Biting dogs cause pain and fear in millions of people every year. It's been estimated that someone in the United States seeks medical attention for a dog bite about every 40 seconds. Of the approximately 800,000 dog bites requiring medical treatment each year, most of the victims are children, and the vast majority of victims are bitten on the face. Almost $165 million is spent treating dog bites and more than 70 percent of attacks occur on the owner's property.

There are personal injury lawyers who specialize in handling dog bite cases. That's all they do, day in and day out. Think about that for a moment--it must be a pretty lucrative practice if they can concentrate on only one type of lawsuit in the personal injury field. Do you want to be the target of their next lawsuit? Whether your dog has bitten anyone before is irrelevant. You as the dog owner could well be held liable for legal costs, medical bills and punitive damages, depending on the laws and statutes where you live and the circumstances of the dog bite. Why take the chance?

Why Dogs Bite
Although some breeds are more prone to be Biting Dogs than others, all dogs may bite. If not properly socialized and disciplined, any dog--small or large--may bite, if given the right incentive. It is perfectly normal for puppies to nip and bite. This is one of the ways they explore their environment. The problem arises when the limits are not properly established about what is and is not an acceptable object for biting.

The initial restraint training for biting dogs begins with the pup's mother. As the weaning process begins, she has a way of teaching her pups the consequences of biting too hard or being too rough. It is important to leave the pup with the mother to initiate this training; most mothers do an excellent job with this role.

The problem begins when humans assume the ownership role without the accompanying disciplinary role. It is easy to look at how cute this tiny bundle of energy is at eight weeks and not think ahead to how unruly he will be at eight months. Discipline does not need to be and should not be harsh. It must be consistent. For excellent guidance on raising a well-mannered dog, you should check out the information at our recommended resource at: www.dogtrainingauthority.com.