You must have heard a definitive statement that dogs are loyal pets, which is true indeed. No matter what happens, your pet dog goes miles for you when it comes to your protection and safety. No doubt, dogs are among the most affectionate animals. However, at the same time, you must educate yourself about handling a dog nicely.
Dog bites are pretty common scenarios to witness since dogs are animals that can bite secondary to various reasons at the end of the day. Mostly, people get bitten by familiar dogs. In addition, children are usually more vulnerable to dog bites because they do not understand how they should treat any dog that won’t bite them.
This article discusses the causes responsible for a dog that bites and the measures that you can take to stop any dog from biting people or you. So, without any further delay, let’s get started!
Why does my dog keep biting me?
Various reasons are responsible for provoking a dog to bite, which we will enlist here. Dogs’ bites are not unusual. You might have seen people getting bitten by dogs because of their offensive behaviors or less knowledge about dealing with dogs.
Besides, nobody knows how dogs think and their reactions. Therefore, it is always better to stay away from a dog that may show up with specific warning signs. Let’s have a light on the causes of why a dog bites people;
1. Terror and fright
Terror does not necessarily mean that something unacceptable is happening to scare a dog. Every dog gets scared of different things depending on its life experiences. However, dogs who socialize significantly less mostly get terrified of new people and animals in their surroundings.
Besides, disturbing and bothering any unfamiliar dog may get you in trouble because no dog appreciates it.
When dogs bite anyone out of fear, you can also refer to it as ‘fear bites.’ It would be best to educate yourself and people around you about how to deal with both familiar and unfamiliar dogs since both categories can bite when circumstances go wrong!
2. Pain and suffering
Like humans, dogs also misbehave when bothered while experiencing painful situations. Undoubtedly, if you attempt to mistreat a dog suffering from a painful wound or illness, brace yourself because there are high chances that the dog will react by biting you!
Besides, if you have kids at your place, you must ensure that they do not touch the sick dog’s tender/wounded body parts.
Usually, children are not aware of how to treat a sick and wounded dog nicely and get bitten by such a dog. Therefore, it would be best if you trained kids around you beforehand.
3. Possessiveness
One of the usual reasons that lead to dog bites is their possessiveness. If a dog has decided that a particular thing belongs to it, be it food, toy, treat, or even a human being, then no one else should claim their property. Therefore, if you attempt to touch something that a dog is very possessive about, you might end up getting a bite out of possessiveness.
Primarily, such behavior arises in dogs used for security purposes. However, your average pet dog can develop possessiveness as well. Therefore, you must teach your pet dog that it should not bite them if you or someone else approaches their food bowl because such a scenario is not always a threat.
In addition, dogs dislike being bothered while they enjoy their food and treats. Therefore, you must not irritate them while they want their time.
4. Crossing paths with a dog while running/jogging
You might have heard about not running around a dog, no? Well, if you are in a park or anywhere else, jogging and come across a dog, it would be best to avoid interaction with the dog. This is because crossing paths with a dog while running may give a wrong impression on the dog that you are trying to chase or harm it. Consequently, you will see the dog coming towards you to hurt you indeed.
Firstly, you must try not to come across a dog while you run or jog. However, unfortunately, if you do, try to change your path or standstill, and it would be best not to see in the dog’s eyes. You will know the dog will move away from you on its own!
5. Maternal nature of a dog
Similar to human mothers, female dogs develop the same feelings for their puppies when they become mothers. If a female dog gets the intuition that a person is approaching with bad intentions towards its kids, it will react with a bite.
It would be best if you try to avoid going closer to puppies when their mother is around, or you may get yourself involved in unwanted trouble.
How to stop your dog from biting?
No doubt, you cannot stop any other dog from biting people; neither is it your duty. However, if you own a dog, then as a responsible owner, you have to prevent your dog from biting people, no matter what the situation is.
Let’s have a light on the measures that you can take to stop your dog from biting;
1. Train your dog
First and foremost, try admitting your dog into a life-long training program. If your dog gets the correct training on how to behave when surrounded by new people and animals, the chances are that your dog will learn not to bite anyone under any circumstances.
2. Exposure to disliked scenarios
Dogs usually do not admire unpleasant sounds like those coming from fireworks or constructing buildings. Besides, heavy machinery, motorcycles, cars, bicycles, etc., are equally responsible for scaring a dog. As mentioned earlier, a feared dog may bite under mentioned scenarios.
However, it would be best to expose your dog to undesired situations regularly so that it becomes familiar to them.
3. Socializing
Socializing is one of the tried and tested ways to prevent your dog from biting unfamiliar faces, be it animals or people. It would be best to take your dog to evening walks and pet shows and introduce it to new people and animals. In this way, your dog will develop a habit of observing new people and pets instead of reacting towards them through biting right away.
4. Do not punish your dog
Undoubtedly, as a responsible dog owner, you would hate it if your dog bites someone. However, please do not react aggressively. Treating your dog negatively when it has done something unacceptable will only make your dog feared or aggressive.
It would be best to train your dog about not biting people for no reason, and if they continue to listen to your instruction, please praise them with treats and rewards.
5. Always put a leash
It is always a good idea to keep a leash on your dog. No matter how much you have trained your dog, you can never understand their psychology completely. Therefore, by putting them on a leash, you can control their movement and prevent dogs from biting anyone.
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In conclusion
Undeniably getting bitten by a dog is one of the most painful experiences and has serious consequences. As a dog owner, you must take responsibility for your dog’s actions. In this article, we have tried our best to provide you with the reasons that may trigger a dog to bite people and tips about stopping a dog from biting. Hopefully, it will prove helpful!
