Preventing Dog Bites: Understanding Behavior and Reducing Fear
National Dog Bite Prevention Week – April 13–19, 2025
Dog bites don’t come out of nowhere—they’re usually the result of fear, pain, or overwhelming stress. During National Dog Bite Prevention Week, we’re focusing on how we can recognize early signs of fear and anxiety in dogs, especially in high-stress environments like the veterinary clinic, and prevent situations from escalating.
Why Do Dogs Bite?
Dog-related injuries can happen in many settings and are often triggered by a “perfect storm” of fear, unfamiliar situations, and overstimulation. Even the calmest dog can react aggressively if they feel scared, cornered, or hurt.
At the vet, dogs may be restrained, poked, or prodded during exams or procedures. Some associate the sights, smells, and sounds of the clinic with previous stressful experiences, and that memory alone can raise their stress levels before they even walk through the door.
Common triggers include
- Pain and fear – Especially after previous negative experiences
- Feeling trapped – Small exam rooms can intensify the dog’s fear of having no escape
- Sensory overload – Barking dogs, unfamiliar people, and new smells all contribute to anxiety
Recognizing Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS)
Knowing what fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) look like is the first step in preventing fear-based aggression. FAS is scored on a 0–5 scale:
- FAS 0: Relaxed and accepting of treats, attention, and toys
- FAS 1: Subtle signs such as alertness, excitement, or interest
- FAS 2: Moderate signs like ears back, tail down, or slow movements
- FAS 3: More than two moderate signs, such as fidgeting or refusing treats
- FAS 4: Severe signs without aggression (immobility, trembling)
- FAS 5: Severe signs with aggression (growling, lunging)
More obvious signs of high FAS:
Cowering, trembling, tail tucked, growling, lunging, hiding, refusing treats
Less obvious signs to watch for:
Avoiding eye contact, panting, pacing, freezing, licking lips, yawning, staying close to the owner, slow blinking, dilated pupils, rough treat-taking, pulling the mouth back into a “V” shape
Preventing the Bite: How We Help
Understanding a dog’s emotional state helps us prevent fear from escalating. Once a dog becomes highly aroused or stressed, learning stops and defensive behaviors take over.
At our clinic, we focus on reducing fear through:
- Reading body language: Recognizing when a dog is getting overwhelmed
- Letting the dog enter last: Dogs often feel more in control if they’re not the first into the exam room
- Delaying greetings: Giving the dog time to adjust before interacting
- Approaching sideways: More calming than a head-on approach
- Using treats: Food helps create positive associations and reduce fear
- Skipping the lobby: We may have owners call from the car and bring the dog directly into the room
- Hiding tools: Using the smallest possible needle, hiding syringes, and going slow
We prioritize procedures that are medically necessary and postpone elective ones if a dog’s FAS score is too high.
Consent and Cooperative Care
Whenever possible, we use consent-based care. This means giving the dog a choice: for example, allowing them to engage with treats during a nail trim or walk away. Over time, dogs learn that staying and allowing touch leads to rewards.
How it works:
- Start with free access to a treat
- Begin gentle touch at the shoulder, gradually move toward the procedure site
- Remove the treat and the touch at the same time
- Repeat until the dog understands: “touch = treat”
This builds trust and encourages the dog to voluntarily participate in care. If they choose to walk away, we pause and regroup—just like you would for a child.
Considerate Approach + Gentle Control + Touch Gradient
These three principles form the foundation of low-stress handling:
- Considerate Approach: Creating a calm environment with attention to sights, sounds, and smells
- Gentle Control: Using safe, minimal restraint that allows the dog some autonomy
- Touch Gradient: Starting procedures from areas farthest from the focus (e.g., shoulder before paw), and gradually increasing pressure (e.g., squeezing or tapping toes before trimming nails)
These techniques teach dogs that vet visits are not something to fear—and that they are safe, respected, and heard.
Partnering with Pet Parents
The human side of the experience matters too. Pet owners want their dogs to be treated with care, just like a parent wants their child to be nurtured at the doctor’s office.
If a pet is showing signs of stress, we let owners know:
“I’m noticing that your dog is very nervous today—tail tucked, not accepting treats. I’m not going to sacrifice their emotional health just to get this procedure done today. Let’s make a plan for future visits.”
Bites damage more than skin—they damage trust. The best outcomes happen when we support both the physical and emotional needs of our patients.
