Los Angeles, CA — Dog Trainer, author and aggressive dog expert, Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis, is on a mission to educate dog owners and people who work with dogs about canine aggression. “The signs are always there if a dog has the potential to harm humans and animals,” says Margolis. “Owners and many professionals play canine roulette by ignoring the obvious indicators.”

About 20% of total homeowners' insurance liability payouts in the United States each year are dog bite related. In 1999 that amount was $310 million. The total annual cost of dog bites is well over a billion dollars. “I don’t agree with banning breeds to reduce these costs because I have seen aggressive and non-aggressive temperaments in every breed,” emphasizes Margolis, “but dog owners and untrained professionals have created this problem by not understanding dog behavior and ignoring obvious signs that trouble is on the way.”

Matthew’s list of obvious signs of aggression include

• Growling
• Snarling
• Curling lips
• Mounting people
• Lunging
• Snapping
• Blocking your path
• Barking aggressively
• Biting (even if it does not break the skin)

“I have never understood parents who put their children including infants in harms way day in and day out by exposing their families to dangerous dogs,” says this often outspoken, sometimes irreverent trainer. “I know this is an epidemic because I get the phone calls and e-mails every day from people who ignored the problem until the family dog attacked a child or someone older. Then it’s too late and the system takes over.”

A perfect example is a woman who called Uncle Matty about her adult Beagle. The dog had been allowed on the bed and eventually the bed became the dog’s territory. Whenever the woman moved the dog off the bed, the dog growled. This should have been an indication of things to come, but the signs were ignored. Eventually the dog bit the woman in the face, not once but twice. This will not be the last time this dog attacks and next time it could be someone else.

Of course, the key problem is the pain and suffering of the victim, not to mention the financial exposure, loss of insurance and loss of the dog faced by the dog’s owner. There are many types of aggression according to Margolis who admits some can be helped and some cannot.

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Please Credit

Uncle Matty is host of the PBS Series, WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life. He has been a trainer for more than 35 years, is an aggressive dog expert and a best-selling pet author. www.unclematty.com 

For an Interview

Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is available for telephone interviews and personal appearances about this and other dog-related topics.ddress and put Uncle Matty Interview in the subject line: mediarelations@unclematty.com or call 480-609-3582.