MYRTLE BEACH Dog bite injury ATTORNEYS

If a dog becomes fearful, it might attack a person. Fear can play a part in a range of scenarios. Whether they hear a sudden loud noise or think someone approaching them is a threat, they could lunge and bite your hand or arm.

When a dog gets sick, it could be in pain. Specific parts of their body might be too sensitive to be touched. If a dog isn’t feeling well, it could attack out of instinct to protect itself. A dog might also chomp down on someone’s hand as a way to inform them of the pain they’re feeling.

Much like humans, dogs become protective of their babies. A female dog is especially territorial over its puppies and will attack anyone it perceives as a threat.

If you approach the babies aggressively or suddenly, without warning, the mother might think you’re trying to harm her puppies in some way and attack to defend them.

Dogs love to play with humans and other dogs. Unfortunately, playing could get too rough, causing a dog bite injury. Even if the dog doesn’t mean to cause harm, they could nip at someone too aggressively, puncturing the skin.

Much like a disease, an injury can cause pain to a dog. A broken bone or deep wound on a paw can prevent them from walking normally. If it hurts for a dog to jump, walk, or play, they won’t want someone to touch them on the injury site.

Biting is an instinctive action to protect themselves when they’re injured. If you’re not aware of the injury, you might reach out to pet the dog where it hurts, resulting in a bite or attack.

Typically, dogs exhibit possessiveness about their food, toys, and anything else they perceive as belonging to them. You might think you’re having fun playing fetch, but holding onto the dog’s favorite toy for too long could cause them to lunge to try to grab it from you, accidentally biting your hand in the process.

Dogs can become startled easily, especially under certain circumstances. Some startle if they’re in an unfamiliar place or surroundings. The dog might appear more cautious than usual while getting used to being in a new location with different noises, sights, and smells. If you approach it from behind or reach out to pet it, it could become startled and bite you.

Stressful environments can amplify stressors in an anxiety-ridden dog. Even if you don’t provoke the dog, it could bite you anyway if it feels stressed being near you.