Dog bit me. What to do next?

We had a dog who did that to my husband. It was time for everybody to go to bed, and she didn't want to and wouldn't come. He reached down to grab her collar, and she freaked out and bit him. We didn't call Rover because it wasn't an aggressive bite, just a fear bite, and we probably could have avoided it if we paid more attention to her body language. She was just such a sweet dog that we didn't see it coming!

Take this as a lesson, and be more careful about grabbing dogs who don't want to be grabbed. Remember, you are still a stranger, and some get freaked out when they think somebody is going to "get them". They lose their minds and they bite.

With our situation, we never had another incident. If I saw her doing her cringy cower thing, I would stop and give her a minute to realize I wasn't trying to jump on her. Sweet talk her, tell her she's a good girl, and go slow.

Tip: Some dogs will respond better if they think you are putting on a leash. They see a leash, and put two and two together. Maybe next time, if the dog is being super stubborn, grab their leash and call them, make them sit, and see if the behavior changes.

Definitively contact both Rover and the owner. And when you speak the owner, ask them if this has ever happened before and if so, how was it dealt with.

Now as far as this dog being in your care for another couple days and your safety being a concern, has the dog shown any other aggressive tendencies since or before? Do you feel safe with this dog in your home? Do you think this dog is safe to be walked outside?

If you do not feel safe or feel that you can insure people's safety when on a walk, do tell the owner and Rover and see if there is no other more experienced Rover sitter or a family member or friend who can take the dog. But do not keep a dog in your home if you do not feel safe or if you are scared.

If you choose to keep this dog for the remaining of his stay, there are a few things you can do to help. Make sure you give him lots of treats, bribe the heck out of him (I know it might seem like you are rewarding a bad behavior but we are not training here but rather keeping you safe for a short period of time), move slowly, try to not handle him as much as you can and if you must, make sure he knows where your hands are at all times, do not surprise him or startle him. next time you need to crate him, coast him in with food and treats rather than grabbing his collar.

Once the owner comes, do recommend positive reinforcement training and collar desensitizing exercises to insure no other bites occur.