How To Avoid A Dog Bite Injury During The Holidays

What a treat it is during the holidays to visit with a dog that you’ve never met before.  Maybe your sister and her family just got a new dog to play with.  If your friends are around and they just got a new dog it might be fun to see him in his new home.  There is so much joy to be had by meeting a new dog, especially around the holidays, but there is also danger lurking there too.

The holidays are a particularly stressful time of year for dogs.  Dogs are on edge more because there are new and different people around (although this year that stress might be a little bit lower.)  Each year at the holidays the house is filled with more hustle and bustle as you and your family get ready for a nice visit.  These types of things stress dogs out and cause them to become less friendly then they otherwise would be.

Consider for a minute a regular visit you might have with a new dog.  You might enter someone’s home, say hello for a few minutes and then settle in to chat.  This is calming for a dog and after the initial excitement of seeing new and unfamiliar faces he/she will settle down and likely return to their normal routine.

In a holiday environment the hustle and bustle seemingly never ends.  You enter the home, visit for a few moments, go into the kitchen to help prepare, unwrap presents, and a whole lot of other holiday fun.  This holiday fun is stressful for a dog that might not know what is going on around him/her.

There are some things you can do to stay safe and keep the dog from biting any of the new guests.

1. Keep the dog leashed.  It may seem awkward to keep your dog on a leash in his/her own home, but while the chaos is happening around him, it may be best for the dog and your guests.
2. Ask your guests to not crowd the dog, even if she is very cute.
3. Avoid feeding the dog human food because this will indicate to the dog that he can approach all guests for the same kind of food you give to him which could lead to agitation and biting.
4. If your dog is not particularly good around new people, you might consider keeping him in another room while company is there.

Whatever you decide, please remember that while the holiday season is hectic for you, it is equally hectic for your K9 friends and if they are experiencing chaos, they are more likely to bite and cause a New Haven dog bite injury.

If you are visiting with someone and experience an injury, contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your case to ensure your long-term interests are protected.