Some people view dogs that bite as aggressive without realizing
that dogs themselves can get afraid and they can bite out of panic. Fear biting in dogs
occurs when they feel panic and the only way for them to express this
fear or panic is to bite. Not all dogs that bites are aggressive, they
are just scared.
Biting is a defense behavior of most fearful dogs. Things that make a dog fearful are loud noises, strangers trying to confront or approach them, cars or anything that they are not familiar with. Dogs cannot speak and they cannot tell you to stay away when they feel scared and want to be alone. People sometimes push dogs to the edge by approaching them or getting closer thinking they can comfort them and make them feel that there is nothing to be afraid of and so in most cases they become the victim and get bitten.
Fear biting in dogs does not happen without a warning but in most cases humans tend to overlook or ignore the warnings. When dogs are faced with unfamiliar people, things and scenarios, there are usually warning signs that they are scared or in panic. Some obvious signs are dogs fold their tail between their legs when they are afraid, the ears are flat or down against the head and they also avoid eye contact. Dogs may also urinate, defecate or run to hide due to extreme panic or fear.
There are a number of reasons why dogs become fear biters. Age is one factor because fear biting usually occurs when they are on their formative years, usually on their 8th weeks and may occur again when they are on their 14th weeks. Dogs that are shy and rarely socialize tend to be more fearful of unfamiliar things, people and scenarios so fear biting in dogs may also occur on shy dogs. History of abuse or trauma can also cause fear biting in dogs
How to deal with fear biting in dogs? It is important to know that there are no trainings that can teach a scared dog not to bite because biting is dog’s natural defense and instinct when they get scared and you have to be realistic that fear biting in dogs may stay with them until the rest of their lives. What you can do is to help your dog to reduce or overcome his anxiety. Know what triggers their fears and know how to desensitize them to lessen or avoid the occurrence of fear biting in dogs.
It can be very helpful to boost his confidence for him to be less anxious. This is where obedience training can come in because it is a good medium for your dog to build up his confidence. Your dog can learn to modify his behavior, learn new commands and gets rewarded which in turn will boost his confidence. The more confident he is the less anxious he becomes.
Slowly exposing or making him familiar to his feared objects or situations is one way to desensitize your dog and make him less anxious. Remember to be patient, do this in his own pace and do not push him over the edge that could result to panic and fear. Do not rush your dog because even dogs need time to confront their fears. You may need professional assistance if you cannot do all of these things on your own. Know more about dog behavior trainings visit Secrets to Dog Training
Biting is a defense behavior of most fearful dogs. Things that make a dog fearful are loud noises, strangers trying to confront or approach them, cars or anything that they are not familiar with. Dogs cannot speak and they cannot tell you to stay away when they feel scared and want to be alone. People sometimes push dogs to the edge by approaching them or getting closer thinking they can comfort them and make them feel that there is nothing to be afraid of and so in most cases they become the victim and get bitten.
Fear biting in dogs does not happen without a warning but in most cases humans tend to overlook or ignore the warnings. When dogs are faced with unfamiliar people, things and scenarios, there are usually warning signs that they are scared or in panic. Some obvious signs are dogs fold their tail between their legs when they are afraid, the ears are flat or down against the head and they also avoid eye contact. Dogs may also urinate, defecate or run to hide due to extreme panic or fear.
There are a number of reasons why dogs become fear biters. Age is one factor because fear biting usually occurs when they are on their formative years, usually on their 8th weeks and may occur again when they are on their 14th weeks. Dogs that are shy and rarely socialize tend to be more fearful of unfamiliar things, people and scenarios so fear biting in dogs may also occur on shy dogs. History of abuse or trauma can also cause fear biting in dogs
How to deal with fear biting in dogs? It is important to know that there are no trainings that can teach a scared dog not to bite because biting is dog’s natural defense and instinct when they get scared and you have to be realistic that fear biting in dogs may stay with them until the rest of their lives. What you can do is to help your dog to reduce or overcome his anxiety. Know what triggers their fears and know how to desensitize them to lessen or avoid the occurrence of fear biting in dogs.
It can be very helpful to boost his confidence for him to be less anxious. This is where obedience training can come in because it is a good medium for your dog to build up his confidence. Your dog can learn to modify his behavior, learn new commands and gets rewarded which in turn will boost his confidence. The more confident he is the less anxious he becomes.
Slowly exposing or making him familiar to his feared objects or situations is one way to desensitize your dog and make him less anxious. Remember to be patient, do this in his own pace and do not push him over the edge that could result to panic and fear. Do not rush your dog because even dogs need time to confront their fears. You may need professional assistance if you cannot do all of these things on your own. Know more about dog behavior trainings visit Secrets to Dog Training
