Pet dogs, their behaviour and how not to let them bite | Deep Dive
India Today
Amid a spate of incidents involving pet dogs attacking owners and others, here's more about their behaviour and how not to let them bite.
Pet dogs and their owners are in the news following a spate of dog-bite incidents. To curb such incidents, pet owners have to adopt different approaches based on their dogs' breed and behavioural patterns. When it comes to pet dogs, the most popular breeds for adoption are German Shepherds, Beagles, Pitbulls, Spitz, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers. We take a look at different approaches that are required while dealing with these pet dogs.
German Shepherds are arguably the most versatile dog breed, with a large number of civilians, police officers, and military personnel adopting them. They make excellent guard dogs and can perform a variety of tasks. They are used to protecting homes, detecting illegal drugs, and tracking down and neutralising terrorists.
This dog breed is intelligent and large in size. It has a double or single coat of fur on its body. Since it was originally bred as a shepherd dog, it retains the genetics and requires a lot of physical and mental exercises to stay fit and happy.
Their nature is defensive. They are both affectionate and protective of their family.
"Early socialisation not only with humans and children but with other pets is also very important for such breeds. They are large and protective, so one needs to understand their needs before adopting one," said Abhinav Srihan, a renowned animal rescuer from Delhi.
Srihan further said, "Walking an untrained German Shepherd is not an easy task. There are a number of videos available online on how to train a German Shepherd and other such dog breeds. They are very smart and learn very quickly. A physical and mental workout for such dog breeds is very important."
"A German Shepherd who is being chained all the time, whether in a flat or a farm, can be ferocious. They need to be tired. They need their energy to be burnt. A tired dog is a happy dog, and it will be happy with its human parents and their neighbours," he added.
