No one lines to even think about the possibility of being bitten by a dog, but it does happen. Worst of all, dog bites often happen in situations that could have easily been prevented with a bit of caution and better understanding of dog body language.
The truth it, dogs usually give plenty of signals that they’re uncomfortable or frightened by something. However, many of us humans aren’t been well-versed in dog body language, and so we miss somewhat obvious cues that a dog is upset and may be getting ready to bite.
This content hub has been to created to help you get acquainted with the reasons why dogs bite, and how to prevent it from happening! Check out our bite-related articles below to stop bites before they occur.
Why Dogs Bite
How to Prevent Dog Bites
Preventing dog bites is largely a matter of:
- Management: Managing the environment and not putting your dog into a situation where a bite could potentially occur. Muzzles are a fantastic management tool because they completely prevent the possibility of a bite.
- Understanding Dog Body Language: Learn to recognize the cues and signals a dog is giving that shows he is uncomfortable. Not sure where to start? Read our Guide to Dog Calming Signals.
- Desensitization: If your dog resorts to biting out of fear, you can slowly (and with great patience) teach your dog that the fearful person or thing isn’t so scary after all by creating new, positive associations. Read our Dog Desensitization Guide for more info on how to do this.
How to Prevent Biting Incidents
Kids & Dogs
If adults aren’t very good at reading dog body language, you can bet kids are even worse!
In the US especially, our culture has fostered an attitude that all dogs in public should be approachable and open to interaction with strangers, but of course this isn’t the case! This results in kids being very physically affectionate and forward with dogs – even dogs they don’t know. Many dogs are not to keen on hugs, kisses, and small toddler screams, which can often result in bites.
How would you like it if you asked your friend to stop screaming in your ear and grabbing you, only to have them continue on and on? That’s how dogs often feel! Prevent these situations from happening by educating your children on how to read dog body language.
A great way to do this is through Good Dog in a Box’s Dog Smart Bite Prevention Card Game! This game will teach kids how to recognize calming signals and how to respect dogs’ personal boundaries.
