Do Dogs Become Vicious After Tasting Blood?

It is a widespread thought that the instant a dog is fed or tastes blood, probably after biting a person or another animal of any kind, the dog develops a sudden knack to continue tasting blood. This thought also spread to the idea that when the dog tastes blood, it is tough and almost hopeless to stop the dog from tasting blood.

Normally, just like other animals, dogs have the natural trait of protecting and securing. From trained dogs to Guardian dogs, military dogs, and home dogs, they all have the ability to bite and in some extreme instances, kill. But they all show a level of reluctance to do so.

Arguably, the general answer to this is NO. The taste of blood does not concern the ability or impulsive behavior to become vicious. However, some people have argued that dogs become vicious after tasting blood, but there are no solid data to strengthen this claim.

For some reason, many dog lovers feed their dogs lumps of raw meat with blood dripping. This does not make the dog go crazy and become vicious.

Dogs regularly attack and bite different people or they get into a severe fight with their kind or other animals. These situations can make them taste blood but it does not cause a brain disturbance that leads to being more vicious.

What Will Happen When My Dog Tastes Blood?

Many a time, dogs taste blood either through the lumps of raw meat fed to them by their owners or they get into a fight that makes them bite and taste blood. Usually, nothing happens after this. They do not go into a bloodlust frenzy.

The major point of concern should be the reason for the dog attacking and biting in the first place. In all possibilities, when your dog bites, there is a very high chance it will do it again.

There is nothing much to worry about if the attack and bite were borne out of anxiety and protection. However, it is vital to assess this behavior and amend it.

What Is Making My Dog Become More Aggressive?

Dogs can become aggressive due to a number of factors. Aggression is mostly a common response when dogs are pushed to the wall, they move from being protective and timid to being visibly aggressive.

Also, it is important to know when your dog is in frustration or in pain or when it is guarding a resource like its food or water, as tampering with any of these can cause aggression.

Should I Put My Dog Down If It Bites Me Or Someone?

It may be unnecessary to put down your dog. Each bite situation is unique and probably not the same. Your dog may bite out of fear or act instinctively. It is important to work with an animal trainer to prevent any future occurrences.

However, when your dog bites you, anyone, or anything in an unprovoked manner, it is better to call in the animal authorities to have it checked for Rabies or other causes.

Can My Dog Become Feral If It Tastes Blood?

For your dog to become feral, there must have been a level of abandonment done by you such that it would not feel welcome in your home anymore.

Occasionally, your dog could lick off its bleeding wounds or in some uncommon times, lick your wound, or some other times, engage in a bloody fight with another animal, this does not make them go vicious or feral. Becoming feral has nothing to do with tasting blood.

What Will Happen If My Dog Bites Someone?

Ideally, after the bite, it is important to know the cause of the bite. Provocative bites such as bites out of fear and protection, will require you to caution and train your dog.

However, in the case of an unprovoked bite, it is best to quarantine your dog immediately and call in the local animal authorities. This is vital to check and cancel out any possibility your dog might be rabid.

What Should I Do If My Dog Bites Someone?

The first and foremost thing to do is to take your dog away from the person as far as possible. You can lock it up in its kennel or in a room where you are sure there is no further danger to the person.

Help the person by trying to stop the bleeding. Get your first aid kit. Help clean the wound. You can take the person to a nearby clinic in order to properly take care of their wound.

The One-Bite Rule

The One-Bite Rule supports that if your dog has previously shown, exhibited, and presented vicious and aggressive tendencies in any form, then you will be held responsible for whatever injuries or trauma caused by your dog.

The One-Bite Rule gets its origin from the idea that after one free bite, you should know that your dog now has a tendency to be vicious and aggressive, thereby, making you responsible for any form of injuries your dog may cause to someone.

Can My Dog Bite Cause Blood Poisoning?

From surface bruises to deep bites, dog bites can lead to varying degrees of complications.

An untreated dog bite can develop into sepsis, which is a reaction to an infection that may be life-threatening. Other complications can be Rabies or Tetanus.

To prevent being infected from any form of a dog bite, you can place the wound under running water, and wash it with soap properly before keeping the wound clean by wrapping it with a bandage.

Conclusion

Dogs occasionally get into serious bloody fights, are fed lumps of raw meat dripping blood, and lick their wounds dripping blood as well. These do not have any negative influence nor does it affect the dog’s brain making it go into a wild and vicious frenzy.

The major concern should be the reason or trigger for a bite or attack. Generally, the taste of blood does not suddenly make a dog become vicious.

Even though a few reports have been made from different people with their personal experiences suggesting that dogs generally become vicious after tasting blood, there have not been any data or research done to strengthen these isolated reports.