Dog bites owner: what to do

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 26 January 2021
Update Date: 18 May 2024
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Dog BITES Its Owner! How I Fix It Quickly!
Video: Dog BITES Its Owner! How I Fix It Quickly!

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Who would be able to doubt the loyalty of dogs? They are humans' best friends, those who are always willing to accompany adventures and routine, brighten the days and comfort in difficult times. That's why many people get scared and don't know what to do when the dog advances on the owner, shows teeth or tries to bite him.

Unfortunately, there is still a tendency to associate aggressive behavior in dogs with character, which is one of the main reasons for abandonment. Therefore, it is worth remembering that no dog, regardless of its breed, sex or age, is "bad" by nature and there are no "killer" breeds. THE aggressiveness of dogs it's a behavior problem you can have different causes, depending on the lifestyle, education, routine and health of each individual.


Here at PeritoAnimal, we intend to help you better understand your best friend and deconstruct some myths about canine behavior. So today we are going to explain to you why a dog can try to bite or attack people and also answer the question "dog bites owner: what to do?’

However, before starting, it is important to make it clear that an aggressive dog needs to be treated by a properly trained professional. If your dog is aggressive or tries to bite you, look for a veterinarian who specializes in canine ethology, do not try to apply methods that you do not master or do not fully understand, as this can be very dangerous.

puppy dog ​​biting

You've probably lived through the situation where you're playing with your dog and suddenly get bitten. Generally, in this context, the dog only 'marks' lightly and does not bite hard, although this is not a rule. This happens very often, especially with puppies, as they are at the most energetic stage of a dog's life.


During infancy, the puppy needs explore the environment, discover the stimuli around you, play and express yourself freely. This is part of physical and cognitive growth, fundamental to developing your senses and stimulating your intelligence. At this age, biting is extremely common not only because the puppy is changing his teeth, but also because he uses his mouth to experience the world around him.

However, when the puppy reaches the third week of life, it needs start working on bite inhibition to prevent him from assimilating as something positive to bite the owner or other people during games or in their daily lives. When a dog does not train bite inhibition during childhood, it is very likely to take the habit of biting when playing into adulthood. This behavior, which initially seems harmless, can end up being very unpleasant and even dangerous, especially in dogs that usually play with children or elderly people.


Why does the dog bite the owner's foot?

Many people also wonder why the dog bites the owner's foot, this behavior can also be a habit acquired during its first months or weeks of life, especially if the tutor encourages him to chase his feet as if it were a game. In doing so, the tutor unconsciously presents his foot as a 'prey', awakening the hunting instinct that is innately present in all dogs.

If your puppy is in the process of changing his teeth and has the urge to bite into everything, we recommend that you purchase a Kong or puppy teething toy. Do not get your puppy used to biting your hands or feet, as you will be reinforcing a behavior that you do not want to be repeated in the future.

Dog advancing when I try to take something out of his mouth: why?

Unfortunately, another very common and worrying situation is that the dog advances or tries to bite the owner when he tries to take something out of his mouth or gets close to his 'belongings' (toys, food, etc.). This happens when the dog considers an object so valuable that it is afraid of losing it and then resort to aggressiveness to prevent someone from depriving it of that element. This 'possessive' behavior in dogs is called resource protection and must be handled properly to avoid domestic accidents.

For a dog, its 'protected resources' can be objects, physical spaces and even people. For example, some dogs are possessive of their owners and try to attack anyone who comes close to them. While other dogs may try to bite anyone who comes near the food or their toys. In nature, the protection of resources is essential for the survival of species, especially in times of scarcity. However, when we talk about Pets, like dogs, this behavior is extremely dangerous and needs to be treated.

Dog advancing: what to do?

Therefore, it is essential to prevent the dog from becoming possessive and the best way to do this is to educate him from his first months of life. In addition to working on bite inhibition, it is also essential to teach the dog to let go of objects, always using positive reinforcement to encourage learning and reward good behavior.

It will also be essential to properly socialize your puppy to avoid behavioral problems such as aggression and resource protection. But if you decide to adopt an adult dog, you'll need to know that it's also possible to socialize an adult dog with patience, affection, and the help of positive reinforcement.

Dog attacking for no reason: why?

