Do Labradors Bite? 5 Reasons Why

Do Labradors Bite?

We as dog parents don’t enjoy living with dogs who bite, mouth hand, and chew at the time of interaction. Have you ever wondered do Labradors bite?

Although Labradors are known for being friendly and calm, unfortunately, due to some reasons, they may get behavioral issues, and the most problematic is biting. In some specific conditions, Labrador biting is quite normal, but most of the time, it’s unacceptable.

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To cope with this issue, you will have to know about the actual causes. So without wasting time, let’s jump to the possible reasons why Labradors bite.

Why do labs bite so much?

There can be several reasons why Labradors bite, common reasons for lab biting are teething, lack of training, attention seeking, and many more. Let’s discuss them all one by one.

1. Not trained

If a Labrador is in the adult stage of its life, then there is a possibility that you didn’t give the right kind of training that biting is not ok and it is unacceptable behaviour.

If you are not training your puppy or Labrador at the right time, it will behave according to its mood. And we never want our Labrador to behave the way it feels because it may get other behavioural issues.

Make sure to practice basic dog commands to train your Labrador.

2. Teething

If your Labrador is young, biting may be due to teething. This will be the case if your young Labrador starts this behavior suddenly, even when you are training it to behave well.

When your Labrador is teething make sure to give them lots of teething toys to chew on.

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3. Positive encouragement

There is a possibility that you are encouraging your dog unintentionally, such as by giving it extra attention. Maybe your Labrador misinterpreted the whole situation, and you will give it attention whenever it bites you.

Moreover, perhaps you are providing toys or treats to divert your puppy’s attention, and again, it interprets biting as an act of getting a reward.

4. Attention

Biting can be your Labrador’s way to get all of your attention.

5. Showing excitement

Sometimes, Labradors show their excitement by biting their owner. You will notice biting due to excitement when you come home after a long time. Maybe your Labrador is greeting you this way. Also, read How to stop Labrador puppy from biting?

Why do Labradors bite so much?

It’s a good idea to research the dog breed before signing the adoption papers. Dog biting is always a concern when dog parents are going to adopt a dog breed, and the same is the case when you are about to adopt a Labrador retriever.

Luckily Labradors are not known as dogs who bite a lot. However, there can be some reasons why Labradors may bite some people.

Most of the time, it happens when your Labrador is trained to be aggressive toward strangers. On the other hand, if your Labrador is not trained enough to calm down when excited, it may bite. Each time a Labrador will have its reason to bite someone.

What happens when a Labrador bites?

A dog bite is always a dangerous thing, no matter if it is vaccinated or not. Unfortunately, some people have gotten severe issues and even died due to dog bites.

1. Infections

A Labrador mouth is a significant source of bacteria such as staphylococcus, capnocytophaga, along Pasteurella. Along with this, dogs may carry MRSA.

However, there is no clear evidence of it. The dog bite causes the infection and breaks the human skin. People with a weak immune system or diabetes person are more prone to get severe conditions.

2. Nerve and muscle damage

Nerve and muscle damage may happen after the dog bite. The condition occurs when the wound appearance is small, just like the mark of puncture.

3. Broken bones

Labradors are large dogs, and their bite can result in broken or fractured bones in the hands, legs, and feet.

4. Rabies

Rabies is the most common condition after a dog bite. The viral infection directly affects the central nervous system of a person.

Moreover, rabies may cause death in a person if it is not treated at the right time. Waste no time seeking vet help when you are not sure about the vaccination history of Labrador.

5. Scarring

A Labrador bite can tear skin and result in scarring. If scarring is mild, it will lessen with time. However severe scarring will require plastic surgery or grafting techniques.

Why does my Labrador bite me?

Your Lab keeps biting you because it may be a puppy still in its biting stage, or have behavioral issues. 

You need to train your Lab to not bite you. If your Lab is a puppy this will take some time to stop this behavior. 

At what age do Labradors calm down?

Labradors are famous for having a long puppyhood that disregards physical maturity. A two-year-old Labrador is still very much a puppy.

Most of the labs don’t begin settling down until at some point somewhere in the range of two to four years old. 

How to get your Lab to stop biting?

The best way to stop Labradors from biting is mentioned below. All of the steps require consistency along with your effort.

Start Early

Start training your puppy early to not bite by using commands and redirecting them to a toy when they bite.

Add Positive Reinforcement

Give your dog treats when they listen to your command to not bite.

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