Think your dog is sweet, innocent and harmless? Think again

Dog owners can often be misguided when it comes to recognising signs of aggression. Photo / 123rf

Dog owners believe their pets are better behaved than they are, which is increasing the risk of deadly attacks, animal experts have warned.

New research from Edge Hill University, Lancashire, found that owners often hold a “misguided anthropomorphic view” of their dogs, failing to recognise behaviour that would trigger the animal to snap or bite.

The survey of 1535 people discovered that nearly half, 44 per cent, wrongly believed dogs try to be gentle and avoid biting children, even though there is no evidence that is the case.

Many also thought that dogs would not attack children if their parents were present, which again is not true, while most thought that their animal was better behaved than the average dog.

More than 80 per cent of respondents said their dog was unlikely to engage in a way that was likely to cause injury and believed their pet would not become agitated from known triggers, such as kissing or hugging a dog, or confiscating something from it.

The survey also showed that although most owners thought they were good at interpreting canine signals, most could not spot aggressive signs beyond obvious cues such as bared teeth.

Many were not able to pick up on subtle signs of anxiety, such as the ears being pinned back, or a tense jaw and body.

A significant number said they would cuddle or stroke a worried dog, even though it increases the risk of being bitten. Most dog bites happen in the family home with a familiar dog.

Prof Claire Parkinson, the co-director of Edge Hill’s centre for human animal studies, said: “The data highlights people’s inclination to perceive dogs as inherently gentle or humanised.

“However, the reality is that dogs, even well-trained ones, can pose a risk, particularly around children who haven’t been taught how to interact with them. Many seem to think dogs will respond differently to children. But of course, dogs don’t discriminate.

“People also really overestimate their ability to read a dog’s body language, and struggle to interpret more subtle signs of stress and discomfort.

“We know that dogs seldomly act aggressively without warning, but a lot of responders failed to spot those warning signs, and actually had the potential to escalate the dogs’ distress.”

The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years, from 16,000 to 22,000 in 2022, costing the NHS more than £70 million (NZ$146.3M) a year.

Spate of fatal dog attacks

There have been several fatal dog attacks already this year. In January, Natasha Johnson was mauled to death as she walked a pack of dogs in Caterham, Surrey.

The following month, Alice Stones, 4, was killed by a family pet in Milton Keynes.

In May, Jonathan Hogg, 37, suffered fatal bite wounds from a dog attack in Leigh, Greater Manchester.

Last week, a 70-year-old grandmother was killed by a dog in Bedworth, Warwickshire as she sunbathed.

The number of dogs removed from their owners also rose by 26 per cent since 2018, with 3500 animals seized by police last year, and there has been a 24 per cent rise in pet abandonment.

Experts said that the pandemic was partially behind the increase because puppies bought in lockdown were not socialised around people or other dogs.

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, pitbull terriers, Japanese tosas, dogo Argentinos and fila Brasilerios are banned. However, experts said the focus should be placed on legislating against bad owners, not dog breeds.

Calls to bring back dog licences

The team at Edge Hill has called on the Government to bring back dog licences, which were scrapped in 1982, as well as more community training.

Prof Parkinson said: “We are in the middle of a companion dog crisis. There were 3.2 million puppies born during the pandemic, and people couldn’t access trainers and behaviourists. So it certainly had a huge impact and we are seeing the results of that now.

“Dog attacks are rising despite dangerous dogs legislation which has focussed on breed, even though it is a very poor predictor of aggressiveness. We need to shift the focus from the breed to the owner, and increase awareness of dog bite risk.

“A public information campaign and improved access to dog training would definitely help to address some of the current issues.”

The research will be presented at an event in Edge Hill, Public Perceptions of Dangerous Dogs and Dog Risk, on June 12.