- Pit bulls are known to attack humans under certain circumstances, and facing a pit bull in this instance can be terrifying
- Briefly News spoke to dog behaviourist George Van Huyssteen, who advised what to do should a pit bull attack you
- He also pointed out the causes that could lead a pit bull to attack a human
Pit bulls have recently come under the microscope after they killed some South Africans. At some point, this resulted in people calling for a ban on breeding dogs, or, in some extreme cases, to put them down because of how dangerous they are perceived to be.
But what do we do when faced with an imminent pit bull attack, and what can we do if we are under attack? Briefly News spoke to George Van Huyssteen.
Van Huyssteen has a diploma in canine behaviour and training, animal behaviour and ethology through the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) and explains how to avoid an attack and what to do when under attack.
1. Avoid making eye contact
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According to Van Huysteen, pit bulls don’t show much emotion and go from resting contently to full attack in a second, sometimes.
If a person sees a pit bull terrier and is unsure if it wants to attack, avoid making eye contact or screaming, and speak calmly and softly when asking for help.
2. Look out for the signs
Signs that a pit bull is about to attack are hard stares and direct eye contact. You can look at his legs and chest. They might attempt to look as big as possible, and some might show their front teeth.
3. Don't make any sudden movements
Van Huysteen suggested to avoid making sudden moves or leaning over the dog.
This could lead to an unprovoked attack.
What to do when a pit bull attacks
Don’t make sudden movements or lean over the dog. Should the dog still attack, try as hard as possible to get something like a dustbin between you and the dog. If you cannot find anything and he gets hold of you, you can stick your fingers in his eyes or thumbs into the sides of his mouth and pull back as hard as possible to prevent the teeth from sinking into you.
Why pit bulls attack people
Van Huyssteen said that some of the reasons why pit bulls attack people is that they might get a fright and be in a bad mood. Abusive training methods and ownership can end in a pit bull terrier disliking people, and a lack of socialisation is another possibility.
The bottom line is that a human-aggressive pit bull terrier is a hazardous animal, and a child or woman who is not physically strong will have no chance against a full-on attack from a pit bull terrier.
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