The use of the mouth is one of the preferred ways for dogs to communicate with the rest of the world, understood as other dogs and other living beings. Just as we address people and animals with attitudes typical of our species (tones of voice, body posture, etc.), for our four-legged friends it is exactly the same: wrinkling their nose, showing their teeth or not while growling, keeping the closed or open mouth, are all signals used to communicate (associated with different body postures).
However, when a dog bites it is necessary to analyze the context in which the gesture occurs, ask why and seek solutions to this behavior, remembering that the dog can bite living beings or objects. In the article on our site about what it means when the dog nibbles at you, we had already focused on the meaning of "nibble" with references to play, the exploration of the environment and the request for attention and space, but what happens when the bite is produced by stroking it? In this article we will focus on this and explain why your dog bites you when you pet him, whether he is a puppy or an adult, and what to do in each case.
Why does my puppy bite me when I pet him?
The newborn puppy, still deaf and with its eyes closed, orients itself tactilely in search of its mother and siblings and if you separate it from them it reacts by complaining and bobbing its head until it finds them. The puppy that will have intense physical contact first with its mother and siblings and then with the human being will grow up confident.
The problems usually start from the so-called “ socialization period ” (4th-12th week of life), in which the puppies become aware of their surroundings and learn to react to stimuli in an appropriate way. If caressing them will increase the bond that unites us, it is also good not to overdo it in certain circumstances. Let's see which ones:
During the game
With the game, the puppies are trained in everything that can happen to them in life, in pleasant and unpleasant situations, but also to test skills and limits, often through fights. Attempting to hold and pet the dog at these times could result in the puppies biting because they are so agitated that they cannot control themselves during these times of excitement, with the risk that they do us harm that this entails (given the degree of sharpness of their teeth).
It is much better wait for the game to end to try to interact with them, remembering that caressing can also be considered a reward for our dogs: petting a puppy in a calm moment will help him understand that this is precisely the behavior he should have. Thus, reward situations that do interest you and not their ex altation.
During the dream
A puppy can sleep up to 18 hours a day (according to different types of breeds), and during the deep sleep phase, being touched even with a caress could make startle, with the instinctive reflex of biting your hand. It is always better that the interaction occurs when the dog is awake to avoid unpleasant results.
The situation is different when petting a puppy makes him fall asleep, since petting a dog helps reduce the levels of stress and anxiety present in the body. In addition, physical contact transmits calm and tranquility. For this reason, it is very important to pet the puppy at the right time, since this gesture is intended to convey that calm, not to "reward" the excitement, much less scare the dog.
Why does my adult dog bite my hands when I pet him?
We have already mentioned that body communication in dogs is very important. Both among themselves and towards us they make gestures with different ends. For example, in dominance gestures the subject can rest a paw on the back of another dog or bring his muzzle closer with a body position that indicates to the other that he must submit. This may be due, among other causes, to a lack of socialization. At this point it is important to remember that hierarchical relationships occur between members of the same species (we will never be the "leader of the pack", but rather a guide or reference person).
They also give us signals that indicate they are not receptive. So, if in one of these moments we try to touch our dog, our caress can be misunderstood and, therefore, it can bite us. In these cases, it is essential to analyze all the body language to see what our dog is trying to tell us or what can happen to him to show himself that way with us. The causes can be very varied, such as a he alth problem, poor socialization, suffering from stress or anxiety, that we have used inappropriate training methods (such as punishments or yelling), etc.
Also, your dog biting your hands when you pet him can also be due to these reasons:
Excitement
In the same way that a puppy can bite if you pet him when he is very excited, so can an adult dog. The degree of ex altation that he reaches is such that he does not control his reaction and tends to bite, even though he really does not want to hurt us. Again, we insist that it is very important to know when to pet and when not.
Sleep disturbance
Does your dog bite your hands when you pet him while you sleep? Have you ever stopped to think how you would react if you were suddenly woken up? As in puppies, it is a instinctive reaction in which the dog acts without knowing who or why. If he is fast asleep, you better not pet him.
Fear
If in terms of play and sleep we find similarities between puppies and adults, it is necessary to independently consider the situations in which dogs can be afraid. The lack of socialization with humans due to a life behind bars in a kennel, problematic situations related to sensory deprivation, unpleasant and traumatic events, are examples of situations that can evolve into a dog with behavior problems.
Thinking of petting a phobic dog, even with the intention of bringing relief to the animal, could be counterproductive: in situations of extreme difficulty it is instinctive to seek escape or attack to the subject that appears before him, without thinking about the consequences. Therefore, approaching a frightened dog (especially from the front and holding its gaze), with the intention of calming it down by petting it, will almost certainly result in the dog biting.
What to do if my dog bites me when I pet him?
Even if we don't realize it, the way we touch our dogs causes different sensations and effects:
- Caring them with an open hand on the sides causes calmness, lowers alertness and reduces stress.
- The pats tend to turn them on.
- Back and shoulder scratches are a source of gratification and a much-appreciated way of complimenting your behavior.
On many occasions, our dogs communicate with us in the same way that they do with each other: very often they literally throw themselves on us or lean with all their weight on our legs when they sit. We almost always pay attention to the signals they send us, but we don't observe or analyze them to understand what they really mean.
To prevent the dog from biting when you pet him, don't take the initiative directly by putting your hand on his body, but insteadYou must make sure that he really wants you to pet him To do this, get down to his level and invite him to come with you if he is not by your side. Use a persuasive voice and show your palms open to allow him to smell them and interact with him.
Avoid putting your hands directly on his head, especially if he's not looking at you and it might be an unexpected gesture. How would you behave if a "giant" friend reached out with his outstretched hand to place on your head? Let us remember that we are two species that have evolved together over time and, as is fair, we must respect each other for a peaceful coexistence.
If, despite putting these tips into practice, your dog bites you when you pet him and shows other signs, such as being always alert, growling every time you try to approach him, hiding from you, etc., don't do it. hesitate and go to an ethologist to evaluate the case. It may be that he suffers from stress for some reason or that you are the one who is wrong with the methods used for his education. In this sense, we recommend that you also consult these articles:
- How to train a puppy?
- How to train a dog?
