Each year dog bites 4.5 million people. That’s 1 out of every 200 dog owners!
This is a huge problem that needs to be addressed to prevent dog bites.
Training your dog to avoid dog biting people is necessary, but there are many other things you need to do as well.
Socialising and providing structure for their development will help with the prevention of dog bite incidents.
A good reason for having a trained dog is because it helps them socialise and have more confidence about their behaviour around others – they can interact without being fearful or aggressive.
Table of Contents
- 5 Main Reasons Dogs Bite
- 11 Dog Bite Warning Signs
- Don’t Make Assumptions
- Spay or Neuter Your Dog
- Train Your Dog
- Socialize Your Dog
- Be Aware of Body Language
- Don’t Stop a Dog’s Growls
- Getting to know your dog
- Managing a dog with behavior challenges
- Working with your dog
- FAQs from readers.
5 Main Reasons Dogs Bite
1. Removing Possessiveness Can Prevent Dog Bites.
A lot of people keep dogs to protect their property, but they sometimes struggle with this job.
The dog may be guarding something that is not even theirs like a toy, or the dog could have been taught to protect their food dish, and now they are biting people when you reach for it.
The solution can be as simple as giving them an object of your own that smells just like you (a sock, shirt etc.), which will make their possessiveness subside.
If this does not work, try using other tricks such as feeding them from behind a gate not to see what they’re eating or distracting them with treats while reaching in for the dog’s bowl/toy/food dish.
Possessiveness can come out in many situations, but if we remove these things, there is no reason.
2. Dog Fear/Provoked Can Cause Dog Bites.
Fear usually occurs toward strangers such as delivery drivers and postal workers or in unfamiliar situations.
This can be solved by the owner bringing their dog to these places and letting them get used to it.
The solution is not as easy for people with a phobia of dogs, but they should always try and keep eye contact or even take a decisive step towards the animal while showing that they are in control.
Do not force your dog to get too close if they are showing any signs of fear.
Turn them around, so their tail is between them and what they’re afraid of, then encourage them to ‘sit’.
If you want to go forward with this process more slowly, try first using something that smells good, like popcorn, for example, to lure the dog closer.
Successfully getting past their fears will help prevent future bites by giving him/his own space from which he feels comfortable.
3. Dog pain can cause a dog to bite someone.
Dogs often bite because of pain.
Dogs need medical attention for any injuries, no matter how small they may seem to you or if the dog is acting okay, so a vet can determine what’s wrong and treat it accordingly as soon as possible.
If your pet starts behaving differently while having an injury that they have had before, there could be something more serious wrong, and you should get the dog to a vet right away.
Dogs are often very dependent on their owners, making them make terrible decisions regarding how they behave with others.
The best thing that an owner can do is help the animal understand what’s expected of them, not just by punishing destructive behaviours.
4. Maternal Instincts Can Cause Dog Bites.
A well-trained dog can quickly turn into a biter when she has puppies. Maternal instincts come into play here, and the dog will defend her litter at all costs.
The best way to stop this from happening is by getting an animal behaviourist between bites or taking precautions like keeping children away from pups not to agitate the mother.
5. Prey Drive Can Cause Dog Bites.
Another instinct to be aware of is triggered when a runner or bicycle rider passes a dog resulting in a chase.
It’s not uncommon for dogs to bite when they are touched in a specific area of their body.
This is usually the neck or back end but can happen anywhere that an owner might pet them.
If you have a dog who does this, take steps to train them out of it and stay away from these areas altogether.
11 Dog Bite Warning Signs
Dog bites can happen for several reasons, and some are hard to predict.
As such, we must know the warning signs so they don’t occur in our own homes or with us as victims!
- The dog appears tense and stiff, its ears are back, lips are tightly pursed together and the tail is tucked. The dog anticipates anything that might come toward it and could snap if pushed into a corner.
- The dog is puffed up and tense, with ears upright and likely staring at you. This dog is trying to intimidate and will fight if provoked.
- If the dog is growling, but not showing any signs of play, like a play bow, assume that they are being aggressive.
- When a dog lifts their lip to show teeth or bares all of their teeth, they are usually showing signs of aggression.
- If the dog is stalking you and has a stiff body and an intense stare, it could be indicating a higher chance of biting.
- A dog staring with tense body language can be a challenge and sign of aggression.
- Dogs who are in pain may resort to biting, even by a fearful dog.
- A dog is chewing on a bone, or has another favorite toy and you don’t know for certain that the dog isn’t guarding him/her.
- When going into the home of a dog you do not know, crate them beforehand except if they are well-known to be comfortable around strangers.
- Anytime you are trying to break up a fight, or handle hostility while there is any tendency for violence, it should be handled as carefully as possible.
- Punishing a dog for exhibiting natural protective behaviors can trigger more aggression in the dog.
Don’t Make Assumptions
It’s easy to make assumptions about the dogs in our lives. Dog behaviour is complex and individual, which means that what may be appropriate for one dog isn’t necessarily a reliable tactic for all canines.
Dog owners should always take time to educate themselves on how their own canine behaves around strangers. Hence, they know when it might be necessary to use caution with certain behaviours or expectations of the animal.
Assumptions are risky business – don’t do it!
– Dog Owners Should Be Educated On How Their Dog Behaves Around Strangers To Know When It Might Be Necessary To Use Caution With Certain Behaviors Or Expectations Of The Animal
– Punishing A Dog For Exhibiting Natural Protective Behavior Can Lead To Issues With Fear And Aggression
– Punishing A Dog For Barking Can Lead To An Increase In Repetitive Noise Complaints From Neighbors, Which Is The Number One Reason That Dogs Are Tired Of Or Killed In Shelters
Too often, people are bitten by dogs because they assume their dog won’t bite.
