All dogs can bite; even the friendliest or cuddly family pet could bite someone without notice. No matter what happens, a major dog bite can cause pain, serious injury, fear, and shock. Have you ever wondered why your dog keep biting?
A person who a dog seriously bites will need medical care, including being hospitalized, having surgery, getting physical therapy, and sometimes talking to a psychologist.
Anyone who has been badly hurt by a dog should get both medical and legal help. If a dog bites someone, the dog owner’s insurance may pay for the victim’s medical bills and other costs related to the attack.
Contact Shrum Law Firm or fill out our online contact form to talk to a lawyer about your dog bite claim. The meeting is free; you do not have to do anything else afterwards.
- Fear
Most of the time, dogs act aggressively because they are scared. A dog might fear something or someone coming close to them or into their space. When something a dog is afraid of gets too close, the dog may feel “over threshold” and bite in response. When a dog bites out of fear, it usually wants to escape whatever makes it nervous.
- Startled
When dogs are surprised, especially after sleeping, they can bite. When a dog is shocked awake, it may not know where it is or what is going on and may bite. People and even the dog may be surprised by these bites. This can happen often with older dogs, who may have trouble seeing or hearing. If they are startled awake, they may be very confused. Touching a sleeping dog should always be done with care, and kids should know not to crawl into dog beds or wake up sleeping dogs.
- Protecting/Guarding
If your dog has something important that it does not want to share, like toys, food, or chews, it may bite out of fear that it will be taken away. Resource-guarding behavior can include biting to protect important things. Some dogs, no matter what type, may have strong guarding instincts and bite if they think their home is broken into or feel someone in their family is in danger, even if the threat is not real.
- Frustration
Dogs can get stressed out, which is another thing that can make them bite. When a dog feels trapped in a bad or uncomfortable scenario, it may bite out of frustration. Dogs can also feel upset when they cannot get to something they want because their owner or leash is holding them back. Dogs sometimes turn around and bite at what or who keeps them back. This is sometimes called redirecting or a redirected bite.
- Pain
When a dog is sick or hurt, it can be very scary, and upsetting. Even the most patient dogs can bite when injured or in pain. If your dog gets hurt, remember that they might bite if you touch them. Be especially careful if you need to lift or move an injured dog. If your dog’s behavior changes quickly, you should visit your vet and a positive reinforcement trainer.
- Play
People don’t always think about mouthing or light biting as a form of biting, but it always happens when kids play. Light biting or mouthing is a common way for dogs to learn about their environment and a common practice for dogs to play. Even though it is not fun for us, this is a normal way for dogs to play with each other and their toys. It can be scary to see dogs bite each other when they play. If you are worried about how mouthy your dog is when playing with you or other dogs, meeting with a trainer can help determine if your dog’s way of playing is good or bad.
Get in Touch with our Austin Dog Bite Attorney.
If you or a family member have been badly hurt by a dog that bit you or attacked you, the Austin dog bite lawyers at Shrum Law Firm want to help you get compensated for your medical bills and other losses, as well as for the pain and suffering you have had to go through.
We can do a full investigation of your dog bite case to figure out how much you lost, find the dog owner who is responsible, and help you get the money you deserve from the dog owner’s insurance or other sources of coverage.
Call Shrum Law Firm now or contact us online for a free review of your injuries and legal choices.