Stress & Calming Signals: Visual Breakdown of a Dog Bite

The role of dogs in our lives has changed drastically. The dog used to live in the yard or on the farm. He would be thrown scraps of whatever was left over for sustenance. He was the dog. Things were different. These days, our dogs are considered family members. They fill a void for those without children by becoming our “kids”.

The dog food industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. We take them to training and send them to daycare. We insure them so that we can meet any medical needs they may have. Yes, the world and the role of dogs in it has changed, but dogs themselves have not! Our perception of what a dog should be is drastically different these days, but the dogs we love are the same. I repeat: dogs have not changed! So, I am going to be blunt in the hopes that this post may help someone, somewhere: Dogs are still dogs and your dog is no different! It doesn’t matter how sweet they are or how much you believe in their gentle nature. It doesn’t matter how much you love them or how well you’ve cared for them throughout their lives. It doesn’t matter that you’ve provided them with a warm home or that you’ve spent $10,000 on vet bills to keep them healthy. Dogs are dogs and every single dog has the ability to bite!

Dogs with a bite history are often labelled as having been aggressive with NO warning. Much like the…