What makes a dog bite?

**Sirrahsim** · 04-23-2010, 12:26 AM

I got bitten yesterday and I am baffled as to what prompted the bite. It was more of a nip than anything and at first I didn't even think that it broke the skin. I was standing on the sidewalk next to my car strapping my son into his car seat. A girl came up along the sidewalk walking her dog so I took a step closer to my car and closed the door around myself as much as possible. I didn't even LOOK at this dog until I felt it turn around and nip me behind the knee. It didn't bark or growl, just chomped

It was more shocking than anything and I didn't notice that the dog had done any damage until a couple minutes later when I checked out the stinging sensation and saw that a little bit of blood was oozing down the back of my pant leg.
So what gives? The girl who was walking him didn't speak English beyond repeating "Sorry" and I don't know enough German to tell her to stay put while I call animal control to pick up her insane man eating Collie (joking, mostly) so I don't even know where they live.
What would YOU as dog owners do?

**Catlady711** · 04-24-2010, 10:51 PM

Not sure what prompted the dog to bite you. I know some dogs just plain don't like certain things about people (ie; male, female, facial hair, purfume, etc). There's alot of reasons animals bite people, and sometimes you just never really know why.

I don't know about the situation in Germany, but here Rabies is always a big concern. We have to quaranteen animals for 10 days if they bite someone to be sure they don't have Rabies. Since you don't know where this dog and it's owner live the animal can't be observed for a 10 day quaranteen, you would need to take the rabies postexposure shots to be sure. Rabies is almost always fatal, it's not worth the risk when it's preventable.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/a.../domestic.html

I do hope you are able to find the dog, so you don't have to go through the shots. Good luck.

**Cataholic** · 04-25-2010, 09:18 AM

I have a theory, all dogs bite, it is just a matter of when. There might have been something about the car door closing? Or 50 million other things.

As to rabies, here, in the county I live in, there has not been a reported case of rabies in 30 years. But, you are in another country, forget county! Get the shot!

**Pawsitive Thinking** · 04-28-2010, 09:08 AM

Could be the dog is just allowed to bite and nip when it feels like it in which case it really should have been muzzled. Why it decided on you is anyone's guess. Is your tetanus up to date?

**Sirrahsim** · 04-28-2010, 10:30 AM

I got a tetanus shot within the lost couple of years so that is fine.

Kind of an update on the situation, I am for sure not the first person in my neighborhood that has been nipped by this dog. I have seen the dog and the girl around a few times since then and each time the dog has been muzzled. I hope that they KEEP it muzzled while out on walks indefinitely. I don't want to get someone's family dog taken away but I don't want to put my kids at risk either.

**elizabethann** · 04-28-2010, 03:20 PM

Yikes! Glad it wasn't your son that got bit because it could have resulted in more damage. I'm with the others...dogs can bite for a number of reasons. Let's hope you were the last "victim".

**Pawsitive Thinking** · 04-29-2010, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Sirrahsim

Kind of an update on the situation, I am for sure not the first person in my neighborhood that has been nipped by this dog. I have seen the dog and the girl around a few times since then and each time the dog has been muzzled. I hope that they KEEP it muzzled while out on walks indefinitely. I don't want to get someone's family dog taken away but I don't want to put my kids at risk either.

Good to hear that they seem to be doing something about it

**buttercup132** · 04-29-2010, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Cataholic

I have a theory, all dogs bite, it is just a matter of when. There might have been something about the car door closing? Or 50 million other things.

As to rabies, here, in the county I live in, there has not been a reported case of rabies in 30 years. But, you are in another country, forget county! Get the shot!

Your theory is bull , why not do some research on dogs and dog psychology.

There could be a lot of reasons as to why you were bit but without knowing the dog and being there no one will be able to answer your question.
It could have been something you did that you were totally oblivious to but set the dog off.

***LabLoverKEB*** · 04-29-2010, 06:17 PM

Buttercup, wow. You always have something to say about other people's posts, don't you? You are extremely harsh in a lot of your posts.

