There are countless reasons why your dog might be biting. If you’ve never owned a dog, it can be hard to tell the difference between play-biting and actual aggression—and even experienced dog owners often find themselves wondering if their pet is about to turn on them.
It’s essential to understand the underlying causes of biting in dogs because some of their undesirable behavior can be solved with simple training methods, while others require additional help from professionals like dog trainers and veterinarians.
Genetics Play a Role
Genetics is tone of the leading causes for dog aggression. A dog’s genetics can influence the type of aggression they show. If a dog has a genetic predisposition to aggressive tendencies, they are more likely to bite.
Genetic testing can help you understand your dog’s breed and temperament, which in turn will help you understand your dog better and how you can deal with its personality. Learning their personality at an early age gives you one step upon fixing their behavioral problems.
Environmental factors can also cause aggression. If a dog is abused or neglected, they are more likely to show aggressive behavior.
Breed Type
A dog’s breed can be a factor in biting, but it’s not the only one and shouldn’t be the immediate cause for blame. Some breeds of dogs are more likely to bite than others. However, any dog natural instinct is to bite if they feel threatened.
If you have a dog with a history of biting and you’re concerned about this behavior, seek help from a professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist.
A recent study shows that “Pit bulls were responsible for the highest percentage of reported bites across all the studies (22.5%), followed by mixed breeds (21.2%), and German shepherds (17.8%). Yet, over thirty different dog breeds and dog types have been associated with dog bite-related fatalities.
Mixed-breed dogs and pit bulls were found to have the highest relative risk of biting, as well as the highest average damage per bite.” Pit bulls are an aggressive dog with aggressive bites. But with proper training , pit bulls can become a great family dog.
Also, something to consider is that some dog breeds have stronger bites than others. A bite is measured in PSI or pounds per square inch, as reported by Petcomments.com. These dogs that bite harder naturally can cause more damage with less aggression and less intent to hurt behind their bites to no fault of their own. Below is a list of some of the strongest dog bites by breed PSI.
Abuse and Neglect Can Lead to Biting and Aggression
The most common reason for dog aggression is abuse or neglect and abuse.
Another reason why dogs bite is out of self-defense; they may feel threatened by someone touching them or coming near them unexpectedly. Some people have even been bitten while petting the friendliest dog, because their pup thought they were going to hurt him/her if they have been abused in the past – common with many rescue pets.
Fear
The two most common reasons dogs bite is fear and pain. Fearful dogs are afraid of something, whether it’s a noise (such as fireworks), another dog or person, or even something inanimate like a bag. Stressful situations can cause behavior problems from our furry friends.
They may also become aggressive when they feel threatened with punishment for something they did wrong, like chewing on the couch or stealing food from your plate. A dog will also bite if something scares them, such as loud noises or strangers approaching too quickly without warning signs beforehand (e.g., knocking on the door first).
If you think your dog might be biting out of fear, learn more about how to stop that behavior here.
Territory – Dog’s Will Protect it
Dogs are territorial animals and will defend their territory from other dogs and people. This includes trying to bite or attack the intruder.
It’s common for dogs to bite when they feel threatened or scared by something, especially near their home or when they’re left alone for a long time.
Most of these bites are defensive rather than offensive, which means the dog was already being harassed by someone else before it bit back in self-defense.
Playful Puppies Do Bite – Is It Harmless?
Puppy play bites are normal. While it might be unpleasant, it’s not a sign of aggression. Puppy bites, or dog nipping as it’s sometimes called, is actually a form of play and can be pretty fun for both you and your pooch.
As the puppy grows into an adult dog who has more control over his jaw muscles, playful biting should stop (although there may be other reasons for aggressive behavior).
If you’re getting bitten by your little buddy too much during playtime or at any other time, here are some tips on how to stop the biting without hurting your dog’s feelings or changing its personality.
A Teething Puppy will Lead to Biting and Chewing to Relieve Pain
If you have a teething puppy, you may notice more biting and chewing. The teeth of a puppy are coming in, which can be painful for them if they don’t have anything to chew on.
If your puppy is biting more often or aggressively, there are several ways to help him deal with the discomfort:
- The best way is to provide safe chew toys and bones so that he has something to chew on instead of you!
- Wash your hands after handling rawhides or other bones, as they can carry bacteria that is a risk of infection in your dog’s mouth (or worse).
Keeping a Watchful Eye on Warning Signs
There are many reasons your dog might be biting, but you can look for signs to help figure out which it is. The solution will depend on the cause.
Is your dog stressed? Dogs may bite when they’re feeling overwhelmed by their environment or when they’re scared and don’t know how else to communicate their feelings. They may also bite if they feel like something has gone wrong with the pack order in the household—for example, if one family member has been spending too much time away from home lately. In these cases, giving them more exercise and mental stimulation (like dog training) could help alleviate some of that stress and frustration.
Is your dog in pain? Dogs will often bite when they feel physical discomfort or injury because it distracts them from that pain. Hip dysplasia is a major reason for aggression in adult and senior citizen dogs. Medical attention is required at once.
Is your dog being playful? Some dogs will playfully nip at each other’s feet during roughhousing or run around chasing each other until one makes a sudden movement (like running into a door). When this happens, it surprises both dogs—and sometimes leads one to snap at its companion’s toes before realizing what happened.
Are you sure it wasn’t fear? A dog can’t just say “I’m afraid” with words like we do; instead, he’ll show his fear through dog’s body language: avoiding eye contact with people or situations that make him nervous; tense facial muscles, cowering under chairs or tables in anticipation of being jumped on by another animal (or even worse: a toddler); growling menacingly at anyone who gets close enough to threaten his territory (his food bowl).
If this sounds like what might have happened during an incident where he bit someone while defending himself against having something taken away from him—like if someone grabbed his bone while he was eating it—then consider whether having fewer visitors around would help calm him down enough so as not be provoked into acting defensively again.
Helping Your Dog Stop Biting
If your dog is biting because of something you did (such as neglecting his training), it’s up to you a responsible dog owner to get the help they need. Some problems are small adjustments and sometimes you need professional help.
If your dog is suffering from an underlying medical problem that causes pain when he bites, then you need a veterinarian who can help your pup get better quickly so that no one gets hurt!
In Conclusion
Dogs bite for a variety of reasons that we touched on. It’s a good for your dog start early socialization with obedience training. Dog bite prevention starts at a young age. Positive reinforcement for your furry friend is of utmost importance. Fido and Spot will be great family members in no time. For more tips, check out our post on The best dog breeds for different children’s ages.
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