My Dog Bit Me: Next Steps to Take

My dog bit me! These are the words no dog parent wants to ever have to say. Sadly, it’s been known to happen, and it isn’t necessarily the ‘bad’ dog that bites. Even the most adoring dog might for a number of reasons.

What helps from the get-go is discerning what could be the trigger. From here it’s easier to prevent a replay or letting the situation fester and develop into something more dangerous.

Potential triggers range from physical and emotional to behavioural reasons. Or a combination of them all.

This is the fourth article in a series where we look at dog bites and preventing them. Before we get stuck in, check out this recap of the previous articles:

Dog bites: Understanding why

Dog bites happen in different ways. For example, protecting an owner, defending food or in self-defence.

There’s rarely a case when dogs bite without some form of provocation. It’s up to us as pet parents to figure out what that provocation is or, if not, ask an expert.

The following articles provide a set of tools for prevention and/or resolution of dog bites in different situations:

• Children: Giving kids and dogs the tools to respect space and boundaries
• Other people: Understanding the deep seated reasons to prevent dog attacks
• Dogs: Understanding why and how to prevent ‘dog bites dog’ situations

In this article, we aim to build on this awareness by looking at the most intimate case scenario – when a dog bites their owner. Why does this happen in the first place?

Understanding why my dog bit me

The first task in any problem solving exercise is understanding what the problem is. If your dog is usually charming and sweet, understanding this foreign change in behaviour may be especially perplexing.

As dog owners, all of us knows how intelligent and quick to share their emotions dogs can be. Which is why when a dog bites, nine times out of 10, they’ve already warned us. In many cases, they’ve given several warnings.

However, while seasoned dog whisperer Cesar Millan may be able to pick up these cues, they may not be so clear to the untrained eye. Speaking of Millan, often the best course to problem solving is to have a few sessions with a dog behaviourist.

Of course, there are several possible solutions, which depend on your dog, you, and the cause and severity of the bite. So, without further ado, here’s a list of five reasons dogs might bite their owner.

1. My dog is in pain

This is the number one most likely reason an otherwise loving dog will suddenly bite their owner. Although it may seem like a complete turnaround of character, dogs do a lot of communication with their mouths.

For example, Bella has swallowed something un-foody and has an intestinal block or she’s trod on a thorn and it’s stuck. (Read is rawhide bad for dogs for possible prevention of intestinal blocks).

In similar situations, humans might shout out for help. Sometimes, however, a dog’s equivalent might be to bite. In a situation like this, the best line of action is to get to the vet quickly.

If you’re unsure whether or not your dog’s in pain, the vet might still be your best line of defence. This way you can get an expert ruling on the situation.

2. Biting during playtime

It’s common for dogs – especially puppies going through puppy teething – to nip and bite during playtime. Usually, these bites are soft and clearly unintended to do harm. However, this can occasionally get out of hand.

Here are some possible examples:

• Separation anxiety. Dogs need lots of stimulation to stay healthy and happy. Without it, a dog could develop behavioural issues that can spark aggression. Read up on separation anxiety in pets.
• Character. Dogs with a strong hunting instinct can become overly stimulated during playtime and react thus. Try out these puppy play options and avoid games like tug of war.
• Training. When a dog isn’t properly trained it can end up misreading body language out of fear. Depending on the severity, consider a puppy training school or look up a pet behaviourist.
• Breed. Some breeds have a propensity not to let go once they bite making a bite wound far more severe.
• Trauma. Rescue dogs who are traumatised could misread signs of play as aggressive and respond in kind.

Dogs are our best friends because they’re highly sociable and love human company. If your dog’s behaviour has gotten out of check, a vet and/or behaviourist can be a great avenue to get your best friend back on track.

The sooner your dog unlearns bad behaviour, the sooner they get better and you avoid adding new trauma. After all, little makes for a happier household than a content, well-behaved pet.

3. My dog is scared

A dog who’s scared of someone or something might whimper or hide. Or they might turn to growling followed by biting, all in the name of self-defence. This can happen when a dog’s boundaries are pushed too far. In which case you need to look at what the fear factors might be.

First things first, you need to answer the question ‘is my dog afraid?’ then move onto next steps…

A great way to help you dog avoid fear is learning to communicate with them well. For example, training your puppy or going to puppy school with them can help build their confidence.

Read up on the importance of playtime for dogs and get started with these puppy training tips.

Watch this video to see how Cesar Millan coaches a dog owner to communicate with a dog who started biting:

4. My dog is possessive

If you find your dog seems to be aggressive when you touch his stuff, then resource guarding is the likely problem.

Of course, some dogs also form a strong bond with one member of the household and will behave jealously over them. You want to at all costs avoid a dog biting someone in the house for fear of losing another member’s direct attention.

Just like humans, a dog who’s jealously guarding a thing or a person fears they’re going to lose them. So, you need to make sure the dog knows this isn’t the case.

For example, say your girlfriend’s dog is highly possessive. This dog is by extension your dog too. For the three-way relationship to blossom, you have to build trust with pooch too. You can do this by taking over feeding duty, walking them and generally giving them regular undivided attention.

If your pup is territorial over their stuff however, then it might be in your best interest to call in an expert. It’s always better not to let such behaviour escalate, making it much harder to undo.

If you’re confident about taking on the task yourself, then you’ll need to put in the time teaching obedience. And remember, giving rewards by using positive reinforcement is key – punishment can easily be misunderstood.

5. When you’re not sure what the reason is

When a dog bites their mum or dad, it’s very much like a toddler kicking and shouting and needing very specific engagement in response. What really helps (besides some warm water, cotton wool and disinfectant… or a trip to the doctor) is to understand that it’s a cry for help.

Regardless, as mentioned earlier you want to make sure the incident isn’t repeated and doesn’t escalate. If your dog has bitten you, and you can’t see any possible reason for it, there’s the chance they may bite someone else too.

Bites of any intensity can be terrifying for some people. As a dog parent, it’s important to not put other pets or people in danger. You’ll need to limit their contact with other until the problem is resolved.

And resolve the situation ASAP. The sooner an aggressive dog has a session/s with a behaviourist, the better. Not just for you, but for your dog too.

If you’re unable to take your dog to a behaviourist, then talk to your vet about other steps you can take. A good animal shelter might be able to provide you with extra tips too.

Dog insurance

Because one of the main reasons dogs bite is illness or injury, consider affordable online dog insurance. Then you can put the wag back into your dog’s tail without worrying about excessive costs.