Should I Have My Dog Trained While Living In Arizona?

Referred to as man’s best friend, dogs are wonderful companions that can be amazingly helpful for physical and emotional support. Canines can be specially trained to retrieve objects, guard people and property against intruders, and obey simple commands. Animals can have very different personalities and temperaments, with dogs being no exception. Some dogs are very well behaved and don’t need much training to act appropriately around humans. Other dogs aren’t so kind. Since canines are a big responsibility and have the potential to harm others, should you have your dog professionally trained if you’re going to be living in Arizona?

The Dangers Of An Ill-Behaved Dog In Arizona

Arizona law is very much concerned with making sure the victim of an unprovoked dog bite is compensated for their injuries. Regardless of any previous behavior a dog has exhibited, a dog owner is responsible for any damages or injuries their animal inflicts on someone else. The only exceptions to this law are if someone has provoked the animal, or if they’re attacked while trespassing on the dog owner’s property. But if you were visiting a person’s house and their normally mild-mannered pet attacks you, the owner is responsible for your medical bills. Seek the counsel of an experienced Arizona dog bite attorney if this has happened to you.

How Does Training Help Dogs To Behave Better?

Animals work off of instinct, with one of those key instincts being fear. When dogs attack humans, they mostly do so out of that fear. Training and the proper socializing for an animal can help them remove that fear of people, allowing them to react in a more peaceful and accepting manner. The younger that this training is done, the better. If you do have an older dog, it’s even more important to have them work with a professional trainer, as their instinctive reactions are going to be much harder to overcome. You don’t have to hire a trainer in order to ensure your dog develops stronger behavioral patterns, but if you don’t have the time or knowledge to encourage healthy behaviors in your pet, you should consult a trainer.

Will A Well-Trained Dog Always Behave?

Unfortunately, even the best-trained animals can sometimes act in a manner that we don’t expect. That’s why you should always treat animals with respect and ensure that people around your animal treat it with the same respect. This is especially true with children. What a child views as playing with a dog, the animal may view as an act of aggression. This could result in a dog trying to defend itself through biting. Adults can find themselves in this situation too as many people will try getting close to a dog’s face. That can also be seen as an aggressive act by a dog, resulting in the potential for a dangerous bite. Since incidents like this may or may not be seen as provoking an attack, you should consult with a personal injury attorney, familiar with dog bite attacks, if this has happened to you.

Bitten By A Dog In Arizona? Contact ELG Law

Ultimately, it’s up to you whether or not you want to train your dog. If you want to try to minimize the chances of your dog biting another person, it may very well be in your best interest to seek out a licensed trainer. You do not want to end up being responsible for the actions of your dog and the medical bills that can come with a bite your pet inflicts. However, if you’re on the receiving end of one of those bites, your medical bills should be covered by the owner of the animal responsible for them. Call ELG Law at (623) 877-3600 and receive a free consultation on your case. Dogs can be man’s best friend, but when they turn into your worst enemy, ELG Law is there to help.