Dog Warning Signs
 Many
people say their dog “seems fine” when touched inappropriately
in ways listed on the Do’s and
Don’ts page. However, it is risky and unfair to expect
a dog to tolerate incorrect touch indefinitely.
Think of it this way: How many times would you tolerate inappropriate
touch from someone before you objected or tried to retreat? If
the person continued touching you inappropriately, how many more
times would you tolerate it before you warned the person, escalated
your warning or acted in physical self-defense?
Dog bites rarely come out of the blue. Most dogs use subtle but
clear body language to warn that they are uncomfortable and may
bite. People are well-meaning, but they often don’t know
how to interact with the dog to avoid causing stress, and they
don’t notice the dog’s early warnings.
Learn to notice the early warning signs that your child or his/her
playmates may be at risk for a bite from your dog. Here are some
common dog body signals that indicate stress and a potential bite
event. Seek professional help (ask your veterinarian for a referral)
if you observe your dog do any of these:
- avoiding the child
- leaving the room when the child enters, or when the child
makes certain sounds or movements
- turning the head away during interaction
- flicking tongue
- moving away
- walking away
- walking away with your child following behind (important:
teach your child not to follow the dog)
- mouthing, using teeth on clothes or body for any reason
- freezing (motionless), particularly if approached by anyone
while eating or in possession of a toy
- showing whites of eyes
- showing dilated pupils (pupils look reflective or glowing)
- furtive glancing around, sometimes with furrowed brow (wrinkles
on dog’s forehead)
- cutting the child off from you, trying to shove body between
you and child
- growling (at anyone, however briefly)
- snarling (this is not a sound, but rather a behavior in which
the dog lifts her lip to show her teeth)
- snapping
- nipping
- biting
- flipping/whipping head around toward anyone’s hands
when touched
- mounting/humping behavior towards people
- cringing, cowering, hiding after perceiving movements or sounds
made by a child
- staring at child and whining
- staring and/or barking at child
- staring silently
- pacing and whining and/or panting near child or where child
sleeps
- anything that doesn’t seem quite right or worries you
Watch also for yawning, lip-licking, stretching, licking and
scratching before, during or following an interaction. These out-of-context
grooming behaviors are indicative of stress, similar to when a
person feels uneasy and bites their nails, fiddles with their
hair, or chews their lip.
Learn to interpret dog body language
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