Stark warning as number of dog attacks rises sharply

The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years.

Lasst year, there were nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury whereas, in 2018, there were around 16,000. Experts, working as part of a BBC investigation, have issued tips owners can use to help control their pets.

Why do dogs attack? 

Often, a dog lashes out as a result of stress and anxiety. The leading causes of aggressive behaviour in dogs, stress can often be caused by overstimulation – this can be from too much noise and too many people surrounding the dog.

Another reason can be down to territorial & protective behaviour. An attempt to protect their territory or their owner can lead a dog to act aggressively towards strangers approaching when away from home. Whilst many dogs practice avoidance rather than bite, they will resort to biting if they feel threatened and the threat does not retreat even when a subtle or overt warning has been given.

However, some dogs are aggressive towards people even when they have been raised properly and trained appropriately. The behaviour can be exacerbated by poor health or pain somewhere in the body.