What To Do If My Dog ​​Bites Another Dog?

Witnessing a fight between two or more dogs is always very unpleasant, especially when your furry one is one of those involved. In these cases, the best thing you can do is prevent the situation, analyze the language of the animals, and learn to anticipate a possible attack the moment you perceive any sign of tension or discomfort between the dogs. But since this is not always easy, in this Best Pets Lover article we tell you what to do if your dog has bitten another dog and what happens afterward. Keep reading!

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Why does my dog ​​bite other dogs?

There are many reasons why a dog attacks other dogs and the first step before intervening is to be able to recognize the cause of the behavior to prevent it and work on it if necessary since not all attacks are necessarily related to an aggressiveness problem.

Below, we explain some of the most frequent reasons why a dog can bite another:

Play: dogs play with each other by chasing and biting each other and, even if they have no intention of harming, a game dynamic that is too abrupt or excessively excited can cause one of the dogs to injure the other. In this case, the injury (if any) will be minor and the affected dog will most likely complain or stop playing immediately.

Fear or insecurity: One of the most frequent reasons why a dog bites another dog is because he is scared or feels insecure in his presence. The probability of the attack occurring increases if the dog in question is on a leash does not know how to communicate effectively or cannot leave the situation that generates stress. This usually happens, above all, in the case of animals that have not been properly socialized, that have lived through traumatic experiences, or that have been educated through punishment.

Resource guarding – This type of aggression occurs when a limited resource enters the scene that is valuable to two or more dogs and they all want access to it, for example, a piece of meat, a snack, or a ball. If the animals are not able to communicate effectively and establish an order of access to the resource, a fight can break out.

Communication problems: Dogs have a very extensive language of their own that includes facial expressions, body movements, and sounds. Socialized animals that have grown up in favorable environments know how to use these signals perfectly and they do it both with other dogs and with us. If an animal is uncomfortable in the presence of another individual, it will indicate through this language to move away or to stop its behavior, but if a said individual does not understand the signals, the dog will have no choice but to bite it to make itself understood, self-reinforcing this behavior.

Aggression due to organic causes: suffering from a disease, pain, or having specific genes are also possible causes of aggressive behavior that should be assessed. To do this and in case of any suspicion of pathology, it is best to go to a veterinarian to check the animal and perform the relevant tests.

Territoriality: Some dogs only show confrontational behavior when another animal enters their home. The defense of the territory and the social group is a characteristic of some individuals that is determined by several factors, such as their genetics or their learning.

Intrasexual Aggression – In intrasexual aggression, the dog attacks only another individual of its sex. This type of aggressiveness is observed more frequently among adult males than among females, although it can appear in both sexes.

What to do if my dog ​​bites another dog?

On a large number of occasions, the encounters between two dogs are limited to a series of growls, markings, and quick and sudden movements that they use as a means of communication and, although they are terrifying to us, these situations do not usually cause serious injuries. These fights can appear, for example, when one or both animals are stressed or overexcited or when there are valuable resources involved and the most common thing is that one of the two dogs ends up leaving the area, thus ending the conflict.

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However, certain contexts can trigger a real fight between two or more individuals, and if, before you have time to do anything, your furry friend attacks and bites another dog, you must know how to act quickly and precisely to prevent the situation from escalating. go to worse

Here are some tips so you know what to do if your dog bites another dog:

Keep Calm – This seems complicated when we are in the middle of a dog fight, but it is essential to be calm to think clearly. You should not yell at the dogs or hit them to try to separate them, as this is only adding stress to the animals and making the situation worse.

Try to get your dog's attention: If the conflict is not serious, a distraction may cause one of the two dogs to give up the fight. Try calling your dog in a cheerful voice, jingle a toy or run in front of him to encourage him to chase you and, if he approaches you, never punish him for having fought, on the contrary, praise him for coming to the call.

