Dogs can bite for many different reasons and, of course, not every time a dog bites another individual it means that the animal is aggressive or has behavioral problems. Aggression towards your own tutor is rare, but if it happens, you should be informed and know why it could have happened and what you can do about it.
In this article on our site we teach you to differentiate between a real attack and a marking, we tell you some of the most frequent reasons why a dog can bite its guardian and we advise you on what you should do after the incident. Read on and find out why your dog has bitten you and what to do
Has my dog bit me or marked me?
Bits and markings are part of the vast language of dogs and they use them with the aim of communicating something to another individual. The moment a dog feels uncomfortable, threatened or simply annoyed by the behavior of another animal (whether human or not), he begins to use their body and facial language to send signals to the other individual, asking them to stop their behavior or move away. In the case of well-socialized dogs with good social skills, these signals will follow an order, being, at first, more subtle and gradually intensifying if necessary.
Thus, the calm signalsare the first to appear and with them the dog tries to avoid a conflict and express it "politely" his discomfort to the other individual. Some calming signals are, for example, licking your lips, tilting your head to avoid eye contact, turning your back, yawning, etc. However, if the other dog or person does not take notice and continues to bother the dog, it will emit threat signals, which are much more obvious than previous. Some signs of threat, in order of intensity, would be the raising of the lips, the growl, the marking and, finally, the bite.
If your dog marks you you will notice how he lunges towards your body with a very fast movement, brushing against you with its teeth or pinching your skin or clothing with light pressure, then immediately withdrawing without leaving any major injury. In the event that you experience this behavior from your dog, move away from him to give him space, stay calm and let the dog relax. Never punish him for communicating his discomfort and, of course, do not continue doing what bothered the animal after the marking.
On the other hand, if the dog gets to the point of biting you, it will grab a part of your body with its fangsfor a while , exerting pressure or shaking you and causing visible injuries. After a few seconds, it is very likely that it will be the animal itself that releases you and withdraws, although sometimes it will be necessary to know how to make the animal open its mouth. To do this, you can follow, with the help of another person, the same advice as those mentioned in this other article: "What to do if my dog bites another dog?"
Why did my dog bite me?
A large part of the aggressions of dogs towards their guardians are produced, as we have mentioned in the previous section, because they do not know or do not respect canine language. Although your furry has no intention of harming you, when he sends you signals of discomfort and you do not respond to them or do it incorrectly (for example, punishing the dog), sometimes the animal has no choice but to growl, dial or bite to make yourself understood
However, not all bites occur for the same reason, as there are many causes that can trigger this behavior in a dog, both voluntarily and involuntarily. Next, we show the most frequent reasons why a dog can bite his guardian:
- Fear: Fear is one of the main causes of aggression in dogs. A frightened dog, that feels threatened or that considers that there is no escape, can resort to biting as a strategy to scare away another individual. Dogs can acquire fears as a result of poor or non-existent socialization, a traumatic experience or an education based on punishment, for example. Therefore, it is common for a dog to bite when scolded. In this other article we explain how to socialize a puppy.
- Pain: a dog that is in a lot of pain may even bite his guardian if he is disturbed or manipulated, although I really don't want to cause you any harm. It is for this reason that, in the event of an obvious change in the attitude of your furry friend or the sudden appearance of aggressive behavior, it is recommended, in the first place, to carry out a veterinary check-up to rule out that the animal is suffering from any painful process.
- Frustration and stress: frustration can arise in the dog when, for example, he is not allowed to perform the behaviors of his species, when he is educated from authoritarianism or when he is not able to communicate effectively with other individuals due to lack of socialization. All these situations, along with many others, can cause an emotional problem in the dog and the appearance of more impulsive and intense behaviors, such as aggression.
- Defense: A dog does not always bite offensively, as there is also the possibility that the animal is simply defending itself from a potential threat from which he cannot escape. This happens, for example, if the dog considers that another dog or person intends to attack him.
- Aggressiveness: Of course, a dog can bite because he is aggressive in certain contexts or towards certain individuals. Aggressiveness has a genetic and an environmental component, so there are many factors that must be taken into account when determining the degree of aggressiveness of an animal.
- Play: All dogs play biting and this is completely normal behavior. Puppies learn a lot by playing and exploring through their mouths, and the fact that they do so does not imply that they are developing an aggressive character, far from it. What you must do to prevent your puppy or adult dog from hurting you while playing is to teach him to inhibit his bite and to follow a different game dynamic when he interacts with people, as we indicate in this article: "My dog plays very abrupt - why and what to do".
- Resource protection: occurs when a dog actively protects a resource that is of great value to him, such as a toy or the food from him, because he foresees that another individual can take it from him. In this way, when someone approaches said resource, the animal can growl, bark and even bite as a warning sign. It is often the guardian himself who, unconsciously, causes the resource protection problem in his dog as a result of the use of erroneous or outdated education methodologies. Has your dog bit you for food? This is probably resource protection, and it could have bitten your face or hands when you approached the bowl. It is important to work on it to prevent the situation from getting worse. We talk about it in this other article: "Resource protection in dogs".
- Reflex reaction: Dogs sometimes bite unintentionally as a result of a reflex action. In this case, more than a bite, the animal usually performs a simple marking and it can happen if it is scared or surprised. For example, if your furry is sleeping and you approach him to touch him, he can be startled and react against you automatically. In this case, your dog has accidentally bit you. The more sensitive and impulsive the animal is, the more likely it is to behave in this way.
Of course, each dog is different and two different animals in the same context can have completely different reactions depending on their character, genetics, education, socialization and life experiences, among many other factors.
What to do if my dog has bitten me?
What to do when a dog bites its owner? If your dog has bitten you, the first thing you should do is stay calm and not upset or punish the animal. Move away from him, give him his space, and let him relaxbefore initiating any other interaction. Keep in mind that the vast majority of dog attacks on their guardians are caused by misunderstandings or lack of human capacity to interpret and understand canine language, so it would be useless to scold the animal in this context.
If the dog has bitten you and drawn blood, Wash the wound well with saline and, if necessary, go to a medical center. If your dog is he althy and has all his vaccinations up to date, you should not worry, because there is no risk of transmitting diseases
Once the situation has calmed down, Analyze what could have happened The incident may have occurred unexpectedly. accidental or that the dog has acted completely voluntarily. Think about what you were doing just before the bite and if your dog was giving you any kind of warning that he was uncomfortable. This is very important, as it will help you avoid future attacks and will help you better understand your dog's behavior.
Also, we recommend that, if you have suffered any kind of aggressive reaction from your dog, you contact an ethologist or a canine educatorthat works with updated and respectful methodologies with the animal. The professional will assess your case and will help you, among other things, to work on bonding and communication with your furry friend.
