Dogs don’t want to bite people just for the heck of it. Bites occur when dogs want to increase the space between them and a person. The desire to have more space means that the human is doing something that the dog doesn’t like. Here are 4 easy ways to get bitten by a dog. 1. Approaching strange dogs. This is something we really need to stop doing. Seeing a cute dog out on the street shouldn’t automatically mean that we walk up and start petting them. Even asking the pet parent if it’s okay doesn’t necessarily make it okay to the dog. Yes, some dogs love strangers and would love to be touched by them. But so often dogs are either just tolerating it or aren’t enjoying it at all. When dogs are either tolerating it or not enjoying it at all, you’ll notice a lack of movement in their body. They’re usually quite still and avoid eye contact. If they’re not loving the interaction and then you do another thing that they dislike, like putting your face close to theirs, you could be asking for a bite. And of course, for some, approaching and touching them in itself can lead to a bite. 2. Climbing on dogs.
This may be obvious to some, but so many pet parents allow their children to climb on their dog. I don’t know of a single dog that actually enjoys this. Many dogs will tolerate it, at least for a while, but then often it leads to a bite. The one thing to keep in mind is that children that climb on their own dogs often get bit by strange dogs that they try to climb on. It’s best to stop young children from approaching and climbing on dogs. If this is presenting a challenge for you, put gates up in your home which will prevent your child from accessing your dog. 3. Ignoring stress signs.
Dogs don’t bite out of the blue. When a dog is stressed, they’re showing signs like panting, yawning or turning away. If those signs are ignored, generally growling happens and then a bite. This order isn’t set in stone. Some dogs have been punished for growling which takes that behavior out of the equation. When something is going on and your dog is stressed, look for these signs and if you see them, stop what you’re doing. Whether you’re trying to clean their ears, trim their nails or even brush them, if you ignore signs of stress you’re setting your dog up to bite.
4. Getting physical. Yelling, hitting or pinning your dog to the ground is a great way to get bitten. If this doesn’t lead to you getting bitten, it could result in a family member or friend on the receiving end. Doing these things make you scary and unpredictable. Dogs generalize fear which means it can make others scary and unpredictable as well.
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