Did Your Dog Just Have a Bite Incident?
Here’s how to assess the severity of the situation.
After your dog bites someone, it can make you think twice about whether or not it’s a good idea to keep them as a pet.
This is a valid concern since a dog bite that occurs without warning and for no apparent reason is more serious than a dog bite that occurs after fair warning and for obvious reasons.
Here are the four key areas that can help you assess the danger of your dog’s future behavior and whether they can safely stay in your home.
Predictability
Good signs
Your dog has a few known triggers for aggressive behavior
Your dog provides a significant warning before biting
Your dog acts consistently in each situation
You have time to recognize warning signs and make
the situation safe
Bad signs
Triggers are unknown
Your dog has a history of giving no warning before biting
Tip: If the triggers for bite behavior are unknown, assume the dog could be aggressive at any time.
Potential to Cause Damage
Good signs
Your dog bit when a person violated its personal space
Your dog—regardless of size—has bitten a variety of
people in a variety of situations many times and has
caused nothing more than light contusions
Bad signs
Your dog—regardless of size—is unable to inhibit the force of its bite and, even if it has only bitten a few times, has caused serious injuries such as deep tears or broken bones
Your dog has bitten a victim multiple times in a single incident
Your dog has pursued a victim after biting
Not Sure Your Dog is Safe to Be around Friends and Family Now?
Download our free dog bite assessment form to help you determine how serious the bite is.
Family Variables
Good signs
Every family member is aware of the problem and takes steps to prevent triggers for aggressive behavior
Bad signs
Some family members think the dog isn’t dangerous and allow dangerous interactions with people or animals
Some family members are too young or immature for good decision-making
The Overall Complexity of the Situation
Good sign
Your dog is aggressive under one or a few clearly defined circumstances (like when you get deliveries)
You still feel like you can trust your dog
Bad signs
Dog displays many types of aggression (fear, territorial, etc.), and a wide variety of stimuli trigger aggressive behavior
You no longer feel like you can trust your dog
The Verdict
More good signs than bad:
If triggers are known and can be managed by diligent owners and the history of injury is mild to moderate, you can likely keep your dog and start exploring training/treatment options.
More bad signs than good:
If several factors are at play—a large dog that bites children unpredictably without bite inhibition AND a home with many small children AND a low commitment to supervision by family members—then there is an extremely high risk for a serious injury. Euthanasia may be necessary, although rehoming may be an option.
We recommend having your dog assessed by a certified dog trainer or a veterinary behaviorist if you need help determining the severity of your dog’s bite incident.
Take Precaution
Aggression problems are often very complex. Once a dog bites, there’s no way to know if it will bite again.
The above are merely guidelines for assessing danger and helping explain the amount of danger inherent in your current situation.
They should not be used as a guarantee that your pet is safe.
The only 100 percent guarantee that a dog will not bite again would be to:
Commit to managing the dog when potential triggers are in the environment and training it to wear a muzzle
Never allow the dog to have contact with people or animals outside the family
Remove the dog from the home
Euthanize the dog.
If you are still unsure whether or not it’s safe to keep your dog, we recommend contacting a dog aggression expert for help.
