How to Handle a Dog That Keeps On Biting

Q Two months ago, I was given a very beautiful pedigreed chow chow. She is extremely protective of me, follows me all around the house and yard, and sleeps in the doorway of my bedroom. I have had her spayed and given all tests, and she is in excellent health. However, I’m afraid I am going to have to give her back because she has bitten three people. Fortunately, the bites were not serious. Those bitten were family members, and there was no provocation whatsoever.

I don’t dare have company, and she hates the neighbor on whom I have always depended to let my previous dogs out and to feed them if I am gone for the day. I can’t go on another 10 or 12 years this way. She will be 2 in mid-November. Is there any solution?

Mrs. George Yates,

Corona

A Any dog that bites without provocation is a legal disaster waiting to happen. You basically have three options: Return the dog to the original owner/breeder and let them know why, have the dog put to sleep, or have the dog professionally trained by someone who is qualified to handle aggressive dogs. You must choose one of the options. It is not right for you to live in fear of your dog or what she might do to someone else. By all means, do not just give her away to someone else who may not be aware of her aggressiveness.

Biting and aggressiveness are very difficult traits to undo, especially if allowed to go on for long periods of time. To properly attempt to train your dog and understand her behavior, you will have to review all the biting episodes very carefully with the trainer. Who was bitten? When did it happen? Were you present? Is the sex of the person a factor? Is she only aggressive within the house? There are a multitude of situations to investigate, if you decide to go the training route. It could be very expensive to have behavioral modification training done and, of course, the results are not guaranteed. Whatever your decision, make it soon. By the way, if the bites were recent, Animal Control may require that your dog be quarantined before anything else can be done.