Definition of a dog bite? - Page 1

I have been arguing with the ex for the past few months about what constitutes a dog bite and would appreciate some opinions. Murphy (the dog I babysit for nearly every afternoon) bit his neighbor a few months ago. He was talking to her over the top of a 4' cyclone fence when she suddenly reached over the top of the fence for some reason and Murphy jumped up and bit her hand. Didn't break the skin or even leave a scratch. The bite was nothing more tha a small red spot that disappeared in a day or two, but still a bite in my opinion. My ex thinks he's off the hook because his neighbor didn't report the bite to animal control. Plus, he says it really wasn't a bite anyway. I say no matter how minor, a dog bite is a dog bite and he's lucky his neighbor didn't sue him for owning a dangerous German Shepherd. Am I right? Or is he right? I know state laws may differ, but what's the legal definition of a dog bite?

BTW, I have a 6' privacy fence and don't allow Murphy around anyone Ever.

I have to agree with you.  You ex was lucky and it was a bite.  The dog doesn't have to break the skin to do damage.  The neighbor may have startled the dog, the fact that it didn't break the skin may have just been a warning nip.  You'd have to look that up in your local jurisdiction and/or call animal control from like a PAY PHONE so they can't do caller ID. :o)  See what the authorities in your area say.  They may classify it as a nip since the skin wasn't broken???

Teri 

That's a bite even though the skin was not broken. This dog has excellent bite inhibition.

Bite inhibition? I didn't know there was such a thing. I owned Murphy for 5 years before my ex took him. He came sooooooooo close to biting a few times, I nearly had heart failure.. One time he had his teeth barred and they were literally right up against a guy's hand, it scared the bejeezus out of me. But he didn't bite. Murphy is like my body guard, and same for the ex. I warned the guy not to make any sudden movements, but he didn't listen. Said he knew how to make friends with any dog. That's why the ex took Murphy and when I keep him here, I don't allow him around anyone. That WAS a warning nip and the ex needs to be more concerned about not allowing situations like that to happen.

Tooth on skin is a bite, broken skin or not. Sounds like the dog has a history of close calls and the ex needs to wake up. Next time the dog might miss calculate his hold back and really do some damamge.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/search/node/bite

That's a bite, broken skin or not. 

Bite inhibition is learned by a dog as a puppy. If you are interested in learning about it, do a google search.

what's the legal definition of a dog bite? - triodegirl

you'd have to check the laws in your state because each state defines it differently.also i recommend anyone who owns a dog to read janis bradley's book "dogs bite" here's a link to an e-book copy http://www.jamesandkenneth.com/store/show/BK507

my personal opinion, which has zero to do with the law , is a " bite" requires medical attention.  anything short of this is the dog communicating that s/he's feeling threatened.  that said i don't think a dog should ever be pushed to have to communicate using his/her teeth; but sometime humans are so thick that they leave the dog no recourse.  the best solution perhaps is to train your dogs to have great bite inhibition, to come to you when they feel threatened instead of handling it themselves, and learn to read dogs body language etc so you can recognized when they are being harassed by someone so you can intervene. 

imo learning to understand other species, particularly dogs, should be taught in schools - "how to co-exist with other species 101".  when i got my first dog as an adult i was told i would be spending 1/2 my time protecting the world from my dog and the other 1/2 protecting my dog from the world - turns out this isn't far from the truth.

sorry you have thick headed neighbors.

JMO

 When I was an Animal Control Officer in FL, many years ago,  our definition of a bite was skin broken by teeth without clothing in between.  This was for Rabies Control purposes.  No saliva transmission, no risk of rabies.