They might be man's best friends, but the reality is sometimes even the best of dogs will bite. When biting and aggressive behavior is a real concern, an owner might need to take serious action to prevent tragedy down the road.
If a biting incident has occurred and the authorities have not become involved or likely won't, there will be time to evaluate the situation. Try to figure out why the dog bit. If it was self-defense, fear or a desire to protect its home and humans, the incident might be isolated and not worth too much concern.
If biting is a repeated problem for people or other pets, then some serious steps will likely need to be taken. If the animal control authorities have become involved, they might set the terms. Otherwise, there are a few things owners can do to try and help retrain the bite out of their dogs.
The number one thing an owner can do to help lessen aggression is to get their dog fixed. This is especially so for an unneutered male, but can also apply to a female.
Beyond fixing, major training efforts will likely need to come into play. These include working to socialize the dog with other animals and people. Another option is obedience training and even personal, one-on-one training with a behaviorist. It is vital a dog be taught what is acceptable and what is not. Biting, of course, is not.
Even the best, most well-trained dogs in the world will sometimes bite. It is a very good idea for owners to exercise extreme caution when bringing their pets into situations that are unknown. The normally friendly dog, for example, might react out of fear and snap at a stranger on the dog's first trip to a park. To be certain, keep the dog restrained and gauge their reactions before allowing them to run hog wild.
Working with dogs that have biting problems can remedy the situation. It is important, however, for the owner to be responsible enough to carefully guard a dog when it is new or unfamiliar ground. It is impossible to predict how a dog will react to any degree of certainty.
