As a dog owner, one of your biggest nightmares is being a part of an incident in which your dog bites someone. Any dog, no matter how sweet and patient, can end up in a situation in which they might bite. Because of this fact, you may be wondering what you should do if your dog bites someone. Get to know some of the steps to take if your dog has bitten another person. Then, you can be sure you are doing what is best for your dog given the circumstances.

Get Your Dog Inside

Your dog's safety should be a top concern when you are dealing with a bite incident. You do not want to further agitate your dog or put them in harm's way while you are dealing with the incident. Because of this, you should get your dog safely indoors as soon as possible following the incident. When your dog is secured in your home, you can return to the person who has been bitten to further discuss matters.

Cooperate with Authorities

When your dog bites someone, the police will likely be called (either by you or the party that was injured). The last thing you want to do is be argumentative or aggressive with the authorities in the situation. Talk to them calmly.

If your dog has never bitten anyone before, the authorities will likely just ask to have your dog quarantined for several days. This is to ensure that they do not become symptomatic for rabies for one thing and to essentially protect your dog and the public from another incident.

Quarantines can be done in the home rather than in an animal shelter environment. So, be sure to ask the authorities if this is an option. Then, if your dog is in good health after the quarantine, you can presumably resume your regular life and routine with your dog.

Consider Additional Training for Your Dog

A dog that bites someone is not necessarily a public threat or a nuisance, but you still want to do everything in your power to make sure an incident like that does not happen again in the future. Getting your dog some additional training can help to deter them from biting again, for example.

Find a trainer that offers courses for skittish or aggressive dogs with a bite history. They will be able to meet and assess your dogs and provide customized techniques and strategies to help keep your dog and others around you safe from harm. You may also want to consider, at least temporarily, using a muzzle and/or a training collar when you take your dog out on walks. This will help to further prevent problems when you are out an around people.

Now that you know some of the steps you can take when your dog has bitten another person, you can do what is best for your dog and the public at large going forward. For more information and assistance, contact your local dog bite lawyer.