Dog bites affect millions of people annually, and the welfare implications extend to dogs who bite - often euthanized following incidents that proper education and training could have prevented.
Dogs that bite are frequently euthanized, often for behavior that reflects human failures in socialization, training, or management rather than inherent dangerousness. Dogs bite when they feel trapped, threatened, or in pain, and when warning signals have been missed or suppressed. Punishment-based training that suppresses warning signals increases bite risk. The welfare solution requires better education about canine body language, appropriate socialization, and positive training rather than reactive breed bans.