Labrador Retreiver Rescue, Inc. 978-356-2982

When a Dog Bites: ONCE THE DEED IS DONE, THESE DOGS HAVE ABUSED THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A PET

By the time Kathy's puppy was 4, the large mixed-breed dog had drawn blood three times. A dog trainer said that anti-aggression training sessions would cost $1,000.00 to $3,000.00, but he couldn't guarantee the dog would never bite again. Kathy pondered: Should she invest in the dog training, muzzle and restrain the dog, surrender it to shelter or, reluctantly euthanize the dog she loved?

Kathy, who eventually chose euthanasia, is far from alone in their dilemma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 4.7 million Americans were victims of dog bites in 1998, almost half of them children; one in six of those attacked needed medical treatment. The American Humane Association identifies dog bites as the biggest public health problem for children--more serious than measles, mumps, and whooping cough combined. And according to the Insurance Information Institute, claims related to dog bites hit $1 billion in 2000.

So what to do if you have a perfectly healthy dog that might bite again?

"First, a dog is not perfectly healthy if it is biting people," says Katherine Houpt, VMD, an animal behavior specialist and director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. In fact, the dog may have a health condition that's making the dog irritable or aggressive and more likely to bite. These conditions include, but are not limited to, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, eye problems, cancer, liver or pancreas disorders, seizure disorders, infections, brain damage, and poisoning.
Even some medications, such as prednisone (often prescribed for allergies), may contribute to aggression. If a dog is aggressive, the first thing that needs to be done is to have a veterinarian examine him to ensure there is no medical reason for his behavior. Since intact male dogs generate most acts of aggression, those that are aggressive should be neutered.

Aggressiveness is not outgrown
If your dog is still aggressive, an expert can assess the degree of the dog's aggressiveness with a temperament assessment, such as dog trainer Sue Sternberg's test, the American Temperament Test Society's Test, or the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizenship Test. At the behavior clinic at Cornell, dogs are evaluated by their responses to several provocations. Using an artificial hand attached to a three-foot long stick, the veterinarian places a dish of food in front of the dog and then pulls it away. The dog is also touched and petted around his tail, belly and nose. In addition, a life-sized toddler doll is walked toward the dog and reaches for the dog while the tester says, "Oh what a cute dog!" in a high-pitched voice: then the doll falls in front of the dog and finally is walked away.

"If the dog growls at the hand or doll, then it might be safe, but if it growls, lunges, tries to bite, or actually bites either during or before the test and it's a large dog, it's not safe as a pet," says Houpt, who is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. "When aggression is mild, behavior modification may reduce aggression, but if the dog is seriously aggressive and large, then euthanasia is probably the best option."

Don't count on an aggressive dog "outgrowing" his aggressiveness. In fact, he's likely to become more aggressive when the behavior proves successful in getting what he wants, such as food, access to the couch, or the disappearance of people he doesn't like.
Retraining an aggressive dog requires an enormous amount of commitment, time and work. It involves working with a behaviorist or in mild cases with an obedience trainer, to teach the dog to look to his owner for direction. Owners must learn to avoid situations that have prompted aggression either directed at them or at strangers. The most successful techniques reward the dog for doing the right thing.

"The owner has to decide whether keeping the dog is worth the risk--the risk to themselves, their loved ones, and the public," Houpt says. To reduce risk, a dog that is aggressive to strangers should be muzzled on walks and always restrained outside because, if he is loose, this dog represents a threat to visitors to the home and to neighbors. If the dog is aggressive to his owners, medication, behavior modification and management can reduce the risk of aggression, but there is no complete cure.

Quality of life
Surrendering the dog to a shelter with the hope that it may have a chance to live on a farm or in another type of non-threatening environment is not a good option, Houpt says. Giving an aggressive dog to a shelter not only creates a confused and scared animal, but also puts shelter workers and potential adopters at risk. "If you can't live with the dog, no one should be expected to live with him," she says. Although some shelters have "no kill" policies, these do not apply to aggressive dogs because shelters can't afford to maintain non-adoptable dogs indefinitely. And keeping a dog indefinitely in a cage is no quality of life.

"Another thing to consider is that every time a dog threatens or bites someone, it becomes more likely that dogs in general will be banned from apartment complexes, retirement homes, and public places. You also don't want people hurt or scared," says Houpt. "I believe that aggressive dogs have abused the privilege of being a pet," she says.

Euthanasia on the other hand, offers a painless death. "Large dogs that are unpredictably aggressive, bite multiple times, and live in homes with small children or infirm elderly are the ones whose owners elect to euthanize," Houpt concludes.
-Susan Lang