Many people think that dogs that bite are simply mean and aggressive dogs that need to be locked up. What they don’t’ realize is that some dogs, don’t bite out of aggression, some bite out of fear. In this article, we’ll discuss fear-based dog biting and how to understand and help your dog get over it.

A scared dog bites because he has panicked and doesn’t see a way out. By biting, he is trying to tell you that he can’t handle the situation and is reacting the only way that he knows how - with his teeth.

In most instances, this type of biting could have been prevented. If only one knows the warning signs of a scared dog. Here they are:

- Fear biting occurs from submissive and nervous dogs. It typically happens in an unfamiliar environment.

-Some common signs are allowed back, tucked tail, flat ears, or bent elbows. The dog may also seem to be panting excessively, yawning, not looking directly at you, and may even urinate or poop because they’re scared.

One might wonder what causes this type of behavior. In essence, it depends on the dog and their past histories. Some dogs are more anxiety prone due to their breeding whereas others may have experienced a bit of trauma in the past. For instance, this behavior is typically seen in dogs that were previously abandoned or abused. Either way, fear biting is a problem that one must address.

Here are some tips:

-You can’t force your dog to overcome his fears. Although you can help him to become acclimated to new people, surroundings and expose him, you can’t retrain a scared dog to never bite. No training will ever prevent this as he does it instinctively not out of aggression.

- Don’t treat him like a baby. He is a pooch and when he acts scared, reassure him and then move on.

-You must build up his confidence and socialize him. To do so, enroll him immediately in a dog obedience or training course. This will help him adjust to his new environments and people and teach him basic commands as well.

-Reward his success. Every time he performs a command, give him a special treat and praise to demonstrate how proud you are.

-Figure out what he’s scared of and desensitize him by getting him used to his fears. For instance, if he’s scared of red hats, you can place a red hat in the same room as his crate, then move it closer to his crate. Allow him to play with it, walk around it, smell it whatever. Lastly, you can put it on to show him that he doesn’t have to be scared of it.

-Once he’s used to whatever it is that used to scare him, you can start counter-conditioning him by dispensing treats and lavishing praise when he displays positive behaviors around the “scary thing”.

- Do what you can to help him adjust to scary things and reassure him when he displays fright. Be patient and diligent in your efforts but realize that you can’t make him change.

Fear biting can be a problem for many dogs but if you work with your dog, you may be able to help him change.