Dogs That Bite
Dogs that bite might be broadly categorized into two
groups: dogs that think they can; and dogs that think they must.
Dogs in the first group think they can at the dog's discretion. Dogs
in the second group have, in the dog's perception, been put into the position
that it feels it has no other choice. There is a big difference in the
approach to dealing with each group, and a lot of variation within the
approaches to the individual dogs.
The dog's that think they can range from dogs that are genetically
predisposed, to those that have been environmentally encouraged through
a lack of training or bad training. In both cases human failure has led
the dog down a path that leads to misery for the dog and danger to humans.
Dogs identified with genetic disposition to bite should never be bred.
They are unsuitable for companion work, and it may be difficult if not
impossible to gain reliable obedience response for duties requiring bite
work.
The dog that bites because it think it must may be well trained and
socialized, but perceives itself to be in a situation where it knows no
other option to prevent what it perceives as an undesirable incident.
Bite prevention for both categories involves two approaches: training
and management. Reliable obedience must be gained, and behavior and perception
modification used to enhance control of the obedience. Management is important
because it must be used to prevent situations where obedience reliability
has not yet been gained by training. In a perfect canine world management
must be thought of as an interim measure and an addition to training -
not as a substitute.
Training aggressive dogs and preventing aggressive behavior from developing
is both a training and a management issue. Bite prevention approached with
training and integrated management has the best potential for success.
Success may be viewed as the lowest predictable level which is acceptable.None
of my own dogs has ever bitten because I put them through extensive training
to ensure their reliability. Yet I can not train for every situation, and
I use management to prevent those situations from arising if possible.
