Why Does A Dog Bite?

There are a lot of scary stories about dogs attacking people these days. But the reality is that dog bites are a lot more common than you might think - it’s just the serious, terrible, and disastrous incidents we hear or read about in the news. In fact, there are over 4.5 million dog bites that occur every year, most of which are mild accidents - and almost all of them can be avoided.


The key to understanding how not to get bitten is to learn why dogs bite. Having covered what to do to avoid and deal with a bite from a dog, we thought it was time to explore the reasons why it happens so much. Let’s take a closer look.

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Why do dogs bite?

The first thing to understand is that any dog can bite. Sure, there are aggressive strains and personalities out there in the world, but even a timid dog will snap at you in fear if you close off their escape route. Big, small, male, female, young, old, cuddly, scary: any dog will try to protect themselves the best way they know how when they find themselves in a stressful situation.

‘Stressful’ is the key word to understand, here. Almost every dog bite will occur as a reaction to something - they don’t just do it for the sake of it. It could be to protect something, or to ward you off from its territory. It might be because they feel threatened - or even that someone or something is threatening you. They can even bite when they feel unwell and just want to be left alone. But the key thing to remember is that in almost every scenario, it’s because your dog is stressed.

Understanding the issue

The trouble is that too few owners understand the signs that their dog is stressed. And unless you learn those signs yourself - as a dog owner or otherwise - it could spell trouble. For example, if you have a small child who loves pooches and sees one on the street, can you be sure that the dog they go up to and try and stroke isn’t afraid? And can you guarantee they will not bite? Educating yourself and your kids on how to approach - or not - any animal is wise.

That said, if you do ever receive a bite from someone else’s dog, it is the owner’s fault. Contact a lawyer to file a claim for canine bites and make sure you get the relevant medical attention - every owner has a responsibility to look after their animals. And if you know your dog is stressed, make sure you have full control over them and let the approaching party know to keep a good distance away.

 
What about play?

In their natural environment, dogs will play with other dogs - and they tend to nip at each other for fun. The trouble is that they nip and bite during play with humans, too. And while it’s fun for them, it’s dangerous for you - and especially for your kids.

You can avoid getting bitten by not wrestling with them, or playing tug-of-war. Ultimately, these are games that will overexcited your dog and accidents are more likely to occur.

Preventing & Dealing With Dog Bites : The Ultimate Guide

Not all dogs bite, but some do, and as a dog owner you must know what to do in case the worse does happen.

Of course, it's not a subject that enough dog owners or those without first aid treating know much about, and that is why we have put together this guide, so read on for more information.

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Preventing dog bites

Of course, when it comes to dog bites, then prevention is always better than cure. What this means is that the proper training and care of your dog needs to be started from an early age.

In fact, sending them to obedience school, so they learn to obey your commands over their instinct can stop a situation where a bite would have occurred. Something that can save you, your pooch, and the person that gets bitten a lot of pain and heartache.







Besides, it's always best to be wary around a dog that you're not familiar with, especially if you suspect that they may not have been treated well. After all, us humans get tired and annoyed when we are hungry and uncomfortable, and the same goes for our canine friends.

When they occur

Next, when a bite happens your priority will be first to remove the dog's jaws from the victim. Obviously, this can be very difficult especially if the dog is of a breed were the jaw lock like a Pitbull.

However, there is some detailed advice online that can help you do this. Although, steer clear of the ones that tell you to stick the dog in the face as these are unlikely to work as it will just make the dog even angrier and hold on all the more.

Once you have removed the dog jaws from the victim, you also need to be mindful of your own safety and manage the dog's, so they don't attack you, anyone else, or the victim again.

Care of the person






Once the immediate threat is over, it's vital to give the victim first aid. In particular, blood loss from a dog bite can be a concern, so keep the wound elevated. Also, infection is a real issue when it comes to dog bite so clean the wound if you are able and apply an antiseptic cream before taking the victim to a hospital where they can get rabies and tetanus shots.

It's also likely that the victim will want to claim you if it was your dog that bit them, and therefore it's essential to provide them with your contact details, as well as recording exactly what happened for future reference. Then when their dog bite lawyer contacts you, you will have all the details to hand. Something that can make the entire process a lot easier.


Care of the dog

Once the person has been treated, you will also need to deal with your dog. Avoid punishing them physically for the bit as this may only result in them doing the same thing but even more unexpectedly the next time.

Instead, review material such as these that describe how to rehabilitate your dog and minimize the chances that they will bite again.