Psychology of a bite: Experts on what prompts dogs to turn hostile towards humans

Dogs are often hailed as humans’ best friends. But, as adorable, cuddly, squishy and loving as they are, it is also true that dogs can get aggressive — just like other animals — and attack people if they feel threatened. This is true for both pet dogs as well as street dogs.
A few weeks ago, in Uttar Pradesh’s capital city Lucknow, an 82-year-old woman was allegedly mauled her pet pitbull. The deceased, Sushila Tripathi, was a retired school teacher, who was on the roof of her house when the dog attacked her, PTI reported. Tripathi’s body was found in a pool of blood the domestic help.
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Similarly, 13 people — including eight children below 10 years of age — were attacked a stray dog in Surat last month. The children, Indian Express reported, were playing in the rain when they noticed the dog — with whom they interacted regularly — behaving ‘strangely’. It purportedly barked at and bit them when they approached it, before going on to bite three women and two men, and fleeing.
These are not isolated incidents; in 2021, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj had said — after a three-year-old girl was mauled street dogs in Delhi — that at least 5,000 people are attacked dogs every day.

While measures need to be implemented government bodies to ensure that such attacks do not take place, what also needs to be understood is that there are certain ‘triggers’ that can prompt a dog to react aggressively.
 reached out to experts to understand the psychology of a dog bite — from what leads to such behaviour to body language and the signs to watch out for, what can be done after an attack, and if the breed of a dog factors in when it comes to them demonstrating hostile behaviour.
According to Keren Nazareth, the director of Street Dog Program at Humane Society International/India, it is impossible to always exactly pinpoint the reason why a dog bites.
Dogs are territorial and it may cause them dress if someone comes into their space unannounced, prompting them to show aggression. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
“In the case of a street dog, factors that could lead up to a bite are even harder to infer. Their lives are fraught with challenges; they experience hardships from the time of their birth. The ones who are able to survive and become adults, go through multiple experiences that may include assault, abuse, lack of food, water etc.,” she told this outlet, adding that data suggests most dog bites happen to children below the age of six years and senior citizens, who are most “vulnerable”.
“With children, the case seems to mostly be around them playing with puppies, but this may not always be the reason. Senior citizens are [attacked] when they are walking or are outside,” Nazareth said.

Dr Dilip Sonune, director, veterinary services at Wiggles.in, however, pointed out that the most common reason why a dog attacks is because it “feels threatened”.
Agreeing with Nazareth, he added that some other reasons could be “defending themselves or their parents, someone approaching them suddenly or them having been subjected to severe abuse, trauma or anxiety”. “They could also bite due to pain resulting from an injury or disease,” the doctor said.
Dogs can attack when they have been subjected to severe abuse, trauma or anxiety. (Photo credit: Humane Society International/Erin Van Voorhies)
When it comes specifically to pet dogs, Dr Sonune explained that for traits such as “aggression toward strangers, trainability and chasing”, research has found that dog genes contribute to “60 to 70 per cent of behavioural variation among breeds”.
Dog breeds and aggression
Dr Sonune said any breed born in India will adapt to the climate. “But, if you get a Burmese mountain dog from the US or Europe, it may take time for them to get acclimated. Climate, however, does not affect aggressive tendencies; a lot depends on socialisation and love. Lhasa Apso is a common pet in Indian homes — they are also aggressive if not socialised correctly. The same holds true for Rottweilers, Tibetan Mastiff, Alsatians, Belgian Malinois, etc.,” he explained.

The doctor also said breeds that are known as ‘hunter dogs’ can be aggressive, because they are “working dogs” that “need to expend energy”, and if they are not given engaging activities, playtime, physical and mental stimulation, they can become “destructive and destroy furniture and other things”.
Adding to this, Dr Vineeta Poojary, manager-veterinary services at Humane Society International said that a lot of breeds, which have been trait-selected for colder climates, are unsuitable for the India climate. She cited examples of Huskies, German Shepherds and Saint Bernards — who have “fur to protect them from the cold and are meant for different activities” — and advised people to adopt animals from their community that are suited for the local weather conditions.
A Saint Bernard dog may not be suited for the Indian climate. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
How dogs communicate their hostility
Dr Poojary said ‘aggression’ is used as a term to describe “several different behaviours in animals”. “But often, we fail to understand these behaviours are a reaction, a form of communication for these animals, a warning that they are bothered something in their environment.”
She further explained that dogs, who are kept in “small places with no interaction with people, or if they are chained up” will always be “more anxious”.

