From time to time we read headlines like – “Pit Bull Mauls Schoolgirl” or “Mailman Attacked By Dog.”

These are terrible acts committed by some of the most uncared for and untrained dogs. It’s also sad because it causes certain breeds to get a bad reputation. It’s the whole theory – ‘1 bad apple spoils the bunch’. It really should be ‘1 negligent pet owner spoils the rest’.

But based on your feedback and in order to find solutions, I decided to interview animal expert – Eric Letendre.

Here’s how the interview went…

Me: Tell me a little bit about yourself?

Eric: My name is Eric Letendre and I’ve been training dogs for the past 18 years. One of my first “real” jobs was working security for a large hospital in Hartford, CT. It was a huge security department.

The security department had a K-9 unit which I was chosen to work for. I ended up working on the K-9 unit for seven years and became the K-9 supervisor which gave me some great opportunities to work with a lot of trainers; some good, some not so good.

I then went on to become director of training at one of Connecticut’s largest training facilities.

After working there for a couple of years I opened my own business which I ran for 12 years before selling last year.

Me: What one piece of advice would you give to every pet owner?

Eric: Start training early – as young as eight weeks old. Also, train your dog using positive reinforcement.

Me: Recently, we’ve had some dog attacks in So Cal. What can someone do to prevent a dog attack?

Eric: As an animal control officer, I once jumped over a fence and landed in a yard with two of the biggest rotties you’ve ever seen. My first reaction was to run – which would have been a big mistake.

If you are confronted by a strange dog, it is best to stay calm. Don’t look the dog directly in the eye but don’t take your eyes off of him either. The worst thing to do is turn your back on him.

Dogs that bite are generally classified as fear biters or prey driven biters. A fear biter really does not want a confrontation but they will use aggression to control the situation. They will take a bite when they feel that they have a clear shot at getting away with it; kind of like a sucker punch.

The prey driven biter wants you to run. You’ll never win. So, when confronted with either type of biter you want to stay calm, keep an eye on the dog, and try to back out of the situation. If the dog starts to advance, firmly say the command “SIT.”

Most dogs have learned the command sit. It can sometimes put you in control of the situation. When I jumped into the yard with the rotties, every part of me wanted to scream and run out of the yard like a scared schoolgirl.

However, the trained rational side of me told me to stand my ground and keep an eye on them. As they moved towards me I loudly commanded “SIT” like I was their owner. They didn’t sit but they did stop and look at me which gave me enough time to do a swan dive back over the fence.

Me: What should someone do if they’re being attacked?

Eric: Hopefully this never happens to any of your readers. I have been attacked a few times and it is often worse emotionally than it is physically. Emotional scars take a lot longer to heal than physical scars.

If attacked, do everything you can to protect your vital areas. Let the dog bite the outer surfaces of your body.

The outside of your forearm is probably the safest. Try to stay on your feet, if you fall to the ground roll yourself into a tight ball.

Me: How can someone get your book or courses?

Eric: They can go to your website, TheStudlyPooch.com, scroll down until they see my logo, click on it and they will get access to my book and products.

Me: Anything else you’d like to add?

Eric: When they go to the website they can get my free ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior.” They can also get tons of dog training videos, articles, and tips.

(END)

Please – as always I would love to hear your feedback and any ideas you have for future articles.

You can reach me at wes@thestudlypooch.com or 310-376-7033. Thank you.