Act on the aggressor: if your dog is the one who has initiated the attack and does not release the other animal, you should intervene directly with him, because it is most likely that when your furry releases the other dog, the latter will immediately move away.

Do not pull the dogs: a common mistake that is often made when trying to separate a dog that is preying on another (that is, that it has grabbed it and does not let go) is to grab both animals by the collar or paws and pull them in opposite directions. This is a risk, as we can cause a significant tear, worsening the severity of the injuries.

Immobilize your dog: To prevent your dog from shaking the other, place his body between your legs to immobilize him and try to get him to open his mouth. For this, you can try using an object to pry his jaw or try to cut off his airflow to force him to suck in air through his mouth. You can do the latter using the dog's leash or a belt, placing it under his neck and pulling up or covering his nose.

Move away and calm the dog: when you manage to separate the dogs, move away with yours a little but do not leave the area completely and, of course, do not hit or punish your dog for what has just happened, it is counterproductive and could worsen the behavior of the animal.

You must be very careful with the so-called redirected bites because in a moment of so much tension it is easy for either of the two dogs to end up biting you involuntarily as a result of the stress and frustration of the moment.

What happens if my dog ​​bites another dog?

Once both animals have been separated, it is time to assess the extent of the injuries. Both you and the guardian of the other dog must examine your furry ones well, touching their body gently and staying calm to try, at the same time, to reassure the animals. If your dog is very nervous and won't let you touch him, walk him away to a quiet area and give him some time to recover.

Once this is done, go talk to the guardian of the other dog to clarify the situation. Try to remain calm and understanding, since the other person will probably be upset by fright and it is better to avoid an argument. If your dog has not caused injuries to the other animal or these are superficial, likely, the other guardian will simply ask you to cover the expenses of the veterinarian. However, it is also possible that they decide to call the police to file a complaint against you, and, in that case, you must collaborate and provide the information they request. The police will ask for both your documentation and that of the animal and will check, among other things, that there is no record and that the dog is properly vaccinated. If your furry is of a " potentially dangerous " breed, they will also request your license, check that you have contracted civil liability insurance, and assess whether or not the obligations associated with having these were fulfilled at the time of the attack. breeds (for example, whether the animal was tied or muzzled).

The most common thing after this is that you have to pay a fine that will correspond, at least, to the expenses of the consultation and the veterinary treatments that are necessary until the complete recovery of the injured dog. On some occasions, they may also require compensation for damages.

If your dog has bitten other dogs on more occasions, that it has caused serious injuries or that it has caused the death of the other animal, the police will tell you that your furry must go through a veterinary check and undergo a quarantine, as well as a behavior test. This examination is carried out to assess the risk posed by the animal and decide if it is classified as a "PPP" (potentially dangerous dog), regardless of its breed. If the latter occurs, you should begin to comply with the rules established for the possession of potentially dangerous dogs.

If my dog ​​bites another dog, does insurance cover it?

If your dog has bitten another dog, it is normal for you to wonder if any of the insurance you have contracted covers these expenses. Guardians of dogs classified as potentially dangerous are, today, required to have civil liability insurance, which covers personal or material damage that the animal may cause to third parties. Concerning the rest of the breeds, the obligation to take out insurance depends on the autonomous community where the guardian resides.

Both home policies that include pets and those insurances that are exclusive to dogs usually cover accidents due to bites to third parties, both to people and other dogs. However, not all insurances include it, and some only cover veterinary expenses partially, so it is important to be well informed of the conditions of the chosen insurance before contracting it.

As you can see, whether your dog has attacked another dog or you suspect that it might, it is best to anticipate this situation and avoid it. If the problem is that he has not been properly socialized, it is not too late for it. We encourage you to consult this article on How to socialize an adult dog, but, above all, we recommend you go to an ethologist or canine educator to help you assess the condition of your dog and establish a personalized action plan. This is especially important if your dog attacks other dogs relatively frequently, as this is a serious problem that needs to be treated.