I got bitten by my neighbour’s dog without reason

I once saw a Labrador at my neighbour's house. I went close to him. He was very friendly. I was petting him and he seemed calm and happy about it but all of a sudden, he jumped and bit my hand. What could have possibly brought that sudden change in his behaviour?
­— Sheena

Hi Sheena,

There are a lot of details of the incident missing in your description and hence it is not possible to give a precise answer. But we can try to explain possibilities here.

The most important thing to understand is that, just as it is with humans, not all dogs like to be touched and petted by strangers. Any dog is within his rightful limits to be uncomfortable with this and as a result, if he does snap, he is justified. This is not a sign of aggression and no dog should be discredited for this.

Having said that, all dogs give considerable warning before they bite. The most obvious ones are the growl and teeth, and barks but there are other subtle body languages that we fail to read. The absence of these does not mean the dog is friendly or is okay with you approaching him. For instance, a stiff body and tight high tail, moving slowly back and forth indicate a tense dog asking you to stay away from him.

This is contrary to the happy swaying tail which would practically sway in circles and a low relaxed body. There are many such body languages that closely need to be watched to understand what the dog is trying to say. It is possible that this dog was tense or nervous around you and you failed to read the signs.

The presence of the owner at the time also matters. Did he see you as a threat to his owner? Was he guarding his toy or food and of possessive nature at the time of the encounter?

Dogs typically use their mouth for communicating their needs, and with pus or untrained ones who have not learnt otherwise, mouthing is common. Owing to the size and strength, even mouthing can hurt and seem like a bite. But be assured, he meant no harm.

The last of all is the spot where you touched him. Did you touch him at a spot that he was not comfy with? Dogs are usually not comfortable with strangers touching them in certain areas — like the rear, tail, legs, tummy, and head. This could have triggered him to snap as well.

Work with the dog’s owner to figure out what happened. Consult a professional canine behaviourist for further assistance.

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