“Listen to your dog’s whisper so he doesn’t have to shout.”
— Chirag Patel, Domesticated Manners

Bites rarely happen “out of the blue.” Dogs actually have a highly developed social communication system. This graphic (based on the BSAVA’s Ladder of Aggression) is a summary of the expressions your dog may use when feeling stressed or threatened.
It’s also important to keep in mind that if any of these expressions are punished, the dog might just go directly to biting the next time.

Now you know, do you feel you’ve been missing important converstaions with your dog? We got you. It’s kind of what we do. Contact a professional dog trainer today!