Is it common for dogs to bite their owners? Tips and Tricks

Step 4: Change Your Play Style

While you might enjoy roughhousing with your dog, your playtime together is one way your dog internalizes your love and affection. Rather than use your hands to roughhouse with your dog, start using durable chew toys. If you notice your dog getting close to nipping, engage them in fetch or a game of tug of war to redirect their energy.

Provide First Aid Following the Dog Bite

After ensuring that your pooch is put away or otherwise sequestered in a safe manner, you’ll need to assess the wound.

Did she break your skin? Is there a puncture? If so, you’ll need to clean it with soap and water and wrap it in a clean bandage.

But if the wound is significant, if you suspect you may need stitches, if you are overdue for a tetanus shot, or if your dog’s rabies vaccines aren’t up-to-date, you’ll want to head to the hospital or an urgent care center and obtain professional medical treatment.

Despite popular belief, dog’s mouths are not completely sterile nor free of bacteria. Accordingly, your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent an infection from developing.

If the broken skin is more of a scratch than a serious wound, you can usually just clean it with soap and warm water, apply an antiseptic cream, and cover it with a bandage.

But obviously, seek medical assistance if any bite wound doesn’t heal quickly or it starts to look red, inflamed, or infected.

Try to Determine the Reason Your Dog Bit You

Begin your investigation by replaying the event in your head.

Because our memories often fail us, you may want to write down the incident in as much detail as possible.

Think about:

What was happening in the environment at the time of the bite?

What was your dog was doing at the time?

Did she give you any warnings such as growling, freezing, or air snapping?

Was she suddenly startled?

Was she fighting with another dog?

Did you touch her near her sore paw?

Also, think about your behavior. What were you doing right before the bite occurred? How did you react? And how did your dog respond to your reaction?

Determining why your dog bit you will help you decide if you need to seek professional help.

Why dogs turn on their owners

Receiving a painful nip or bite from your dog can be an unpleasant experience — and may even cause an owner to worry about their pup’s temperament. Even the friendliest dog is capable of nipping or snapping, and dogs don’t always bite out of aggression or fear. Finding out why your dog may be biting can help you get to the root of the behavior and, with a little work, can discourage your dog from biting altogether.