German Shepherd Barking

7 Reason Why Dog Bites

We all love these furry creatures which we call man's best friend. I mean, who doesn't love dogs. Let me say who, the one who is afraid of their long sharp canines (teeth).

Dog bites could be a very painful experience. Most of us may have experienced it in their childhood and thus build a phobia for dogs. But, you should not be afraid of dogs when you know these 7 reasons why dog bites!

1. Mouthing

As we examine everything with a touch, dogs do similar things with their mouths. They examine everything with their snout & eventually bite familiar objects or persons.

This is very natural with them, especially for puppies as they try to discover their surroundings. When puppies play with their siblings, they bite them.

But when their bites get strong, other puppy whines or growl & eventually refuse to play. This gives them the idea of not biting too hard.

So a puppy, brought up early in their age among humans are not aware of such a thing. Realizing them about this mistake is crucial.

After a strong bite, you may avoid them for 20-30 seconds (as suggested in our training article) so they may know that this will only end up in them being ignored. Dogs don't like to be ignored 😉

This is a crucial way for the dog owners to train their pups so as to avoid any biting habits in the future.

Dangerous Dog

Or you can approach differently by applying deterrent spray like Bitter AppleYuck no chews to let them know that biting is unpleasant.

Also if you are having a problem with carpets, bedsheets, etc. getting bitten by your dog, you can apply these sprays there as well, but we won't recommend you doing that as it can end up with you getting a taste of that.

2. Pain

Imagine how you feel, when you are physically or emotionally hurt and the next person won't understand it but instead try to talk a completely different topic. The same thing happens when your dog is in pain but you're just petting him.

His agony would soon turn into rage and he will bite you off. Dogs may suffer from an external injury or been ill or may be bothered with the tick!

You must notice these symptoms of uneasy like constant licking, whining or scratching of your dog.

Pug Covered With Brown Cloth

Also, you should make sure that this unease dog never meets other people like children or they will end up with a dog bite. If you notice something like this then get your dog to veterinary as soon as possible.

3. Prey Instinct

Dogs are naturally carnivores as their ancestor, grey wolf. They have an instinct of chasing or even killing other animals.

That's why we always have been told by our elders, not to run when the dog barks as it will only lead to a dog chasing you. Also, it is known that we must not look directly into the dog's eyes as it in some breed, raise the challenge instinct.

Some of the breeds are made for hunting, this couldn't be denied, so the next time when your dog gets overly stimulated by games of tug of war you can simply switch to other games instead.

4. Maternal Instinct

2 Yellow Labrador Retriever Puppies

A mother, in any animal, has this instinct. A protective attitude of a mother for their children.

If your dog whelps, you must plan to avoid direct contact with her pups, instead try to calmly approach her with a pet on her back and then let her introduce you to her pup.

(Looking for right time to breed your dog, this article might)

In this situation, especially, you must keep children away, as they may avoid these steps and would be careless with their approach, eventually leading to a dog bite.

5. Fear

Dogs get startled very easily & as a result, they bite. It is recommended, not to poke or disturb a sleeping dog.

You must have also noticed that dogs get surprised or afraid of any foreign objects. Things like strangers, disabled & old age, children, vehicles, noises of machines, etc. that are unfamiliar to them.

Any approach by these unfamiliar people toward your dog could lead to instant and very painful bite.

To avoid this, you should be standing as the first line of defense, by introducing your dog to this situation frequently.

Get them for a walk as much as possible. Socializing your dogs with other dogs and other people as well will make him less reluctant towards others.

6. Possessiveness

Possessiveness is one of the primary factors behind the dog's bites. Dogs love to chew, which is why many dog owners introduce their pup to chew toys.

It is a good option for them, however, their possessiveness over their toys, food or place could lead to another reason for them snapping at you.

Every dog is possessive, let it be an object or their owner. To overcome this you must train them, not to be possessive by calmly touching their object, place or food & treating them positively with a reward like a treat.

Dog getting a treat

This should be done in such a way that you are telling your dog, trusting you with their object or place would be rewarding.

Note: – It is very important to reward your dogs for better behavior instead of physically punishing or isolating your dog for bad behavior. You can always check for treats like BonesDog Cookies, or Jerky as they proved to be the best reward for dogs making them remember the amazing taste and thus remembering their good behavior.

7. Dominance of Aggression

Dog bites are very common in India due to this reason. This is something every dog owner must know. I have seen many dog owners facing the same issue.

Before being our pets, they use to set up their territory and would not allow any other dogs to enter. Any trespassing would be met with aggression. This you may have seen still exist in street dogs as they fight over their domain.

But this becomes a problem when the dog develops a similar behavior for his owner and their human family.

The incident of dog biting arises when a sleeping dog has been disturbed or they have been bathed and many more. This aggression generally arises during the age of 18-36 months.

Dog Ready to Bite From Being Dog

You must teach your dog that by doing such behavior, he will just be ignored. Remember that positively rewarding your dog always works better than punishing physically.

 I have seen that in India the above problems exist but people simply ignore it. These incidents of dog biting are serious and could in turn also results in certain infections as dog's saliva contains various bacteria. So you must understand your dog for the betterment of you and other people as well.

What to do when a dog bites you?

  1. Wash the bite wound with soap. This might wash away the infection.
  2. Treat the wound with antibiotics & wrap it with the cloth.
  3. Visit your doctor as soon as possible. He/She might give you the vaccine to prevent infection and disease like Rabies.

Are you a new dog owner looking for the best dog foods. Here find our blog about 10 Best Dog Foods In India – 2020

Did we miss something? Do you have any experience regarding bitting problems with your dog? Feel free to share your experience or question in the comment section.

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