Dealing with dangerous dogs, like dealing with difficult people, is an Occupational Health and Safety issue of special interest to PMOs. For PMOs dealing with dangerous dogs presents very real risks of personal stress and injury.

In 1994, the results of a small survey on the subject of dog attacks and OH&S was published.¹ Safety officers from ten private and public sector businesses from Southeast Queensland were interviewed. The businesses were chosen because they were likely to have employees who were attacked by dogs. All reported dog attack incidents. But only 40% provided bite avoidance training or protective equipment or clothing; only 20% had made provision for dog bite injuries in their safety planning.

One business (a city council) recorded six workers compensation claims per year from dog attacks. But it had made no provision for safety planning, protective equipment or clothing, or safety training to reduce the compensation figure. This kind of approach doesnít appear to fit with the basic philosophy of OH&S.

There is no point in trying to write down here what to do in every potential dangerous dog circumstance. The job would be never ending. In any case, training using a book or in a classroom would never achieve more than about 50% competence. The rest of the learning can only be achieved by doing it!

It comes down to practice. If you do it every day, and if you are smart, you get very good at it. There are two ways to get the practice:

ï traineeship (instruction, assistance and confidence building)

ï cold turkey (ëThere you go! Good luck!í and a pat on the back.)

In OH&S terms, the latter of these approaches is unacceptable. And yet this is what most employers do.

Anyone who has to deal hands-on with someone elseís dog has a difficult task. They must understand instinctively what the risk factors mean when they are all presented at once. You canít go away to get the book out and swat up on what it all means. Even if you know what is in the book, putting it all together takes experience. But you can arm yourself by understanding some of the general risk factors.

So what are the risk factors? What are all the things that you have to size up (right there and then) to avoid the crunch? How can you frame a safety routine?

We think the six Ss of the dog bite safety routine are as follows:

ï signalment

Sex, age and breed have a lot to do with what is going to happen when dogs are approached by strangers. You are thinking the right way if you start by taking in these things.

ï signs

Body language is the big give-away. What is the dog telling you? Is it saying: ëI am fearful.í, ëI am confident.í, ëI am pleased to meet you.í, or ëI am uncertain and I havenít made up my mind yet.í?

ï situation

With aggression, there are a number of location triggers that can be quickly assessed. Where or how are you and the dog situated?

Reading the first three Ss of a dog attack scenario; signalment, signs and situation; comes automatically with practice. You know how to behave once these things have been mentally computed. There comes a stage when you donít have to mentally tick off the signalment, signs and situation as you take it all in. But you still do it unconsciously and your built-in caution buzzers let you know when care is required.

ï senses

With signalment, signs and situation, there are always going to be variations of the normal pattern. Donít ever take any of these three Ss at absolute face value. You also have to keep your senses sharp. Without being tense, be tuned up whenever dealing with someone elseís dog. A momentary hostile glance may be the only warning you get, especially from an experienced dominant aggressive dog. The Cocker Spaniel that gives no warning cues at all, may bite you hard on the face when you try to pick it up.

ï style

Style is how you conduct yourself. Style is all about thinking from the dogís point of view. If you look confident and capable but non-threatening and non-challenging, even a dominant dog will think twice before taking you on. How you walk, the manner of your speech, where you look, what you wear, what you carry and how your back is protected can all be practised to convey the right message. It is good practice to check out the situation before going in eg. ask a neighbour, check out the sturdiness and height of the fence, and look for a safe exit path.

ï strategy

It is important to have a strategy for dealing with a dog known to be aggressive. The five Ss above are mainly about how to avoid being attacked. Strategy is about how to avoid being bitten when under attack.

Erik Zimen recounted an extremely alarming situation in which he found himself literally face to face with a very angry, fully mature, alpha male wolf that was standing with his forepaws on his shoulders and a full set of exposed teeth inches from his face.² Zimen (who knew the wolf well and had previously not been challenged) had the presence of mind to keep his hands by his sides and talk his way out of the situation. Which he did!

One of us once had a similar experience with a Great Dane. Intuition suggested that, unlike the wolf, he wasnít open to sweet reason.

For further insights, click to see:

ï More about signs, situation and strategy of the dog bite safety routine

ï What to do when a Great Dane attacks

Some dogs are worrying; but often the greatest source of PMO stress is caused by the people who own the dogs.

1. Wilks J, Davey P, Andrews G. 1994. Dog attack injuries: an emerging issue in workplace health and safety. Journal Occupational Health and Safety - Aust NZ 10(4): 359-362.

2. Zimen E. 1981. The Wolf: his place in the natural world. London: Souvenir Press.