'Dog bites are 100% preventable' | Owner responsibility is key in preventing dog attacks, trainers say – KHOU.com

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HOUSTON, Texas — Galveston police are investigating an attack that happened Wednesday afternoon involving two pit bull mixes. They have one of the dogs in their custody, and at last check, they were still looking for the second.
Dog trainers said attacks like these really only happen when the pup’s owner is irresponsible. 
Though the entire attack was over in just minutes, those minutes will stay with John Jones forever. 
“It’s always going to be a constant reminder that I need to definitely be aware of my surroundings,” Jones said. 
RELATED: ‘They’d have killed my John’ | Man hospitalized after dog attack in Galveston
Galveston police have identified the pitbull mix dogs, saying one of them has been involved in previous biting incidents. Police have issued several citations already to one of the dog’s owners and said more charges will be coming.
“Almost always when I see any kind of any issue with a dog, a dog attack or whatever, it’s because it’s an irresponsible dog owner situation,” said Stephanie Bennett, owner and director of training of Believe in DOG Training.
Bennett says pit bulls get a bad rap and that’s because of irresponsible owners. 
“A puppy is typically not born aggressive, right? Little puppies. But if they are not given what they need, and they are abused, or neglected, or tortured or anything like that, then, we’re certainly going to start having these kinds of issues,” Bennett said. 
RELATED: Pit bulls slated for euthanasia are given new lives with veterans
She said her business often gets calls about training aggressive dogs of any breed and said allowing the dog to communicate and understand what it’s saying can keep it from acting out.
“Ninety percent of those calls, especially when they call first and they say growling, lip lifting, all of that is about fear, and that’s communication,” Bennett said. “I think dog bites are 100% preventable if we’re just responsible dog owners.”
Michael Curran with Houston Dog Behavior trains pups and their owners virtually.
“Because it’s 90% training the humans,” Curran said. 
He said aggressive behavior can stem from both nature and nurture, saying some dogs, whatever breed they are, are genetically predisposed to aggression, so that’s where the owner can help. 
“You can have the worst set-up dog as far as genetics, but they can be the sweetest dog on the planet if the nurture element is addressed,” Curran said.
Both trainers said if you’re starting to see any signs of aggression or uncharacteristic behavior, it may not be a bad idea to ask an expert. 
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