Would you please not assume that a dog is a specific breed or size or because it’s never shown aggression in the past? A dog will bite.
Given the right circumstances, any dog has the potential to bite.
Spay or Neuter Your Dog
There are several good reasons to spay or neuter your dog and a few bad ones.
The most important reason to spay or neuter your dog is that it can reduce his tendency to roam, which reduces the risk of getting hit by cars or attacked by other animals.
It also eliminates the possibility of a female being bred repeatedly and suffering from complications associated with pregnancy such as uterine cancer and mammary tumours and eliminating her chance for bearing puppies who may be subject to health problems due to over breeding.
Spaying or neutering will help prevent many diseases, including prostate disease, testicular cancer, perianal fistulas and ovarian cysts.
There are some negative reasons not to spay or neuter your dog: first, you’ll have one less thing he might kill around your
Train Your Dog
An obedient dog is easier to control than a nasty dog bite you. Training provides a couple of benefits:
Pets who are obedient also enjoy a better quality of life.
They’re less likely to be neglected, and they’ll have greater access to food, water, shelter and veterinary care when needed.
An obedient dog is more accessible for people with disabilities or those with limited mobility to live with because the animal won’t try to drag them around on walks or pull them towards things.
An obedient dog means your visits from the vet will probably be shorter.
Obedience training reduces barking, which can reduce stress-related illnesses in humans like heart attacks and other problems such as respiratory infections that happen more often due to harsh chemicals released by pet dander during moments of high excitement.
Your veterinarian might suggest obedience training if you mention
Socialize Your Dog
A well-socialized dog is a happier and healthier one too.
Socialising your dog means exposing them to new people, places, sounds, animals, objects and other situations when they’re young so that they can learn how to behave appropriately in the future.
This process helps dogs develop skills such as being able to walk on lead without pulling or lunging at distractions like people or bikes passing by
A. Staying calm while kids are playing ball nearby
B. Coming when called instead of running off after smells or sights
C. Accepting handling from strangers who might need to examine him for health concerns etc.
D. Greeting visitors politely instead of jumping upon them.
Be Aware of Body Language
A dog who is afraid or unhappy about having its territory invaded has the potential to bite.
Bared teeth, raised hackles, or lowered head is signed a dog is uncomfortable and may bite.
If you notice a dog displaying this type of body language, give it some space and advise others.
Remove your dog from the situation as soon as you feel safe to do so.
Give it space and give others some slack if you’re uncomfortable with a dog’s presence.
Do not take pictures of yourself.
If you have any family members or other animals nearby to interact with, a dog in public could trigger their fear response (i.e., another animal they want to chase).
When dogs are left behind at home alone all day while owners work out during business hours.
Don’t Stop a Dog’s Growls
Your dog growls to let you know it is uncomfortable with people or situations.
It is a warning signal that it may bite. Often we don’t allow dogs to communicate with us without warning.
We should be teaching our dog how to behave better than growling at someone or in a situation you don’t know when a person is coming up with it.
The training will help the dog and may save their lives, Dr Terence Jordon says.
He says dog training will stop growling in a given situation until you are more comfortable and learn how to control it.
Jordon: It’s a great idea to teach your dog how to behave better than gowning at somebody or in situations like the one you don’t know when someone is coming over within.
Getting to know your dog
Your dog’s body language is subtle, so you’ll need to be able to learn how to read it.
Dog growls are a way for your dog to communicate that he feels threatened or frightened by someone.
Punishing the growling does not change the underlying emotional state that causes this behaviour. Still, it can teach him not to communicate with you in other ways-sometimes even more dangerous ones!
To see what you need to know about body language and how you can avoid biting your dog at a time when you’re in the process of doing something wrong with them.
Managing a dog with behavior challenges
Management is an essential part of working on changing a dog’s behaviour.
It’s not acceptable to allow your dog to injure a person or another animal.
Dogs are excellent at picking up our emotional states. Don’t take that chance and keep your dog safe, so everyone stays safe for life.
Learn how to manage your dog so he doesn’t get the opportunity to behave in a way that could get him in trouble.
Use a dog muzzle to help your dog become calmer and feel calmer in training, and the training will progress faster.
But before you can do this successfully, it’ll be necessary for you-and any other people who come over with their dogs visiting also-to learn how to read what is happening between them!
Your next step would then be teaching yourself new
Working with your dog
Please work with your dog gently and consistently to make it comfortable.
Teaching basic cues helps build the foundation for good socialisation skills.
Don’t expect your dog to know what you want; you’ll need to teach him to focus on and learn from you.
Give plenty of rewards, but have the dog earn them.
Remember that training is a serious thing, and learning should be fun for your dog, so it’s time to have fun for the fun part of it.
A qualified trainer or animal behaviour consultant may help you develop your dog’s social skills, however, as well as a good trainer.
A project like this can take months or even years to complete because of many different aspects such as food management (such as diet), exercise needs (like physical rehabilitation).
FAQs from readers.
who is Ian Dunbar?
He is an animal behaviourist and dog trainer.
He has pioneered puppy socialisation techniques designed to help build the foundation for good social skills and helped develop the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) standards on responsible pet ownership.
His best-selling books include “How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks”. Dogs who bite often require a different approach to their training.
Can a professional dog trainer help with biting?
Teach your adult dogs to bite with a toy.
Biting is one of the most challenging things to teach your dog, and it takes a lot of patience.
You can ask for help from any professional trainer in this field. They will show you how to avoid biting by teaching them other methods (teaching them not to chew on shoes or clothes).
How much does it cost to train a aggressive dog? dog that bites?
The cost of training a dog depends on the breed, age (adult dogs/puppy) and what you want them to do.
The average cost for an hour is $50-$75, but this can vary depending on where you live in the United States.