How to reduce the risk associated with dog bites on your property?

 

Responsible dog ownership and awareness about dog safety is critically important to prevent dog bites and associated problems. As many as 4.7 million dog bites are reported each year as per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Standard home insurance policies tend to provide coverage for liabilities associated with dog bites.

Guidelines to reduce the risk of dog bites

Certain guidelines can help homeowners reduce the possibility of dog bites, some of them are as follows:

• Ensure that the dog has a fenced enclosure and when not in the enclosure, keep the dog on a leash.
• Teach any children you have about safety protocol related to dogs and to avoid dangerous behavior such as teasing. Children should be kept under supervision while paying with dogs.
• Ensure that the dog is spayed or neutered and is also vaccinated against rabies. Ensure that the dog socializes with other animals as well as people and keep a close watch so you can detect any signs of discomfort in your dog or when your dog is around a certain other dog or person.
• Play with your dog in non-aggressive games such as fetch. Teach your kids to seek permission from pet owners before trying to pet any unfamiliar dogs.
• Report any strays to the local animal control center. The premium amount pertaining to home insurance may increase depending on the breed of the dogs. This is because some breeds are considered to be more aggressive as compared to others (pit bulls for sure).