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Why Dogs Bite

There are any variety of reasons why dogs bite. Dogs may bite due to fear, to protect their territory, or to establish power or dominance over the person being bitten. Certain dog owners mistakenly teach their dogs that biting is an acceptable form of play behavior. Because dog bites occur for many reasons, many components of responsible dog ownership-including proper socialization, supervision, humane training, sterilization, and safe confinement-are necessary to prevent dogs from biting.

A dog has its own sense of "personal space". Sometimes that space may be very small, just a few inches, other times it may include "territories". No matter what the circumstances, there is always a chance that an normally docile and gentle pet will be aggressive to an human. Normally dominant or aggressive-prone dogs are far more volatile, having personal spaces that extend for many feet beyond their physical position. Anyone or any thing that penetrates this area is subject to immediate attack.

Sadly, every year a number of newborn infants die when they are bitten by dogs who see them as "prey."

Which Dogs Bite?

In the United States, the list of top breeds involved in both bite injuries and fatalities changes from year to year and from one area of the country to another, depending on the popularity of the breed. Although genetics do play some part in determining whether a dog will bite, factors such as whether the dog is spayed or neutered, properly socialized, supervised, humanely trained, and safely confined play significantly greater roles. Responsible dog ownership of all breeds is the key to dog bite prevention.

HOLDING WRONGDOERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DAMAGES THEY CAUSE SINCE 1978

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BISNAR | CHASE 2006-2010 - Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 60 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. BISNAR | CHASE has received this award for three consecutive years.

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