Cataholic is right. ALL dogs have the potential to bite. Doesn't mean they will, but they can.

I've never been one to get involved in conflicts, ever. But you need to do some research on how to communicate with other people without being rude. And I KNOW other people will agree with me.

**Taz_Zoee** · 04-29-2010, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by *LabLoverKEB*

Buttercup, wow. You always have something to say about other people's posts, don't you? You are extremely harsh in a lot of your posts.

Cataholic is right. ALL dogs have the potential to bite. Doesn't mean they will, but they can.

I've never been one to get involved in conflicts, ever. But you need to do some research on how to communicate with other people without being rude. And I KNOW other people will agree with me.

Agreed!!

**Sirrahsim** · 04-30-2010, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by *LabLoverKEB*

Buttercup, wow. You always have something to say about other people's posts, don't you? You are extremely harsh in a lot of your posts.

Cataholic is right. ALL dogs have the potential to bite. Doesn't mean they will, but they can.

I've never been one to get involved in conflicts, ever. But you need to do some research on how to communicate with other people without being rude. And I KNOW other people will agree with me.

I agree completely.

**mr.chiwawa** · 04-30-2010, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by *LabLoverKEB*

Buttercup, wow. You always have something to say about other people's posts, don't you? You are extremely harsh in a lot of your posts.

Cataholic is right. ALL dogs have the potential to bite. Doesn't mean they will, but they can.

I've never been one to get involved in conflicts, ever. But you need to do some research on how to communicate with other people without being rude. And I KNOW other people will agree with me.

You said that a whole lot nicer then I would have

**pomtzu** · 04-30-2010, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by *LabLoverKEB*

Buttercup, wow. You always have something to say about other people's posts, don't you? You are extremely harsh in a lot of your posts.

Cataholic is right. ALL dogs have the potential to bite. Doesn't mean they will, but they can.

I've never been one to get involved in conflicts, ever. But you need to do some research on how to communicate with other people without being rude. And I KNOW other people will agree with me.

Oh yes - agreed 100%. You probably remember a thread of mine about the psycho dog running loose - well I finally had to delete it because of the totally uncalled for comments being made by this 19 year old know-it-all - the one who has been there and done that and knows all about that - no matter what the subject matter.

**Cataholic** · 05-06-2010, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by buttercup132

Your theory is bull , why not do some research on dogs and dog psychology.

There could be a lot of reasons as to why you were bit but without knowing the dog and being there no one will be able to answer your question.
It could have been something you did that you were totally oblivious to but set the dog off.

LOL, I didn't even see your response until just now. Thanks to my pals for sticking up for me.

The irony of it is- you completely support my theory, "all dogs bite, it is just a matter of when" when you say,

Originally Posted by buttercup132

There could be a lot of reasons as to why you were bit but without knowing the dog and being there no one will be able to answer your question.
It could have been something you did that you were totally oblivious to but set the dog off.

That is exactly my point! We are humans, they are dogs, we speak different languages, and we do not know- often times- what sets them off and causes a reaction, like biting.

Read, think, breathe, and read again before you spout off.

**buttercup132** · 05-12-2010, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Cataholic

LOL, I didn't even see your response until just now. Thanks to my pals for sticking up for me.

The irony of it is- you completely support my theory, "all dogs bite, it is just a matter of when" when you say,

That is exactly my point! We are humans, they are dogs, we speak different languages, and we do not know- often times- what sets them off and causes a reaction, like biting.

Read, think, breathe, and read again before you spout off.

Maybe I should have explained better then, not every dog has things that set them off. Dog with traumatic past, poor breeding etc are the ones who you dont know what could set them off, usually still you have some idea that your dog is like that. It's not your dog is happy and healthy half its life then bites because it saw someone dressed in black.
Also dogs who have no structure in their life (which is A LOT of dogs now a days) will bite to defend themselves because their owner is under them and they cant trust their owner.