I have yet to come across a dog involved in an attack that DIDN’T have a known history of aggressive behaviour.

But the problem with truly understanding dog bite prevention lies in the definition or understanding of “aggression” and/or the all too common inclination for dog owners to dismiss the bad behaviour of their dogs.

A dog bite is unlikely to be the first sign of aggression in any dog. Yet time and time again, the owners of biting dogs claim their dogs had never behaved aggressively before a first (reported) bite.

In reality, the escalation of behaviours that lead to aggression tend to follow a pretty predictable pattern in dogs. There are clear signs the dog is aggressive long before it successfully bites someone.

When faced with a new, uncomfortable, or threatening situation, most dogs will begin the coping learning process with rather benign attempts to manipulate their surroundings. That’s usuallly stiffened body posture, then staring, and maybe raised hackles. If the owner ignores the fact the dog is clearly showing signs of distress (and doesn’t use that as an opportunity to teach the dog either a more appropriate response, or that there is no reason for concern), those behaviours will likely escalate to more blatantly aggressive behaviours, such as menacing barking, growling, raised lips, lunging, attempted bites, and finally successful bites.

When I see a dog growling or lunging, I see a dangerous dog equal to those already at the biting stage. I know it’s just a matter of time. It’s unacceptable behaviour, that’s for sure. So why don’t the owners do anything? Why do so many of them not even seem to recognize the danger their dogs present?

Biting is actually the last step in a long, aggression learning process. For a dog to bite someone unprovoked, there MUST have been prior signs the dog was a danger. Dogs don’t pop out of the womb biting.

Unfortunately, too many dog owners remain ignorant, in denial, or apathetic. They may think that claiming the dog had never behaved aggressively before will garner sympathy for them, along the lines of, ‘poor thing couldn’t have known this would happen.’ (They may even really believe their dogs have never behaved aggressively, in the same way that many parents are shocked when their habitually-incorrigible teenagers are arrested for a crime.)

Denial… Ignorance… Apathy…

Even more unfortunate is the fact that those claims often work. I can’t tell you how often a news story has claimed a bite was the dog’s first aggression incident, when further investigation shows the dog had a lengthy history of dangerous behaviour.

Having spent many years specializing in rehabilitating aggressive dogs, I can say it is (virtually) always possible to turn even the most aggressive dogs into good canine citizens. Those dogs came from homes where owners allowed them to develop aggressive behaviours and weird perceptions of the world. When the previous owner’s negative influence is no longer there, the behaviour of these dogs turns around relatively quickly. To the uninitiated, responsible dog ownership must seem like magic.

Dog owners need to learn that early signs of aggression are almost a guarantee of a future bite, if left unaddressed. If, in the presence of perfectly harmless people or animals, your dog:
- growls
- raises its lips
- barks menacingly
- lunges
- attempts bites
- has bitten

…your dog is in the absolute highest category for biting. There is just no denying it.

Dog owners need to understand this. Society needs to hold dog owners accountable for knowing this. Turning a blind eye to the early signs of aggression is as likely to lead to a bite, one day, as purposefully sending out an extremely aggressive dog into a crowd. It’s negligence on the part of the owner.

Having trained dogs for 30 years, I’m no stranger to the problem of owner apathy, ignorance, or denial. My fellow trainers can tell countless tails of owners who absolutely deny, or grossly minimize, the danger their pets pose to themselves, their families, and society. These are the typical owners who claim their dogs had never behaved aggressively before ripping someone’s face half off.

Still, the media loves to create the kind of “could happen to me” fear that sells advertising space in their newspapers or newscasts.

And those are just the poorly-informed dog owners. …The ones who do things wrong because they don’t know any better. That doesn’t begin to address the number of dog owners who actively encourage the development of aggressive behaviours, through tethering, isolation, lack of socialization, unethical training, and abuse.

Again, I have yet to come across one case of an attacking dog that had absolutely no history of aggressive behaviour, no matter what the owners say. This fact, alone, indicates the owners had ample warning their dogs would likely bite, one day, but chose to do nothing.

I never cease to be amazed by the behaviours so many dog owners completely ignore, yet I wouldn’t tolerate for one second. No wonder not one of my own dogs has ever bitten a living creature. Heck, my current 8-year-old dog has never even growled. I just don’t encourage aggressive behaviour of any kind. And, like magic, my dogs are not aggressive. Alas, it’s not magic. It’s just plain ol’ responsible dog ownership, where the goal is raising a good canine citizen.

As always, we need to target the appropriate end of the leash, and stop blaming voiceless dogs for not training themselves. Removing/destroying the dog only reinforces the view that owners don’t need to be held accountable for poorly raising their dogs, and that it is the dog that’s the problem.