Dogs and Your Family: What You Should Know About Dog Biting Behavior
When dogs bite, they most often bite children under the age of four. The bite occurs due to the manner in which the child and the dog react to their environment. Very small children often have little to no understanding that their actions can cause others physical pain, and dogs do not make allowances for children’s behavior like humans do. A child who does not understand how to play nice with animals has invaded the dog’s safety zone. The animal feels threatened and will react instinctually.
Even beloved family pets can become a biting dog when they feel threatened. It is so important for dog owners to understand (and for parents to explain to their children) that dogs are not little four-legged people in fur coats. Dogs are animals with thoughts and motivations completely alien to human understanding.
In Missouri, dog bite lawyers need to show that the victim of the dog attack did not intentionally provoke the dog and that they were lawfully present on the property at the time of the attack. This is called a strict liability view. It means that as long as these two conditions are met, dog owners are fully liable for the actions of their pets. Missouri’s dog bite law is this way for two main reasons.
First, any dog can bite at anytime, and any breed of dog can bite anyone. In fact, Dachshunds are actually the breed responsible for biting people most often. Dog bite attorneys should not have to prove that the dog that attacked someone showed prior aggressive behavior. It used to be that the first person a dog bit was “free.” Now, one dog bite victim, especially if it’s a child, is enough to hold the owner responsible.
Second, biting behavior is mostly caused by poor training by the dog’s owner. For example, Pit Bulls were not bred to be guard dogs, but to interact (albeit fight) with other animals. If a Pit Bull owner leaves the dog alone and isolated, it never receives the socialization it needs to live safely with humans. Any aggressive behavior is then the owner’s fault, and it would still be the owners fault if the attacking dog in question was a Chihuahua.
When dogs bite, it can be confusing and traumatic. If you or your child has been the victim of a dog attack, you should have a talented dog bite attorney by your side in this difficult time. Contact the experienced St. Louis dog bite lawyers at Page Law today. A live person will be available 24 hours a day for a free consultation with no obligation. Call (314) 241-2273 today.