Many guardians, when bitten by their own dog, think that their dog has suddenly attacked, without any apparent reason. But, it is important to emphasize that a dog hardly attacks anyone 'out of nowhere', especially in the case of its tutor. What usually happens is that, by not knowing how to interpret the body language of dogs, many people are unable to perceive the signs that precede an attack.

In the vast majority of cases, aggressiveness appears as the dog's last resort to protect your integrity or prevent any stimulus from your surroundings from continuing to threaten your well-being. Before having an extreme behavior, such as biting the owner, the dog usually shows symptoms of stress, showing discomfort or dissatisfaction with certain behaviors.

If a dog attacks a person, it is usually because it perceives in it some kind of threat to its physical and emotional integrity or some risk to the well-being of its territory, its guardians or family members. A person who is afraid of dogs, for example, will express this fear through their attitudes and also through their body odors. The dog will perceive this negative emotion easily and, as a result, may adopt an aggressive-defensive posture because he sees in that individual a strange and potentially dangerous behavior.

It is also important that you pay attention to your own body language in everyday life with your best friend. Your dog will easily notice when you are irritated, annoyed, or stressed, and his behavior will likely change as well and may react strangely or negatively.

aggressive dog: causes

These are the main causes that can make a dog strange the owner or show aggressive towards other people. However, remember that only the veterinarian is able to come to a diagnosis about the specific cause of a behavior problem in your dog, after examining him, analyzing the lifestyle and routine. So, if you notice that your dog's character has changed, take him to your trusted veterinarian to analyze your best friend's health status and determine the cause of this misconduct.

health problems in dogs

Dogs can also become aggressive when they feel pain and realize they are more vulnerable. One dog wondering the owner for no apparent reason, avoiding contact with family members and trying to bite everyone can have a health problem. So if your best friend has behavioral problems, the first thing to do is take him to the vet.

Stress in dogs

It is one of the main causes of behavior problems in dogs, including the development of aggression. Stress in dogs can have different causes, such as sedentary lifestyle or poor physical activity, a negative environment, sudden changes in their routine or a change of house, the arrival of new members to the family, etc. To learn more about the topic, see our article on how to reduce my dog's stress.

socialization problems

Dogs that have not been properly socialized can have problems interacting and getting along with other individuals, whether people or animals. The socialization process teaches the dog to feel safe and positively relate to individuals and stimuli that surround their environment. Therefore, it is an essential step in the education of puppies, which prevents various behavioral problems and gives puppies the opportunity to enjoy a healthy social life.

communication problems

Communication problems between tutors and puppies are also among the main causes of bites and domestic accidents. Dogs mainly use their bodies to express their moods, emotions and perceptions about things happening around them. So, if you want to understand your best friend and improve the bond with him, it is essential to study a little about the body language of dogs and the possible meanings of their postures, facial expressions and looks.

My dog ​​bit me: what should I do?

In cases where a dog bites an owner or tries to do so, you should not try to punish him, yell at him, or have any other attitude that develops further tension. Remember that by responding to aggression with more aggression, you could end up causing a new and worse attack, risking serious injury.

In this context, you need to act in a calm, defined and balanced way to transmit security and tranquility to your dog. Maintain a neutral posture and act naturally, avoid making sudden gestures or quick movements and don't stare or directly into the pet's eyes. When the dog looks away, you can walk away very slowly without turning your back on him.

You will need to wait for the dog calm down and recover normal behavior to approach him again. During this time, take the opportunity to wash the region where the bite occurred with water and neutral soap and analyze the severity of the wound. If necessary, seek medical attention.

When the dog is calm and balanced, this is the ideal time to take him to the veterinarian to comment on the incident and check the cause of your dog's aggressive behavior. Finding a professional specialized in canine ethology is the best option, the veterinarian will analyze your best friend's health status to rule out any health problems that could cause aggressiveness to develop. Therefore, it will be able to guide you to look for a canine educator to, together, establish a treatment based on your puppy's own needs.

Finally, it is worth remembering that it is very dangerous to apply methods that you do not know or do not completely master, especially when dealing with an aggressive dog. Seek professional help for the sake of your dog and everyone around you.

Discover the dogs with the strongest bites in the world on our YouTube video: