Please excuse my very selfish reason for intruding myself into your community

[POPTOP]

Hello and Welcome!

Glad you joined and shared the incident looking for a reason. As you can see, there are many ideas why this might have happened. I'd first start with a medical check up. I tend to think it was either a situation where he was startled or him feeling possessive about the vehicle.

Please keep us updated on what you find.

[Snowshoe]

Another idea. I wonder if the camera had something to do with it? Staring is a threat in many human and animal cultures. A camera can look like a big eye, staring. Seems a bit remote, even to me coming up with the idea, but Mickey didn't like the camera and remembered who was behind it? Or was just set off enough by the camera to retaliate with anyone? Maybe?

[barry581]

No input as to why, but very sorry this happened. Hope you get it figured out.

[gnique]

Thank you all for your help, suggestions and just plain old support and understanding. I have calmed down a bit. I saw and talked with the woman that was bitten and she even told me that whatever happened to cause the dog to bite was probably not something that was going to be figured out. She also told me that he could have REALLY bitten her if that was his actual intention. As it was, he growled for a half a second and lightly put his teeth on her hand for a half a second. I plan to just watch him and file this away for now and hope that it was just an anomaly that won't happen again. Things are back to normal in our house. Neither my wife or the dog seem as concerned as yesterday. Thank you all once more. I am going to explore your website now. Nicholas

[Abulafia]

I didn't respond before, but sympathized with your worry. I do think it sounds like a one-off. Thank heavens for dog-humans like you, however, who are on top of things.

[Snowco Labradors]

I agree with a vet visit and would do full blood work just to be sure there is nothing medically wrong.

[Macy]

Welcome to the boards. I hope this was a one time thing/startle and hope for nothing medical to be wrong, I'm also glad the lady wasn't seriously injured.

[Murrisha]

Welcome! I am sorry this happened as well and it is one of my biggest fears that I will have a dog that bites someone. Especially after reading all of those stories about dogs who bite and are completely justified in doing so, where the dog ends up suffering for the person's stupidity.

I have some experience on this with my Shih Tzu. She's never been outgoing, but has always been sweet and accepting of petting. Occasionally, though she will growl and snap (usually at children petting her), although she has only "bitten" once or twice. Sometimes dogs just have bad days like us and just get fed up. Roxy is most closely bonded to me and she has snapped at me before. I'm no expert or behaviorist but it sounds like your boy was just having a bad day and a lot of things compounded to make a bad situation. In the future, just to be safe, I would not allow people to reach in to pet him. A lot of people I know have dogs that get protective of the car (as mentioned several times) and will go crazy when someone approaches the vehicle. I also agree that the camera may have exacerbated the situation. I would also be on the look out for any tension, tail raising, whale eye, forehead wrinkling, or any sort of displacement action (such as him licking himself suddenly) in the future; oftentimes it helps to look out for body language to see when the dog has had enough before it escalates. I also agree that you should go to the vet as a precaution to rule out any pain or medical condition and just take things easy for a while.