According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), over $413 million was paid out in 2010 via liability claims due to dog bites. Making up over 1/3 of all liability claims, dog bites are easily one of the most common claims filed.

Although the number of dog bite claims decreased in 2010, with 15,770 compared to 16,596 in 2009, these claims are still very widespread and are causing homeowners to pay more for insurance.

You are protected against liability claims if you have that type of liability insurance. The good news: Most people do. However, after someone files a dog bite claim against you and is rewarded a monetary settlement (average around $30,000), your insurance rates are going to go up, and as by law in most states, your dog will need to be anesthetized. So not only do you lose money, but you could lose a member of your family by having your pet destroyed.

In order to avoid the heart-breaking loss and the insurance increases, let’s look at a few things you can do to keep your dog from biting people on your property.

How to Keep Your Dog Leashed

Signs First

The truth of the matter is that in this day and age, you could have a “Beware of Dog” sign and still be found liable in court if someone is bitten on your property. Blame the litigators for this. However, research shows that a sign is a huge deterrent. Putting up multiple signs to let people know that you have a dog will work in most cases to keep people off of your property.

Training Courses

Your pet may seem friendly, and most pets are… until they’re not. A large chunk of dog bite claims are filed by people the dog knows. But since they’re not considered to be masters by the dog, the dog will bite when it feels threatened, and that can be to any one of a number of reasons.

Even if you think your puppy is the sweetest thing in the world, it’s still a good idea to attend some obedience courses. If anything, you will be able to heel the dog before it bites.

Make Personal Space

As we just spoke about with people who just “know” their dogs are friendly, you can just never tell. If you have guests coming over or if people sometimes come into your yard, make sure to put the dog either on a leash or inside – this way there is little risk of anyone being attacked.

Owners are found liable in thousands of dog bite incidents every year because it is something that is easily avoided. If your dog is well-trained and kept away from people, there is little risk. Follow these tips to insure your rates stay low and your pets stay safe.