Dog Bites! Warning Signs and What You Can Do To Prevent

District of Columbia -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Oct 3, 2011 -- When you’ve got the threat of a biting dog, you aren’t at the beginning of a problem; you are smack dab in the middle of it. Fellow dog trainers can confirm: there is no uttered phrase more likely to send shivers down our collective spine than “my dog bit out of nowhere.”

Dog bites do not happen “out of nowhere”.

Prelude to a Kiss…with teeth
Equipped with far better communication skills than humans, dogs are always conveying their mood, intentions and emotions through subtle clues. As a species, it’s better this way. Attacking each other every time there is a disagreement would certainly lead to the demise of the dog population. Therefore, dogs need more efficient ways to communicate that they are unhappy, distressed, uncomfortable, or afraid.

Subtleties and Not-So-Subtleties
Showing the whites of the eyes, overall tightness of the body and tight/pursed lips are just a few examples of body language a dog will display when uncomfortable. This is usually the first warning.

You may also find a stressed dog licks their lips, yawns, stretches, itches, shakes off as if wet or sniffs frequently. It also depends on the context - a dog with a banana split in front of them may lick, but that’s because of the treat awaiting consumption! A dog that is meeting someone for the first time may lick – this is communicating that they are nervous or anxious. These signals are most important, considering they are your first subtle indications to keep an eye on the situation. If you notice these signs on a consistent basis, consult a positive-reinforcement trainer immediately.

Many will offer phone consultations for a small fee – this is well worth the investment, considering the potential outcome could be aggression or worse: an actual dog bite. Peace of mind is truly priceless.
If the above signs are ignored or prove to be ineffective, your dog will amplify their message, often, but not always, beginning with a growl or snarl.

NEVER, EVER punish your dog for any of these signs.
To do so doesn’t address the reason your dog was uncomfortable to begin with. In fact, it will likely make things worse.

Consider this example:
Your dog is feeling uncomfortable with the children always hugging him. He has tried to ward off this attention by yawning, shaking off, and other signs but the children persist. In fact, it never really dawns on anyone in the family that the dog is even concerned with this kind of attention. The kids have known him all his life – they’ve grown up together! One day, seemingly out of the blue, the kids walk by the dog while he is resting and he emits a growl. Shocked, you shout “No Fido!” and send him away. From that day on, you notice it is becoming a daily occurrence. You continue to correct him, sometimes even holding him down while the children come near so that he understands they are no threat to him. And still the growling persists.

After several days, weeks, or months of this behavior, your child walks up to the dog to hug him and SNAP! He bites. Absolutely terrified for the safety of your child you reprimand your dog – perhaps even spank him – to tell him that kind of behavior is not acceptable.

How to prevent this in the first place
Anytime your dog is uncomfortable, allow them time to acclimate away from what is making them unsure. If your dog begins to appear uneasy around an approaching stranger, afford them “personal space” by walking in another direction as the person passes by.

Understand, and accept, that most dogs do not like hugging, grabbing of their faces (especially if it’s for kisses!), being ridden by children, and loud noises (such as squealing children). This list can be enormous, but these are a few things that will cause most dogs a great deal of discomfort.

If your dog growls, take note of all that was happening right before that. Accept the growl as an indication that something is wrong. Never, ever reprimand the growl. Doing so only tells the dog “do not use this warning sign next time”. Once a dog has been told this several times, it causes him to shutdown his warning system but never solves the actual reason for him feeling uncomfortable in the first place. This is what leads to a bite happening without warning.

If you are working to build confidence in your dog that is already insecure, the last thing you want to do is threaten them. Always, always seek help from a skilled professional to help with your dog’s behavior. This may seem like a low-priority cost, especially in this economy; however, it can save your family a lot of heartache and grief the sooner you address the behavior.

For the full article please visit http://www.dcpettalk.com/2011/10/03/dog-bitesdogtraining/#more-1710

About the author
Eryka Kahunanui is a relationship coach and owner of Kahuna’s K9s dog training in Prince Frederick, Maryland. She is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CPT) and an Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer (ABCDT). She is dedicated to teaching dogs and their owner’s life skills and raising awareness about dog and children safety as a presenter for Dog Gone Safe.

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