I have viewed on the morning shows demonstrations on how not to and how to correctly behave when you come across a dangerous dog. On one show a man was wearing an armor sleeve to protect himself from a possible dog bite or attack. I like that they make a point of showing the right and wrong ways to react during an encounter, as this really showcases the results if done wrong.

I personally have a fear of dogs and know that I should never run when I come in contact with a dog. I try not to let my children see my fear and concentrate on getting them off the street. There have been times we have waited inside the car when a dog is around. If I am outside I try to get to my front yard when I see loose dogs coming up or down the hill. Sometimes it is easier to just get inside my car until the dog has passed. My eleven-year-old wants to run immediately, but now knows the consequences should he try doing that.

We have had dogs in our neighborhood kill cats, which upsets my son very much. There are also coyotes that come down the hill at night into yards, plus the possums. If you see a dead animal you should contact your animal control office for a dead animal pickup.

The top ten tips you will find within the recommended resources:

1. Do not run when you see a dog, instead stand still and give no eye contact.
2. Appear disinterested in the dog and yell NO when it approaches you.
3. Never touch or bother a dog when they are eating or sleeping.
4. Get the dog some obedience training early on.
5. Walk the dog on a leash at all times.
6. Spay or neuter dog
7. A sick dog may attack
8. Learn to read the dog’s body language
9. Stay current on vaccinations
10. Do not intervene when two dogs are fighting.

If a bite occurs, you need to take pictures of the damage and the dog and obtain contact information from any witnesses. Seek emergency care immediately letting them know a dog attack took place.

Almost two years ago Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) was filming a segment on our street. This was during a school day and I thought about getting my son from around the corner to watch the taping, but decided against pulling him from class. My son likes watching The Dog Whisperer as it helps him learn more about dogs, although he is a cat lover and wants to protect them from dogs.

We now have a feral cat, three kittens and her new litter that hang in our yard, as well as the father cat and another male feral that visits other times. We are feeding them and my son is making contact with the kittens trying to gain their trust. He gets panicked when loose dogs are on the prowl and also at night as owners are walking their dogs past our house.

We have a large quantity of cat books that have helped us to care for the cats and prepare for any emergencies. We are now gaining more knowledge in liability issues should a loose dog make its way onto our property or attack one of us. I have seen on television after car chases when the bloodhounds show up on the freeway to assist in removing the perpetrator from their vehicle.

The dog handlers within the police department have blankets they keep for the dogs to stand on instead of having their paws on the hot pavement. I heard on the radio during the recent heat wave to avoid walking pets in the middle of the afternoon as the pavement is very hot and to do this as the sun does down. In perusing the related resources I found that if a dog injures someone in police custody, or while trying to get the person in custody that they cannot sue due to the injuries sustained through use of the dog.

Mail and delivery personnel experience dogs on a daily basis as they struggle to deliver parcels to residents without having a dog injure them in the process. I never understood the commercial they have for 1-800-Pet Meds, that shows a delivery person in uniform with the dog wagging it’s tail along with allowing the person to touch them. This is not a typical encounter and gives false sense of security for the elderly that live alone and might think their dog would do the same thing with the delivery person.

For residents that reside near a school the dog should be in a gated yard and not able to jump over the fence as families are walking by to and from school. There are two in my neighborhood that do just this by jumping up as you come upon their yard. I would rather walk in the street than pass by these houses.

I hear often stories on the radio of dog maulings, with some requiring more than two people to remove the dog from the victim. These are frightening situations and one I hope to never be a part of. I have an Uncle in New Jersey that started out as a Canine Officer. The dog he utilized was kept on their property in a cage, but I was still terrified of parking in their driveway. They were even profiled in a newspaper article many years ago.

Besides the regular police officers that have K-9 units, school and port police also utilize canine (K-9) units. Los Angeles School Police Canine Unit and Los Angeles Port Police

Dog Bite Liabilitry Insurance Institute

Dog Bite Law

Coping with Dog Bite Liability Insure Me

8 Things that might cause a dog to bite



Educational Autism Tips for Families 71 page resourceful ebook for families entering the school system with a recent autism diagnosis. Find out what issues take place over the course of a school day and meet these challenges head on.