Safety Tailgate
When Dogs and Arborists Meet Navigating Dog Encounters for Arborists By Jeff Thierbach, BCMAU, CTSP, RCA Dawn Thierbach, Certified Arborist, CTSP, RCA Margaret Hebert, Certified Arborist & Municipal Specialist, CTSP
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Dogs are beloved family pets for many, but even the most well-trained dogs can feel frightened or threatened under certain circumstances. Arborists often encounter dogs on job sites, some of which may not be happy, friendly, or well-trained. After learning about a line clearance company that had 52 dog bites report- ed in one year, Streamside Green, LLC recognized the importance of address- ing this safety issue. Jeff Thierbach, as a Safety Director and Utility Specialist for many years, had encountered this problem first-hand. He decided not only to incorporate this into his safety meet- ings but also to conduct a webinar on the subject. The webinar highlighted the wide- spread nature of the issue: a survey revealed that 100% of participants, instructors included, had encountered aggressive dogs and many had experi- enced bites. This issue was important enough to the US Postal Service that it instituted a National Dog Bite Awareness Cam- paign . It might be time for arborists to pursue something similar. In the mean- time, we offer this article as a starting point. UNDERSTANDING DOG BEHAVIOR If there is a dog on the property, it likely already knows that you’re there. Dogs not only have better hearing and smell than humans, but their highly developed visual cortex gives them a greater ability to detect even the slight-
Regardless of breed, any dog can exhibit aggressive behavior if it is fearful or protective of its property and people.
est motion. Whether you encounter a happy or aggressive dog, remember that you are on its territory. Fear, as well as protection of its home, people, or toys are just a couple of reasons that dogs can exhibit aggressive behaviors, and all can result in a bite. If a barking, growling, snarling dog approaches you: •Avoid eye contact. Dogs may inter-
pret direct eye contact as a chal- lenge. •Do not run. Stand still, shake a hat or piece of clothing, and make loud noises while slowly backing away. •Assume a defensive posture. Raise your knee to shield yourself and be ready to push the dog away. Use any available object, such as a stick, tool, or jacket, to protect yourself while retreating.
64 | ArborTIMES™ Winter 2025
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