If your dog often bites your other dog, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my dog bite my other dog? Likely reasons why your dog bites your other dog are that your dog is being possessive, your dog is actually trying to play, your dog feels threatened by the other dog or that your dog is being dominant.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog bites your other dog. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my dog bite my other dog?
Below are likely reasons why your dog bites your other dog and what would make them more likely.
Mistreatment
The cause might be that the other dog or another dog mistreated it in the past and it is now distrustful of other dogs. This would be more likely if you know that your other dog or another dog mistreated it or if you adopted it from a shelter.
In this case, it would help to follow the training tips below. If it is particularly violent with your other dog consider getting the advice of a dog behaviorist or trainer in your area.
Dominant behavior
It might also be the case that your dog does it because it is being dominating. This would be more likely if it does it more with dogs that are smaller than it and if it acts dominating around you by being hard to control.
With that being said, dominance is something that is contested with some research finding that dogs do not operate in hierarchies. Despite that, dogs do still fight for resources and it is often the bigger more aggressive dog that gets them. With that being the case, it is not unreasonable to think that your dog might be trying to out compete your other dog.
In this case, it would be important to give it lots of training so that it learns to follow your command and to follow the other tips mentioned below.
Encouraging the behavior
It could also be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior is rewarded. If you tend to give your dog things such as extra attention, toys or treats, when it bites your other dog, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it is well behaved and to separate them when it does bite your other dog but then to ignore it until it is calm.
Play
It could also be the case that your dog is actually trying to play with your other dog. This would be more likely if your dog rolls around, wags its tail, and also licks your other dog. In this case, it could help to give your dog distractions such as toys and to try to give it more exercise so that it wants to sleep more.
Possessiveness
It might also be the case that your dog is being possessive. This would be more likely if your dog bites your other dog in situations such as when they are eating or when your other dog is trying to sleep in a spot that your dog likes to sleep in too.
Prey drive
If your dog is a breed that is known for having a strong prey drive and your other dog is small, the cause could be due to your dog’s prey drive. This would be more likely if your dog is also aggressive towards other small dogs as well. In this case, it would help to try to separate them when possible.
Jealousy
The cause could also be due to jealousy. This would be more likely if your dog tends to bite your other dog when you are giving your other dog attention.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your dog has always bitten your other dog
If your dog has not always bitten your other dog, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started doing it. If your dog started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as learning that the behavior is rewarded, jealousy or because your other dog started sleeping in your dog’s spot.
The timing of when your dog bites your other dog
It would also help to consider the timing of when your dog bites your other dog. If your dog does it when you are feeding them, it would be a lot more likely to be due to food aggression and it would help feed them separately. Whereas, if your dog does it when you are giving your other dog attention, it would be more likely to be due to jealousy.
The body language your dog shows when it bites your other dog
It would also help to consider the body language your dog shows when doing it. If it does things such as growl, bare its teeth and bite hard enough for there to be blood, it would be more likely that your dog is being aggressive, and it would help to get help from a dog trainer. Whereas, if your dog wags its tail and rolls around, it would be more likely that your dog is trying to play.
Why does my dog bite my other dog’s neck?
Your dog biting your other dogs neck would be more likely to be due to things such as food aggression, dominance, a high prey drive or because it thinks your other dog is threatening it. It would also be more likely if your dog shows aggressive signs such as growling and showing its teeth.
Why does my dog bite my other dog’s tail?
If your dog tends to bite your other dogs tail, it would be more likely that your dog is trying to play with your other dog. This would be more likely if your dog shows signs of wanting to play when doing it. It could also be the case that your dog is doing it due to a high prey drive which would be more likely if your dog tries to chase your other dogs tail.
Why does my dog bite my other dog’s mouth?
If your dog bites your other dogs mouth, it would be more likely that your dog is trying to get your other dog’s attention. Your dog might even be trying to show your other dog affection which would be more likely if your dog actually licks your other dog’s mouth. If your dog does it aggressively, it would be more likely that your dog is being dominant in some way.
Why does my dog bite my other dog’s fur?
Your dog might be biting your other dog’s fur because your dog is trying to groom your other dog which would be more likely if your dog also licks your other dog when doing it. It might also be due to a compulsive disorder. It could also be the case that your dog developed a habit of biting your other dog’s fur as a puppy and the behavior has persisted.
It would help to try to break your dog out of the habit by getting it to stop whenever it starts biting your other dogs fur. If your dog is doing it excessively or aggressively, it would help to get the help of a dog behaviorist.
How can I get my dog to stop biting my other dog?
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Exercise
If your dog is currently not getting much exercise, it could be the case that your dog is biting your other dog as a result of boredom. In this case, it would help to make sure that your dog is able to get the daily amount of recommended exercise for its age and breed.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it might be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior gets rewarded. Instead. It would help to reward your dog when it does not bite your other dog and to avoid giving it rewards when it does.
Positive reinforcement training
Separate them as soon as it starts biting your other dog then ignore it until it is calm and reward your dog whenever it is being well behaved. Doing this repeatedly should teach your dog that biting your other dog results in it getting what it does not want but being well behaved does.
Separate them
It would also help to separate them when your dog is likely to bite your other dog. This would be especially important when feeding them. It would also likely help to give them separate beds.
Give your dog distractions
It could also help to give your dog things to be distracted by such as toys or bones so that it is less likely to want to bother your other dog.
Get help
If your dog is being very aggressive towards your other dog or you cannot get the behavior to stop, it would help to get the help of a dog behaviorist. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to see how to effectively deal with the behavior.