Seems these days that homeowner insurance companies are looking to various regional and national reports of dog bite incidences to base their rates and/or exclusion policies. Regardless of how they are researching the data for their choices, your purebred or mixed-breed dog may suddenly be excluded from your policy.  Read more here.

To reduce the chances of a claim being made as result of your dog’s doing:

1. Desensitize your dog to those things that trigger fear.

2. If your dog is protective of your house, prevent him from having contact with strangers entering the home. Crate training.

3. Get your dog out on a walk, every day, to burn off energy, experience new smells, and get used to all the new and exciting things that are happening out there.

4. Encourage your dog to engage in activities with you where he will earn rewards. Obedience, agility or trick training where the dog learns that his actions will gain him food, toy or play rewards will create a dog who has more predictable behavior and is secure in his environment.