Friendly or Fierce: Do Labrador bite strangers?

    Every year, people are impacted by dog bites. Even if it is a lovable and friendly dog breed and is popular all over the world, it doesn’t mean that they won’t bite. They are muscular and have a strong jaw that can cause serious injuries to the person or can lead to death. Isn’t that unbelievable?

Do Labrador bite strangers?
    Labradors are generally regarded as loving and friendly dogs, but sometimes like any other dog breed, they are prone to biting and can become aggressive in nature.

Are labs really an “aggressive breed” and among the top biting dogs like “studies” show?

    In 2007, Colorado survey proved that large sized dog breeds like German shepherd and Labrador retriever were responsible for the highest biting cases when compared to small and medium sized dog breeds. According to the Colorado survey, Labradors were ranked second for 13.72% of the total biting attacks in the 2 years. But now their biting cases have reduced. No, they are not an “aggressive breed” and among the top biting dogs like the “studies” show.

Why do Labrador dogs bite?

    Labrador’s biting cases are increasing day by day. Here are some reasons why Labradors bite strangers:

1. Anxiety
   • Anxiety is a type of mental disorder in which the affected being feels uneasy, depressed and fearful. A Labrador will bite you in most cases when he feels depressed. There is total three types of anxiety which are as follows:
     • Separation anxiety: Separation anxiety occurs when the Labrador is separated from his owner (the owner lefts the Labrador alone). Its common symptoms are pacing, barking excessively and biting the owner when he will come back home.
     • Noise anxiety: Noise anxiety occurs by the loud voices of thunderstorms, fireworks, and loud noise of the household machines. Some symptoms of this type of anxiety includes pacing, panting, running away from the noises.
     • Social anxiety: This another type of anxiety occurs when they feel uncomfortable in the social areas. The symptoms of social anxiety are avoiding eye contact, trying to escape, hiding, and aggression.
2. Protectiveness
   • If we look at dog’s ancestors (wolves), we came to know that they were protectable of their family. Similarly, dogs are also bred for guarding purposes. So, to protect their family from any danger or intruder, they tend to bark and bite strangers.
3. Pain or Discomfort
   • If a dog is feeling discomfort and pain in any part of his body, he will be aggressive towards the stranger when the stranger approaches him.
4. Lack of Socialization
   • Socialization is the first thing that you should do with your Labrador when he comes home. Make sure you socialize with him properly to avoid biting the strangers in the future.
5. Resource Guarding
   • Some Labradors if not trained properly will bite you when you touch their own belongings like toys, food, treats, etc.
6. Depression
   • Depression is a mental state in which the being feels lonely, sad, and most likely losing the interest which the being likes the most. But by spending more time and buying them new toys will help to reduce the chances of depression.
7. Treating Bad
   • While bringing home your mischievous furry friend to your home, make sure you don’t treat them badly, or they will cause trouble in the future.

Is Labrador bite dangerous?

    Dog bites and injuries impact thousands of people in the world. And Labrador is one of them. Even if it is a lovable and friendly dog breed and is popular all over the world, it doesn’t mean that they won’t bite. They are muscular and have a strong jaw that can cause serious injuries to the person or can lead to death.

Should I discipline my dog to stop biting strangers?

    Disciplining your Labrador to stop biting the intruders is crucial to assure the safety of both your Labrador and the intruder. Make sure you discipline them by using positive reinforcement and not by punishing them. You can follow the tips that I had given above under “Why do Labrador dogs bite?”

How to stop a Labrador from biting strangers?

    Now you have known the reasons and the biting cases that happened in 2007. So, now let’s move to the most important topic named “How to stop a Labrador from biting strangers?

• Give them the training: Give them the training of not to bite in their puppy hood. They are food lovers. So that mean you can train them easily with their favorite food or treat. But make sure you give them this training after giving them the basic training commands like sit, come, wait, bark and more.
• Socialize them: Socializing plays an important role in the overall development of the Labrador. Always remember that while socializing, keep an eye on them to prevent any biting or fighting.
• Put muzzle when necessary: When a stranger (for Labradors) arrives, put their muzzle on to prevent biting. But remember muzzle should not be put for a long time. Or else this way they can become aggressive and can get out of control.
• Desensitization: Desensitization is the act of exposing your Labrador to the situations that mostly cause anxiety. This can help your Labrador to adapt well to the situations that cause anxiety.
• Avoid giving them punishment: Mostly owners give the dogs punishment like beating them and scolding them for not doing a trick. But this is wrong because it will lead to excessive barking and biting in the future.
• Health check-ups: Make sure you consider regular health check-ups of your Labradors to identify any pain in their body which can lead to aggression and excessive biting.
• Take help of professionals: Sometimes your Labrador’s aggression level can rise up to the next level. So, to reduce the aggression, seek your nearby professional trainer and get some tips.
• Tell strangers how to interact: When a stranger approaches you at your home, firstly make sure you tell him everything about the interaction with your dog. Always tell the strangers to avoid making eye contact and firstly let the dog interact.
• Supervise while socializing: Always check on your dogs during socialization. Make sure they behave well in the places wherever they go. It is important to check on them to prevent any circumstances.
• Manage them properly: Always remember to create a barrier around them or keep them in another room when any stranger or your relative comes. This way you can prevent them from biting and scratching any relative or stranger.

Pros and cons of Labrador biting strangers

  Pros

1.  Protection
   • Guarding: A Labrador bites strangers because of their loyalty and protection towards their owners and belongings.
2.  Alertness
   • Security: This behavior may indicate a high sense of alertness and protectiveness towards owners and belongings.

  Cons

1. Legal Consequences
   • Liability: If a Labrador bites strangers, the owner will be regarded responsible for the biting and must pay a fine of a great amount of money.
2. Aggression
   • Behavioral issues: Some behavioral issues like fear, anxiety, and depression can also because of excess biting.
3. Safety concerns
   • Public safety: A Labrador that bites can be a threat for people and other animals.
4. Bad reputation
   • Breed stigma: Even though people know Labrador is one of the friendliest breeds in the world but due to his biting cases in the society, it can create a bad reputation about him and the owner in the minds of people.
5. Euthanasia risk
   • Severe cases: In some extreme cases, Labrador that bites again and again can be at a high risk of being euthanised to assure the safety of public.
6. Stress
   • Emotional toll: Biting behaviors can show the underlying issues of the dog such as stress, anxiety, or fear.
7. Socialization
   • Isolation: If a Labrador bites any strangers, the owner has to isolate him in the house to avoid any biting case.
8. Training challenges
   • Difficulty in training: An owner will face difficulties to train due to the Labrador’s biting behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

    Labrador loves to meet people, but sometimes biting cases happens if not socialized and trained properly. Training and Socialization are the main aspects in the overall development of the Labrador. Make sure you manage them properly when any relative comes. Make your Labrador to make an interaction with them. Be aware of the biting cases. Always make sure you consult a professional trainer in your local when your Labrador’s anger level becomes out of control. That’s the end of the article and the conclusion. Hope you get some information about the Labrador Retriever.

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