Dog bites cause millions of injuries annually and often result in dogs being euthanized, making prevention a welfare issue for both humans and dogs.
Dog bite welfare implications run in multiple directions. Bite victims suffer physical injury and psychological trauma. Dogs who bite often pay with their lives - euthanasia following a serious bite is common regardless of circumstances, meaning that a moment of stress-induced defensive behavior can end a dog's life. The welfare of dogs in this context is linked to whether humans understand and respond to warning signals before biting escalates. Dogs give clear, observable warnings - stiffening, whale eye, lip licking, growling - before biting, but these are routinely ignored or punished, removing the dog's ability to communicate discomfort before resorting to the only language that reliably produces escape from the situation. Teaching children appropriate behavior around dogs and teaching adults to read canine body language saves both human and canine lives.