Bite Science:
The Key To Understanding Dog Aggression
What Is Bite Science? | The Study of How & Why Dogs Bite
From licking and chewing to playing tug-of-war, dogs use their mouths to communicate and interact with their environment. However, when it comes to aggression and biting, dogs need to be trained on how to appropriately use their mouths. It's no secret that dog aggression can be a difficult problem to manage. At K9 University, we use Bite Science to educate owners on how dogs bite, the underlying causes, and appropriate responses to aggressive behavior. There are 3 different types of bites that are indicative of when your dog is trying to tell you something. Beginning with where the dog is targeting their aggression, then how serious the type of biting is. Our ultimate goal is to find those foundational cracks that are causing the dog to resort to aggression. By using the umbrella of Bite Science, we are able to take a more educated approach so we can best advocate for the dog and provide the most effective solutions without further damaging trust.
Bite Location:
To begin, where the dog bites on the body can provide the first set of important indicators as to why your dog is displaying aggressive or reactive biting behaviors. When a dog goes for the lower half of the body (e.g. ankles, calves, knees) they are giving you a correction by herding you in the direction that gives them the space they need. Or they are overstimulated and using their mouths to express themselves. When a dog bites higher on the body (e.g. arms, hands, face) this is a more serious correction that involves more confidence and dominance and is meant to intimidate.
The 3 Types of Bites:
Biting is a form of communication that dogs use to express how they are feeling and what they need. It is important to understand the different types of bites, as this will help you determine how to respond and how to address the underlying cause.
Snapping: when a dog gives a warning, but does not make contact. This type of bite is usually not aggressive, but can indicate the dog is not comfortable or needs space. Snapping is also common in younger puppies that are still learning boundaries and like to use their mouths to play.
Nipping: when the dog gives a warning and makes contact, but does not break the skin. This kind of biting is typically used by dogs that are correcting their owners when they are trying to get them to do something. For example, when a dog nips their owner in the back of the calves or heels. This kind of herding behavior is a sign of a severe lack of trust between the dog and the owner and can escalate quickly if not trained properly.
Biting: when the dog gives a warning or intends to attack, makes contact, and punctures the skin. Biting can be caused by fear, anxiety, or aggression, and should be taken seriously. If your dog is biting, seek professional help from an animal behaviorist immediately. Aggression training should begin right away and can help reduce the likelihood of future biting incidents.
How To Fix Biting & Aggression:
Correcting these behaviors involves an extremely sensitive process. Without proper assessment, underlying causes will continue to control the dog and their manifestation of unmet needs will become more unpredictable. It is critical that owners seek the proper knowledge to correct this behavior without escalating the situation. The required training is done over a long period of time to rebuild trust and confidence. Because biting often stems from fear and anxiety, learning your dog’s specific needs and how to advocate for them is the only way to properly treat aggression and reactivity. We highly recommend that any dog owners struggling with biting or aggressive behavior consult with a professional trainer immediately to ensure the future safety of your dog.
We understand that aggression is scary and dog owners are in desperate need for a quick fix. You may feel a lack of control over your dog and you’re worried about the safety of your dog and others around you.
Here is a testimonial from one of our client’s that was struggling with aggression/biting from their new puppy and how K9 University’s 12-week behavior program was able to restore peace in their home:
“We got Little Bear when he was just 7 weeks old. He was a foster and we never intended on keeping him as we already have 4 dogs in our house! But nevertheless we fell in love and he joined our pack. We had never owned a large breed dog before and were used to letting our tiny old chihuahuas run the house without consequences (relatively). Bentley (our 10 year old chihuahua) and Charlie (8 year old terrier mutt) weren’t shy about their dislike of their new brother that was full of puppy energy. They constantly snapped and growled at him, but Bear never seemed to care. That is until about 8 months later when he finally had enough and fought back. We had to keep all of the dogs completely separated after the second attack in 2 weeks and were terrified our now 50 lb puppy would severely injure or even kill one of our feisty old chihuahuas.
This was a huge undertaking - we not only had to rebuild a foundation of trust with Little Bear since we hadn’t advocated for him for the first 8 months of his life since we didn’t think he cared, but we also had to train our 8 & 10 year old chihuahuas for the first time in their life.
We started with basic obedience and were worried K9 University wasn’t going to be able to fix this mess, but after a few weeks we started to truly understand what it means to advocate for your dog. Charlie taught us how to read the most subtle cues from Little Bear and that once we showed our dogs that we were always going to be there to step in and handle the situation, that they no longer needed to handle it themselves through fighting. 4 months later and we still struggle, but the dogs are no longer separated and there hasn’t been a fight since before we started the in-home training program. It took time, persistence, and a lot of energy, but we have been able to build a strong relationship with Little Bear and feel that we are finally able to set him up for the success he deserves.”
- The Rama Family (Little Bear 1.5 year old Doberman/Pitbull/Lab rescue, Foxy 2 year old pomeranian/chihuahua rescue, Bentley 10 year old chihuahua rescue, Charlie 8 year old terrier rescue, Nora 18 year old dachshund rescue)