Some dogs, often due to past trauma, just have an aggressive temperament. They may bite at almost any time. Most often, though, a dog that bites someone has never done it before. The person who owns the dog, along with the person who got bitten, may be completely shocked by the event.
So, why do dogs bite like this?
What causes a dog that seems friendly to suddenly lash out? Some common reasons include:
- The dog was frightened. It may have felt like it was cornered by someone it did not know, for instance.
- The dog was injured or sick. Knowing how vulnerable that makes it feel, the dog has an extra drive to protect itself from a potential threat.
- The dog has something nearby that it considers valuable and wants to protect. The two most common examples of this are when a dog is protecting a puppy or its food and water.
- The dog believes that the person, who may be aggressive, has entered its territory. This is why joggers often suffer bites since they approach a dog’s yard at an uncommonly quick pace.
- The dog did not mean to hurt you and thought it was playing. If you watch two dogs play, they’ll be rough enough to hurt a person. A dog may try to engage you in that type of play and accidentally bite without ill intent.
What can you do if you’ve been bitten by someone’s dog?
If you have been bitten by a dog, no matter why it happened, you need to know what legal options you have. You may have a valid premises liability claim or other recourses of action. The bite can leave with you with scars, infections and many other potentially expensive and painful complications. You shouldn’t have to suffer financial losses in addition to your other injuries.
