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Written by Admin
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Thursday, 24 November 2005 |
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Page 3 of 7
The most dangerous thing that can be done as humans is to anthropomorphize an
animal. Animals are often given attributes such as "loyal", "cute", and
"guardian", but these all have the potential to lure people into a false sense
of security.
As evidenced by their attacks on other creatures, both wild and domestic dogs
are superpredators. Their sharp teeth and powerful jaws can inflict serious
injuries; their sharp claws have powerful muscles behind them. Scratches from
dogs are easily infected. Even a boisterous dog of adequate size can knock down
a person and possibly cause serious injury although there was no intent on the
part of the animal. A single large dog, or a group of medium-sized dogs are
capable of seriously injuring or killing an adult human.
Education for adults and children, animal training, selective breeding for
temperament, and society's intolerance for dangerous animals combine to reduce
the incidence of attacks and accidents involving humans and dogs. However,
improperly managed confrontations can lead to severe injury from even the most
well-tempered dog, much like most humans can be incited to violence given
sufficient provocation.
Ignoring a dog's warning bark can be very dangerous. A wagging tail indicates an
attempt to communicate excitement, but a territorial dog may wag its tail at a
chance to defend its home. A highly disturbed dog may sometimes emit confusing
or misleading signals, much like humans can be difficult to read or misleading.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 November 2005 )
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