Jim Johnston a retired academic raised addressed an interesting issue on the Quora (www.quora.com) website.
Can dog’s actually smell fear and if so, how?
The considered theory is that a fear reaction changes human chemistry in a way dogs might detect. Individual dogs could learn to spot this without having to undergo explicit training as it would be in their interests to do so.
However Jim takes the view that if dogs react to human fear reactions it is on the basis of visual clues associated with human behaviour. When people are afraid their behaviour often changes in some common ways regardless of other varying circumstances. Muscles can tense up, breathing change and movements become quicker.
Dogs are very sensitive to subtle aspects of human behaviour and likely to react especially because such circumstances in the past have had a significant impact on the dog’s behaviour.
Jim concludes that “smelling fear” is just an expression.
Says Dog bite and injury specialist James McNally:
There is always a reason why dogs attack. From dealing with hundreds of these claims over the years we have seen every type of situation and have seen the most placid and gentle dog suddenly turn and bite without warning. It can seem a bit of a mystery but when you look at the facts of the case or discuss them with one of the canine behaviourists we work alongside you can identify that the dog was put in a situation or scenario and was reacting to a particular set of circumstances. Dog owners can often be criticised for not taking the time to learn how to identify when a dog is feeling scared of threatened and being able to react accordingly. If more dog owners had this knowledge they could prevent many of the dog attacks we have to deal with from happening.
If you have been a victim of a dog bite attack and wish to claim compensation for your injuries as well as looking to recover your out of pocket expenses contact dog bite solicitors without delay for No Win No Fee legal advice. Either email [email protected] or phone free on 0333 888 0435.