Can You Trust A Dog That Has Bitten?

Each and every year millions of people are bitten by a dog. In fact, according to one source over 2 million children are bitten annually. There are those dog owners that feel they can never trust a dog after it has bitten. There is the other camp that feels the dog may be able to be rehabilitated.

So what is the correct answer? Unfortunately there isn't a right answer because both groups are right. In my dog behavior practice I receive calls daily about aggressive dogs. Some have bitten and others have tried but did not inflict a bite.

So what should you do if your dog has bitten do you have it put to sleep? That is one option. As a responsible dog owner you need to realize that a dog bite can create a huge liability situation for you. Yes lawsuits are very common when it comes to dog bites. Of course your homeowners insurance gets involved and most times they will simply settle with the person that has been bitten in order to save money involved with a trial.

So your home owners insurance helped out but guess what? Your chance are pretty much 100% that they will now cancel your homeowners insurance. As a homeowner you realize that your mortgage company requires insurance to protect their interests. That means you will have to go to a high risk insurance company at probably 3 - 4 times what you were paying before. They will probably also stipulate that you get rid of the dog.

So back to the original question, can you trust a dog that has bitten? A lot of people simply have there dog put to sleep to eliminate the chance for any future bites.

Other dog owners will hire a canine behavior specialist to help solve the problem and rehabilitate the dog. Some dogs can be rehabilitated while other can not. How do we know which one can be fixed? You don't until you start doing some serious obedience training as well as a well planned behavior modification program.

Here is something to consider if you have a dog and before your dog bites. Socialization of your puppy before 20 weeks is critical and obedience training is also very important. Stop and think for a minute. Very seldom do you see a well trained dog that bites. A well trained dog that has also been socialized will understand that biting is not allowed.

So here is how to avoid bites. Socialize your puppy. Train your dog. Exercise your dog and spend quality time with it.

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