[izzy838]

He is 2 and a rat terrier chiuaua mix. We got him from a shelter a week ago.

[Rachelrang]

Seeing as he came from a shelter he is still probley trying to see if he can trust you my dog was the same. Your dogs first owners may not have been nice and although the shelter people try to treat the animals with love they have to take care of several animals at once I say give it a few more weeks if it continues take him to a trainer

[Alty]

What was going on before he bit? Who did he bite? Was that person doing something to him to provoke the bite, like getting in his face, or picking him up when he clearly didn't want to be held?

Dogs can bite for many reasons. One bite does not mean your dog is aggressive. It's likely that he felt threatened, and sadly the only way for him to protect himself is to growl or bite. Often a dog will growl first to warn you that he doesn't like what you're doing. The bite comes next, if you don't heed the warning growl.

I would really have to know what provoked the bite, what was going on before he bit, to give you a better opinion.

I once read this letter that was sent to a well known animal behaviorist. I can't re-write it verbatim, but the gist of the letter was this;

A woman had written that her doberman had bitten her 3 year old child, and she was thinking of putting the dog to sleep because of it.

The animal behaviorist wrote back asking what the circumstances were.

She told him that the child and the dog were in the backyard alone. She was watching through the kitchen window from inside the house. Her child picked up a stick in the yard, walked up to the doberman and hit him on the head. The dog tried to move away, but the child followed, backed the dog into a corner, and hit the dog on the head again and again. The dog then "bit" the child in the face.

The dog behaviorist asked if the child was hurt.

The mother wrote back that the child only had two tiny indents in her face. It didn't even break the skin, and the two teeth indents faded within an hour. So no, the child was not hurt, but she was very angry that the dog would do this.

The animal behaviorist wrote back, told the mother that she should give the dog away, because the dog deserved to be in a better home. First, as a mother she never should have allowed her child to be alone in the yard with the dog. Second, when she saw the child hit the dog the first time she should have gone outside and put a stop to it. Third, the dog could have ripped that child apart, but he didn't. He didn't even leave a permanent mark. He didn't even break the skin.

The animal behaviorist told the mother that she should spank her child for being abusive to the dog, and tell the child that she's not allowed to do that. He also told her that the dog should be praised, because the dog could have killed the child, but chose to give a minor warning, despite what was being done to him. I completely agree with the animal behaviorist.

So you see, it really does depend on the situation.

[celticfc]

Was he provoked to bite? Did someone tease or taunt him? Did someone heart him or threaten him?
Did he bite out of fear? Was it a stranger or new situation?
Did he bite out of anxiety? Did he bite someone you handed him to? Does he only bite new people?
Did he bite or nip to ge your attention? Does he continue to use that method to get attention?
Did he bite when he was playing? Perhaps he was trying to get a toy you were holding
Did he draw blood when he bit? Did he growl or bark if so this would have been a warning to show you or the person that they were annoying him diyou raise your hand and then just let it drop if his old owners hit him he might of though you were going to hit him.

[Alty]

was he provoked to bite? did someone tease or taunt him? did someone heart him or threaten him?
did he bite out of fear? was it a stranger or new situation?
did he bite out of anxiety? did he bite someone you handed him to? does he only bite new people?
did he bite or nip to ge your attention? does he continue to use that method to get attention?
did he bite when he was playing? perhaps he was trying to get a toy you were holding
did he draw blood when he bit? did he growl or bark if so this would have been a warning to show you or the person that they were annoying him diyou raise your hand and then just let it drop if his old owners hit him he might of though you were going to hit him.

In other words. Exactly what I asked. ;)

[celticfc]

Sorry alty I didn't look at what you answered.