According to Dr Poojary, it is most common in dogs who are used for breeding, which is “unregulated, unscientific, and does not keep in mind what is best for the dog”. “Often, this results in birth of dogs with defects, early separation from the mother, poor immunity, inadequate socialisation and behavioural problems. Fearful or anxious animals are more likely to exhibit defensive or reactive behavior,” she explained.
Warning signs before an attack
Nidhi Sanghrajka Mehta, a canine behaviour and trainer, and founder of ‘Dogspective Nidhi’ told  that dog bites are never sudden or random. “Pet dogs and community dogs use their body language to communicate — if they are uncomfortable, if someone is entering their territory, etc. But, since human beings do not understand the dog’s language, the bite can seem sudden,” she said.
Nidhi cautioned that even a dog that appears ‘friendly’ can bite a person. “Dogs are very expressive, and are always trying to communicate with the people or animals around them,” she explained, stating that the communication is not only verbal — that is, through barking — but also through the use of body language.

She said if one encounters community dogs on the regular, or even as a pet parent, they must look for many different body language variations. “When you understand what the dog is communicating — for instance, if they are asking for space and you provide them with that space — they will know that you can read them.”
The expert led the following critical signs:• Wagging tails: Many people think a dog’s wagging tail means they are friendly. But, not all wagging tails indicate that, she said. “For example, you go to a new territory, and a community dog comes barking at you; if you observe closely, they are wagging their tail. But, it will be a stiff kind of wagging. Tail is a tool to communicate feelings, and here, the dog is trying to warn you because you are in their territory.”
Wagging of tail, looking sideways or away can also signal dress in dogs. (Photo credit: Humane Society International/Erin Van Voorhies)
• Looking away turning the head to the side or turning the whole body so that the side or back faces us: On approaching a dog if they are constantly looking away to the side, then this dog is asking you to give them space and is being intimidated your presence.
• Yawning and lip-licking (or nose licking): When a dog is stressed your presence, they will constantly give signals like yawning or lip-licking; these are not signs of being sleepy or hungry always, unless it is actually their meal time or sleep time. They indicate that something is stressing them out.
• Whites of the eyes: Here the dog will look slightly scared or will freeze and the pupils will go slightly smaller, while the white portion of the eyes will get bigger. This is a way to express fear and/or stress.
“When we miss out on reading these subtle signs and ignore what the dog is asking from us, the dog gets pushed further on the ladder of aggression. They now feel the need to use a louder language, and that is when aggression comes in, wherein they initiate a growl and may snap, lunge, or bite,” Nidhi explained.

Concurring with her, Dr Poojary added that in the case of rabies, the animal is in a state of “hyperexcitability” (extra reactive to stimulus) and confusion, and will bite as a result of that.
What to do after a dog has bitten you?
Dr Sonune said a dog bite is a serious event, “irrespective of whether the dog is a pet or a streetie”. “With pets, you can breathe easy, because they might have been vaccinated against rabies,” he said, adding that the most effective way is to wash the wound and flush it with soap and water for 10-15 minutes.
“Post-exposure rabies prophylaxis (PEP) is compulsory if you are bitten a dog, cat or another animal that is rabid or is suspected to be infected with rabies. To prevent rabies, four to five doses of anti-rabies vaccine are adminered on the 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days of a bite. Make sure to not miss any dose,” he warned.

Dr Poojary added it is also important to ascertain if the animal has been vaccinated regularly (in case it is a pet dog), and check if they have been bitten recently any unknown dog/s.
“Go to the nearest hospital to consult a doctor and follow their advice on vaccination against rabies and any other protection measures. You need to inform the doctor if you have been vaccinated against rabies previously. Depending on the severity of the bite, they might advise getting immunoglobulins. Regularly follow up with the healthcare provider for treatment,” she stated.
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