Is it the dog, the dog's guardian or a combination of the two?

Depending on what side of the issue you sit on, dog bites are blamed on the breed or the owner. We humans are consistently ‘re-inventing’ a concept or mindset, believing it had no beginning and we are on the frontier of something totally new. Dog bites and attacks have been around since the dawn of time – and unfortunately there is little research or data to support either BSL (breed-specific legislation) or many of the ‘dangerous dog’ legislation in existence currently in this country.

However there are some things you can usually predict about the dog bite or attack:

1. It will be done by an intact (not spayed or neutered) dog, usually male

2. If done by a female, there is generally two triggers in play – either maternal instincts surrounding a litter or because she is in heat and/or breeding with a male

3. The dog will be under 5 years old

4. The dog will be unsocialized, having fears not corrected as a puppy

5. A child under the age of 10 will be the victim

Notice, we did not mention any specific breed here. The media tends to report on ‘pitties’ when they attack or bite, and those who love the pitty breeds readily cite statistics of non-pitty breeds who have bitten and/or attacked.

So, what is the answer? We’ve listed five triggers that can be easily avoided, especially if the dog is known to have previously shown aggression, bitten or is a fear biter because they were not properly socialized as a puppy. A dog having bitten once without immediate addressing of the inappropriate behavior is very likely to repeat it again. Even addressed, unless the underlying triggers are removed and increased training is done immediately, that dog will also be a potential biter and attacker the rest of their life.

It doesn’t matter if it is a Chihuahua or a Pitbull. The only difference in bites by these two breeds is the severity of the damage because of the increased bite pressure and size of the jaws. Any child can be the next victim, but familiarity and opportunities increase when the child knows the dog, lets down their guard and/or the parents or guardians don’t follow more prudent measures to insure it does not happen again.

Dog guardians dislike forcing their dogs to wear muzzles when out in public simply because of the impression it can give someone else. Generally dogs that have bitten find their public opportunities for socialization diminished, especially when the owner does not want them to wear a muzzle.

This is how we change the problem… we address it, recognize it for what it is and find solutions to the problem. Blaming either the dog, the breed or the owner is ineffective. Ignoring the problem in any one dog, hoping they just don’t do it again, is a one way ticket to being euthanized down the road regardless of the breed.