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Behaviour

Take warning signs seriously before things boil over

Before a dog snaps or bites, he almost always warns you, quietly at first, then more clearly. Here's how to spot the signs early enough.

Dogs almost never bite out of the blue. They warn first, usually for a long time and in many ways, because they would much rather avoid a fight. If you know these warning signs, you can react early, and things never get serious in the first place.

From quiet to loud

It starts with quiet signals: your dog looks away, licks his nose, yawns or freezes for a moment. If that doesn't help, he gets clearer, turns away and tenses his body. Only then come growling and baring teeth, and at the very end, as a last resort, the snap or bite. So a bite comes at the end of a long chain of warnings, not at the beginning.

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This article is no substitute for veterinary advice. Source: DOGSY editorial team.