader.
All these simple measures would always save you and your family from problems associated with loosed dogs and will equally keep your lovely pets away from danger.
Dog's Attack:
Dr. Olumide Emmanuel
