First, controlling a dog’s jumping habit around guests provides a gentle, safe environment. Yvette Van Veen, a professional animal behavior consultant, states, “Should the dog jump up gently move the dog away from guests” (Veen). Gently moving a dog away from guests can make them feel more safe and comfortable when visiting a home containing pets. Moreover, it is probable that small children are more at risk of harm around a jumping dog. Yvette Van Veen explains, “Stop children from running and teach them the rules. Young ones should never run in the presence of dogs. It can trigger predatory behavior that can be deadly” (Veen). Keeping children from exciting the dog will prevent behavior that could result in someone getting hurt, in turn, creating a more calm environment. Additionally, many things can make a dog excited; preventing these distractions can aid in a stable environment. Yvette Van Veen states, “This happens because a dog faces a series of distractions all of which tempt them to jump. The dog must face the approach, reaching, leaning, petting, and sometimes squealing, cooing, and leg slapping. Despite best intentions, most dogs lose control somewhere along the line” (Veen). These distractions may cause a dog to feel overwhelmed, so it is important that they be prevented in order to maintain a comfortable environment. A calm environment involving a dog can be …show more content…
Sometimes a safety risk in jumping dogs is not foreseeable. Ed Wesoloski explains, “The dogs proclivity to jump on the door was not abnormal for a dog, was not inherently dangerous, nor was it foreseeable that the dog's behavior was likely to cause injury” (Wesoloski). The fact that a trial was necessary in this situation proves that very serious consequences can arise from a jumping dog. Moreover, there are times when a friendly dog is seen as aggressive because of playful behavior. Annabel Grossman states, “Even a friendly dog may jump up or even put it’s teeth around a person’s arm, just because it is being playful. But even if it doesn't break the skin, this could be seen as threatening” (Grossman). This proves that playful dogs are misunderstood and thought of as aggressive or threatening when really their intentions are good. Additionally, the Dangerous Dog Act focused their attention on playful dogs and the way they are perceived. Annabel Grossman explains, “A friendly dog may bark and lunge at someone when they approach the front door. This might not be aggressive behavior, but it could be seen as threatening. The New Act states that a dog does not have to bite to be deemed dangerous - a person can simply feel that the dog may injure them” (Grossman). Therefore, a playful dog