Is it True that a Dog never Attacks a Person for No Reason.?

Question

If they attack for no reason what would be an example....Thanks

Answer 1

I was a Dog Warden for three years in the late seventies. In fact, I was the first woman Dog Warden in the US in Dayton, Ohio. My name was Tamara Clinard at the time and is now Tamara Lesley.
A Dog is an animal so you can't say why they think that they have to have a reason to attack. One of the foremost reasons is that it was raised harshly and hurt as a puppy. This dog would bite out of anger, or as we called them 'fear biters.' If they felt they were being reached for, and that hand intended to hit them then they would bite out of fear.
Other dogs, which can sometimes be contributed to the kind of dog it is, will bite out of protection for their property or family that they love.
Some will bite if they sense that you are afraid, they will especially bite you if you see it coming toward you and you run. The chase is on then because it is an inbred instinct to hunt and maime or kill.
Small dogs bite out of fear because they are so small and they see you as a threat. Imagine being a Chihuahua and looking up at someone coming towards you that you don't know. Their reaction is first to bark to warn you and if you don't stop then they may bite. My Chihuahua only bites when people turn their back to leave. She waits and watches them and then when they go to leave she barks and runs to grab their ankle. She is ten years old so I don't think I will break that habit. What she is saying is that she is scared of the people and she knows just when to run to bite to make them leave a little faster. Thank Heavens she just tugs at their pants and doesn't draw blood. I do correct her but she just turns and trots back to the couch to sit in her seat and probably thinks she is waiting for the next victim. We always warn people not to turn their back to her. There are other dogs that will sneak attack you also. Watch their eyes, ears and tail and how they are sitting or standing. If they are tense and posed ready to jump then back away and calmly tell the dog to "Sit or Stay" in a firm voice as you are making your exit. Do not run and do not turn your back to them. Those are like the Pit Bulls that have been taught to attack plus it is inbred in them to fight and hunt.
I guess the answer to your question is that a dog will attack you for no reason that you know of but he may have plenty of reasons in his head to take a bite out of you. Learn your types of dogs and their characteristics and you will know which ones to be most afraid of. I didn't mean to put down the Pit Bulls because I have met a few that were very docile because of the way they were raised as puppies and not taught to wrestle and fight. They were raised like babies and never learned that the aggression was capable of popping up. The same goes for Rhottweilers, German Shephards, or Saint Bernards among other hunting types of dogs. I hope that I have answered your question without going on for too long. tamm0449

Answer 2

I asked myself the same question as I took on a few-months-old dog last summer and we're still working on some issues. At the beginning he was just defensive/aggressive in every situation that involved a new place, person or animal. After persevering the last year we got rid of the aggressiveness completely, but he's still a little unpredictable, like the ex-dog-warden's story, he also pounces when people are leaving, so that's our next project. I have no idea what conditions he lived in before he ran away and came to me, but our vet agrees he must've witnessed some s*** and been quite badly treated. I agree with most of the comments listed, that dogs are either afraid or trying to protect something when they show signs of attack. The most important thing is to look for the pointers and know the signs, I spent a lot of time observing my mutt and I know easily when to get him away from any potential provocator. Also I had to work really hard to convince him that I myself was not being threated by these new situations - most of the time he's protecting me or his property, but simply isn't sure of when to show more trust towards, eg other people, and ease off. It's hard work, I didn't know if it would pay off, we joked about it with the vet this morning when he went for his rabies shot and ran out of the surgery to get away from her!! He's a smart mutt, we learned a lot from each other. As an aside, I'm curious that the ex-warden would allow her dog on the furniture (that's the impression I get), coz I was told that letting them on the furniture is one way of opening the door to such 'defensive' behaviour. As soon as I read this I stopped mine from going on ANY human furniture and it really helped ease the level of his reactions not only at home but in the outdoors. If a dog attacks for no reason at all then it could be due to some of the things that people mentioned - being specially bred, sick even, but in some rare cases they can have a serious mental problem and have to be destroyed. It's too easy for us humans to categorise animals and say 'it's a dog it should behave as other dogs' coz it's only half true - sure it's a dog, but they are all as individual as we humans, maybe you need to consider that when answering the question yourself - why do some people show violent behaviour and others not???

Answer 3

Years ago, my aunt and uncle had a Chow that had gotten very aggressive over time, and attacked the aunt one morning when she stepped out onto the back porch. If there was a "reason" for the attack, other than the dog having become vicious, I don't know what it would be. The dog was not sick, by the way.

Answer 4

I was bitten on the leg by a dog for no reason whatsoever,i was on my way to school when i was younger,i lived in a terraced house and had to walk past this dog as he sat at his front door when suddenly he attacked me.The lady of the house came out when she heard me scream and said : you must have done something to it ,it has never bitten before: I had not even looked at the dog so yes a dog can bite you for no reason at all.

Answer 5

There is always a reason. For example, some poor dogs are trained and encouraged to attack that which moves.

Answer 6

Dogs, through evolution are bred and kept as pets.
But trace their to their ancestors; originating from wolves who're notoriously known for their hunting skills and savagery.
Eventhough dogs today are considered docile by nature, when provoked, they rely on pure animal instinct.
Never ever invade a dog's territory, do not look/ engage in close eye contact with them and do not disturb while they're eating.
Dogs attack when sense danger or if a threatening presence is near.

Answer 7

Yes. Usually when the dog attacks, for no apparent reason, we just don't know what the reason is.

Answer 8

GOOD GOD GERDY, IT'S DASTARDLY DANGEROUS DOGS;

Those canines always have a reason for attacking.

They want to bite.

They chose to bite

Howz dat?

Pretty simple.

Sometimes people intimidate dogs.

Sometimes the dog is protecting its "territory"

Sometimes the dog is just plain mean and likes to bite.

There's your reasons, pick one.

But they always have a reason.

There is a reason why some dogs never bite.

They chose not to.

Answer 9

Well 2 tell the truth I'am not shure but my son was nipped by my moms dog 1.When my bother was playing w/the dog & my just hugged(PJ)thats the dog.We thought that was just weird.then 2005,my son got bit on the face & he did nothing but lay on the couch as i got up out of the recliner & PJ was under it & i did not know that he was there so i guess they can.PJ seemed 2 do that now we stay a way from my moms house

Answer 10

If they had rabies or some other disease like that, yes. Other than that, a unprovoked dog attack is extremely rare.
However, my uncle owns a mean-as-a-copperhead mutt that hates everyone (except my uncle- and it doesn't even like him that much) and will rip your throat out if you get within the radius of its chain. Why he does not just shoot it, I do not know.