They say everything that has teeth will bite. Dogs may bite out of aggression or play– that much you know. But according to experts, there are three reasons why dogs bite:
1. Antisocial behavior. Your dog is probably tied down to a leash all the time, so it doesn’t have any friends. Some owners treat their dogs like body guards so early on in their puppy days, these dogs are trained to bare their teeth at anything looking suspicious, so they end up socially maladjusted.
2. Fear or surprise. Don’t ever make the mistake of pulling a prank on your dog—if it gets surprised, it’ll bite you. Kids are the usual suspects in fooling around with dogs, so they get bitten in return.
3. Pain. When your dog is low, don’t mess with it. It bites out of instinct– just like humans.
4. Excitement. Dogs bite when they get too excited over something. It may not be a serious flesh-piercing bite, but it’s a bite all the same. This is usually accompanied by bursts of barking and tail-wagging.
5. Self-protection. This is what dogs are trained to do—any animal with teeth will bite to protect itself– your dog does that, plus the fact that it also wants to protect you and your property.
How to stop your dog from biting
Don’t intimidate your dog. Your dog might take it the wrong way if you go head to head with it: step aside and approach your dog toward its ear as you say its name. Don’t reach out for its head and attempt to pet it yet. Some dogs are not showy of their feelings, and they might catch you by surprise. It would be better to lean to its height and say its name over and over: your dog can then pick up that you want to say something to him or her.
Let you dog let off steam. When your dog acts up, let it be. It needs to wear off its anxiety on its own terms, and in that respect you won’t get along well. It won’t probably take long, so wait it out, then come in when it’s all over. Besides, it’s a good idea to soothe your dog when it’s already tired.
When your dog recoils as you approach, don’t force it. If a dog cowers as it cries it means it doesn’t want to be bothered. It just wants to contain its feelings, so coming near it amounts to an invasion of its privacy. That’s the worst time to pet a dog: chances are it will snap back at you as it feels you’re pushing it to the wall.
Like ordinary humans, dogs are subject to many emotional and psychological swings. You can never underestimate your dog’s feelings—for one thing, they are exposed to all sorts of stress, as you are exposed to the same degree of stress. In moments your dog shows signs of aggression, the least you can do is give it some alone time. If it’s the usual fit it won’t last for long, but if it continues, you should get professional help.
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