Dog Bites & Biting

As a pack animal, the dog maintains strong social bonds. With his expressive repertory - a loving face or a threatening growl – he proves himself to the world that surrounds him. However, there can always be unexpected attacks which might end up in dog bites.There is basic rule of thumb: if the dog is still standing after the fight, no bone is out of place, and no blood is gushing out, you needn't worry. You have to proceed in pretty much the same way as you would in a case of an accident (see previous section). Scratches an even torn skin are in fact not so serious and cure quite easily, as long as they're not too deep. You have to keep an eye out on the dogs that are attacked by older ones. They almost always end up perturbed, with their neck hair impregnated with saliva, but without any wounds. Nevertheless, take your dog to the veterinarian in order to make sure the bigger dog hasn't caused more serious internal injuries. If so, the veterinarian will locate the wound and treat the patient with antibiotics for a couple of days.

Important: The first measure should consist in separating the dogs at all costs. A simple warning will not do much because it will only make your dog react and the adversary will take it as a sign of weakness. Try to muster up the courage by separating both dogs grabbing them by the neck hairs. This demands bravery, and I am not responsible for any adverse consequences. Hunters are often witnesses of fights and they know how to act: each owner grabs his dog by the tail – if they have none, by a hind leg – and pull. In order to avoid being bitten, they must scream at their dogs.

If the dog starts to have fever two or three days after the fight, it will be necessary to go to the veterinarian.