A renowned dog-expert is warning residents of isolated communities to be on the lookout for dog attacks.
Teresa Lewin is an animal behavior specialist and the owner of the website “Doggone Safe”.
She says spring-time is an especially dangerous time for dog-attacks in Canada.
She explains that with the warm weather kids have started to play more outside and feral dogs have often started to have puppies.
Lewin toured some communities in Northern Saskatchewan a few years ago and says she was struck by how friendly some of the stray dogs were with the kids:
“Beside playing with them I think they’re giving them little snacks. The problem is when they don’t have any snacks or when they’re ignoring these dogs, they can be pushy, and if they want something they will take it.”
She advises kids to stay still and act like a tree if they are bit.
Lewin says dogs will often head-butt at first or pinch with their teeth hoping to get a response.
She says most people’s instincts are to scream and flap their hands but she says this will charge the dog up even more.
Lewin says she survived a dog attack herself by utilizing this method.