When the Bite is Worse Than The Bark

An Ounce of Prevention is – Benjamin Franklin Worth a Pound of Cure

Dachshunds are notoriously opinionated and tenacious – they are also quite “mouthy”. When humans fail to read and acknowledge their communication signals they have a innate tendency to enforce their opinions with barking and even biting – behaviors that have served them well when hunting prey often much larger than themselves.

Dachshunds aren’t just more likely than other breeds to bite people – they are MUCH more likely. Dachshund owners need to be aware and prepared in order to protect their dogs and their dollars and especially their homeowners insurance.

As we emerge from the pandemic we are going to find the world a dramatically changed place. People are much more concerned about threats to their personal safety. They are likely to resort to legal action in response to injuries from dog bites. Most of the legislation in the past decade concerns protecting the public from “dangerous dogs”. These dogs are typically large, strong, and capable of inflicting severe injury with a single bite. Many insurers will not cover them without additional protection. Because of the enormous media attention directed towards this problem many dog owners are unaware of the liability issues they might soon face with their smaller dogs – especially if they bite a child.

Dog bites do not have to be fatal to be expensive. It’s important for dachshund lovers to understand the important information so that they are able to avoid minor bites that can turn into a major hassle. I’m a devoted dachshund lover, but I’m also a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant and Certified Bite Prevention Educator – and it is distressing to me how illinformed we are about how much a dog bite can cost us. Sadly most of these bites are entirely preventable.

Dachshunds are statistically much more likely than other breeds to bite people – especially strangers. In a study from the University of Pennsylvania of over 6000 dogs, Dachshunds were found to be more than three times more likely to bite people (both familiar and unfamiliar) than the so-called dangerous breeds (Dobermans, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Pit Bulls). If you take Chihuahuas out of the lineup Dachshunds are more than twice as likely as ANY OTHER BREED to bite a stranger.

Most Dachshund bites will not require medical attention so Dachshunds have not been considered a major liability. But rapidly increasing costs of medical care, payouts per bite from Homeowners Insurance and the extra costs and concerns associated with bites to children, bites to the face and hands, and decreased public tolerance of any sort of biting mean Dachshund owners need to be especially careful about the serious implications of even “minor” bites especially if there is a documented history of a prior bite.

The equation has become quite different. Let’s say the average cost of an Emergency Room visit for a minor injury dog bite is 500 dollars. If the decision is made not to go to the emergency room then that 500 dollars multiplied by ZERO equals ZERO. Insurance companies do not concern themselves with things that do not cost them.

But the times they are a-changing… People are much more likely to visit urgent care or the

As a breed dachshunds are genetically endowed with behavioral breed traits that explain why they might be more willing to use biting as a strategy than other breeds.

When the Bite is Worse Than the Bark

by Dr. Theresa Nesbitt

ER for a dog bite and the cost per visit is going up rapidly. Bites to children and bites to the hands or face or much more expensive. Now with very little change in the behavior of the dogs, there is an enormous increase in cost. Someone will have to pay.

As a breed dachshunds are genetically endowed with behavioral breed traits that explain why they might be more willing to use biting as a strategy than other breeds. They have high prey drive, they are fearless and tenacious – natural protectors of people, property and anything they see as their possessions. Like many hounds they do not like being touched while sleeping or eating. Dachshunds may not have WORDS but they are exceptionally effective communicators. They use Body Language, Barking (vocalization) and Biting to get their point across.

I have taken many courses and even worked in a zoo (where bite prevention is of primary importance) but the most enduring lessons I learned at the hands of (the mouth of) a grumpy dachshund our family inherited after my uncle died. “Doxie” never bit without reason or without warning but consequences of ignoring his strong body language and facial expressions were swift and painful. Training is a two way street and when it comes to dachshunds they are much more inclined to give orders then follow them. Boundaries work much better than battles and consistency is key to avoiding triggering an bite when there are other better options for your dog to manage the situation.

It’s up to us to help our dogs understand and respect that.

1. Bite Prevention starts with puppies. Establish boundaries and bite inhibition – no teeth on people’s skin or clothing EVER. 2. Fearful or Anxious Dachshunds are much more likely to bite – choose a reputable breeder and socialize your puppy appropriately. A dachshund that learns biting is an effective strategy to make things that scare them “go away” will often continue to bite. Control the situation so your dog doesn’t have to. 3. Learn to read and respect dog body language – bites rarely come out of nowhere. If your dachshund bites any person contact a canine behaviorist. One of the upsides of the lockdowns is a wider array of online options for canine interventions. A good place to start is CCPDT (Certification Council for

Professional Dog Trainers) https://www.ccpdt.org/dogowners/ certified-dog-trainer-directory/ 4. Dachshunds use aggression or biting as a behavioral strategy – and if it works then it is likely to be repeated. We need to be clear and consistent that biting is NOT the best strategy.

We need to help the dogs “choose better”. 5. Punishment can backfire and cause an increase in aggressive behaviors. It does not teach a dog what they should do, it can increase fearfulness/anxiety, and especially

with a dachshund it might set up a battleground situation. Focus on what your want the dog to DO and reward that appropriately. 6. A dachshund disturbed while sleeping, eating or “in pain” might bite with little warning.

Dachshunds are extremely possessive and inclined to resource guard. Many will not give up possessions without a fight unless they are trained that they will get something in return. 7. Dachshunds have a high prey /kill drive -

Human infants might trigger this

INSTINCTIVE reaction to disasterous

consequences - even a miniature dachshund is capable of severe damage and even death. If you wouldn’t leave a baby bunny in physical proximity to your Dachshund don’t trust them with a human baby either. 8. Young children look and act different than older children or adults. Dogs can misinterpret their behavior as threatening. Toddlers and young children often lurch around – approaching at a fast pace, smile showing teeth, engage in rough play and are much more likely than an adult to pull a dogs tail or ears. A Dachshund is likely to give a child that is “not following the rules” a lesson they will not forget. Use crates, barriers and baby gates to control the environment and do not allow “rough play” or overexcitement. 9. If your dog already has a bite history consider a muzzle. Muzzles have been stigmatized but that is changing. Veterinarians and groomers will use them readily, There is a high likelihood of future legislation requiring muzzles in certain areas and circumstances. Do yourself and your dog a favor and muzzle train them under low-stress/ high reinforcement training so they willingly accept wearing one should the need arise. 10. Make sure you have adequate homeowners insurance.

In conclusion: It’s important to remember that biting is a behavioral strategy. Dachshunds are smart and persistent. Behaviors can be changed. Make sure you understand that as well as your dachshund does! Just because a dachshund may be more inclined to bite than other breeds does not mean they are more resistant to behavior modification. Finally remember that infants and young children can trigger instinctive or reflex biting that is not subject to behavior modification. It’s best to avoid putting either children or dogs into situations that can cause injury to a child or costly consequences to the dachshunds owner.!

“Doxie” never bit without reason or without warning, but consequences of ignoring his strong body language and facial expressions were swift and painful. Training is a two way street and when it comes to dachshunds – they are much more inclined to give orders then follow them. Boundaries work much better than battles.

Infographic designed by AllPetsLife.com Dog bite statistics from University of Pennsylvania 2008 study: Breed differences in canine aggression by Deborah L. Duffya, Yuying Hsub, James A. Serpella. 2008