COVID-19 NOTICE: For your safety and convenience we offer a variety of contactless options. Read more here.

Why dogs attack and how to prevent dog bites

When you own a dog, one of your biggest concerns is likely fear of what could happen if your dog behaves aggressively and bites someone. Dog bites can be dangerous — not only for the victim, who can get severely hurt, but the aggressive dog also runs the risk of being euthanized. By gaining a more thorough understanding of dog bites, you are better prepared to avoid being bitten yourself and to avoid raising a dog that goes on to bite someone else

angry-mad-dog
Image via Flickr by daveograve

One Out of Five Victims Requires Medical Care

Although many dog bites are minor and only require basic cleaning and care, there are 4.5 million biting incidents each year according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. With one in five bites requiring medical treatment, that amounts to nearly 1 million bite victims that need medical care in a year.

California Is the National Leader for Dog Bite Claims

According to numbers released by State Farm, nearly 15% of claims received were from California, with 488 of 3600 total claims. California is a large state and has many highly populated cities where dogs in public are likely to encounter many strangers. If you’ve been bitten, a dog bite lawyer can help you determine the best path forward.

Dog Bites Are on the Rise in Recent Years

A study cited by DogExperts.com showed a significant increase in dog bite incidents from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s. In an eight-year span from 2006 to 2014, the number of ER visits increased by 30% while the number of patients forced to be admitted to hospitals went up by 50%.

Frequency Can Vary Greatly by Region

While California’s numbers stand out from other states, that doesn’t mean every region is the same. According to DogExpert.com, county data for dog bites varied significantly, from Santa Clara County’s one bite per 100,000 people, to Lake County’s seven per 100,000. 

A Common Denominator in Dog Aggression Is Owner Behavior

Although people often associate violent or aggressive behavior in dogs with the dogs themselves, many of the top indicators for whether or not a dog will behave in an aggressive manner are actually related to their owners. The way that a dog is raised and treated plays a key role in whether or not the dog grows up to be aggressive. Some of the most common traits shared by dogs that bite are:

  • They aren’t neutered. While the movement for getting pets spayed and neutered tends to focus on the fact that fixing pets reduces newborns and eases the burden on shelters and strays, that’s not the only benefit. A male that has not been neutered is more likely to display aggressive tendencies and is more likely to pose a threat than a neutered dog.
  • They are kept off-leash. Keeping dogs on a leash when out in public is a crucial step in avoiding aggression. Not only do leashes reduce the threat in the short term because the dog can be controlled, but it also teaches discipline. With proper leash training, dogs learn to obey the human that they are walking with, and they become less likely to violate commands by lunging or biting someone.
  • They live outside. Dogs that are not shown sufficient levels of affection from their owners are more likely to develop aggressive tendencies toward people. Leaving a dog outside permanently reduces their exposure to humans and also can engender a competitive nature. This makes the dog an increased threat to display aggressive behavior around people.
  • Their owners provide minimal human interactive play. In addition to allowing dogs to spend time indoors, it’s also important to be playful and affectionate with them. When a dog is not given any positive attention from humans, it does not learn to view people as friendly. This can cause the dog to be cautious or apprehensive when presented with people they do not know, which can, in turn, show in aggression or attacks.
  • They aren’t socialized frequently or at all. Just like time with a dog’s owner is important, so too is time with others outside the home, including meeting strangers. Dogs learn through experience, and a dog that goes extended periods without socialization around outsiders can grow to be hesitant or scared around new faces, resulting in defensive or even aggressive actions toward strangers when encountered.
  • They have been trained to be aggressive. Unfortunately, some dog owners actively attempt to make their dogs as aggressive as possible. Often this will be accompanied by specifically choosing breeds with an aggressive reputation, which helps to spread the belief that those breeds are inherently dangerous. This is more of a threat with breeds that are both strong and highly intelligent and obedient, as they can be trained to be very aggressive if the owner desires it.
  • Their owners hit them for discipline. One of the worst things a dog owner can do is use physical abuse to deter the dog from behavior the owner doesn’t want. Not only is this an ineffective way to get the dog to begin behaving the way the owner wants, but it can also lead to the dog becoming afraid of people, becoming aggressive toward people, or both, with the dog displaying timidity until it feels too threatened and attacks.

By understanding these warning signs, you can not only be better prepared to raise your dog to reduce the risk of them behaving aggressively and biting someone, but you can also potentially identify dogs that are more likely to be aggressive toward you. You should also know that your dog may be protected if the person they bit instigated the aggression.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility, and you owe it not just to your community but also to your dog to raise yours in a manner that they are not a risk to others. Keeping your dog from behaving in an aggressive manner not only reduces the risk for people but for your dog as well, as it minimizes the chances that you are forced to euthanize the dog following an attack. If you own a dog, be sure to keep the above human-controlled risk factors in mind to minimize the chances of your dog behaving aggressively.

en_USEnglish