biting is a normal part of K9 Behavior, it is essential for a dog’s development, allowing them to interact with their environment, and test boundaries with others, not all bites are the same. with a playful nip having different repercussions than a serious bite, this is why the dunard bite skill was created, something animal wise explains as we look at the different levels of dog bites.
when dogs are puppies they use biting to explore the world around them, they bite their litter mates to learn acceptable social behavior, they chew on different objects to examine textures, and they even bite their Guardians to express their emotions. over time bite inhibition is learned to temper this behavior, and better ensure social cohesion, dogs which continue to bite after they have matured will have a reason for doing so, it is often influenced by factors such as person socialization.
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Factors That Influence Continued Biting
- traumatic experiences
- lack of adequate training
- poor or no socialization
- fear or anxiety triggers
- predatory instinct
aggression in dogs is a public health issue which can result in euthanasia of the animal if they are seen as a threat to others, Dr Ian Dunbar is a British veterinarian who devised the Dunbar bite skill to assess the different levels of dog bites, and how their severity affects what happens to the animal. it was devised not as a method of determining punishment, but as a means to assess the future Rehabilitation of the dog, it can help with behavioral assessments for ethologists and trainers, but it can also influence legal evaluations of biting incidents against people.
Purpose of the Dunbar Bite Scale
we can better understand how these assessments can be made by looking at the levels of dog bites according to the dunar bite scale, aggressive but no skin contact the first level of the Dunbar bite skill does not involve actual biting by the dog, it is an aggressive display where various signals are emitted by the animal. these include bearing of teeth growling or even snapping, while a bite May ensue it is important to note that over 99% of altercations with dogs do not exceed level one, these are more likely signals of fear rather than aggression.
Level Two: Teeth Contact but No Skin Break
if the aggression continues it is possible the dog can bite without breaking the skin, marks may be left behind but the skin is not perforated, professionals who work extensively with dogs will have most likely EXP experience this type of bite at some point, in these cases the dog is being subjected to heightened levels of stress, and is unable to channel the stress in a healthy way.
Level Three: Single Bite with Shallow Wounds
as the severity increases we see the bite will have broken the skin at this level, we can observe between 1 to four shallow perforations which do not exceed half the length of the dog’s canine teeth, causes include fear but it can also occur when rough play escalates into aggression or the animal’s predatory instinct is triggered. regardless a dog which causes a level three bite will need to be assessed by a veterinarian or Kine ethologist, this ensures proper evaluation.
Level Four: Single Bite with Deep Wounds
even a single bite can cause serious damage in this case, the perforations are deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine tooth, injuries can be exacerbated if the dog shakes their head or tries to hold on, as well as when the person tries to remove remve their hand. shaking the head is a predatory Instinct in dogs used to incapacitate prey, dogs know we are not prey so the impetus behind a level four bite is usually Fair, they perceive us as a serious threat and feel the need to attack before they are harmed.
Level Five: Multiple Bites with Deep Wounds
this level of bite is also often used by Security Forces as part of controlled aggression, something very dangerous if not carried out by a professional, multiple bites with deep wounds fifth level bites cause similar wounds to the previous stage but they are greater in number. and the extent of the damage is considerable, it usually involves a prolonged incident, there may be mitigating circumstances such as the dog being taunted or mistreated, but they will still be considered dangerous. Rehabilitation may be possible but it will need to be extensive and further assessment will be required.
Level Six: Death or Flesh Consumed
death of the victim and or flesh consumed the final level of dog bite on the dunar SK is the most severe, the death of a person by a dog bite is a legal matter and will most likely result in the destruction of the animal, Dunbar himself claims these dogs are simply not safe around people. the purpose of the Dunbar scale is to assess the level of aggression in a dog, and help to determine whether they can be rehabilitated as well as the nature of their Rehabilitation, it is not to be used exclusively but should be part of a broader assessment carried out by professionals.
Final Thoughts
we hope this has provided some insight into the different levels of dog bites, and what this means for the fate of a dog, let us know if you have any experience with dog bites by leaving a comment, and check out our playlist on dog behaviors that we share here, we’ll see you next time.
Overview Table
| Level | Description | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aggressive display, no skin contact | Growling, snapping, fear not aggression |
| 2 | Teeth contact, no skin break | Stress related, no perforation |
| 3 | Single bite, shallow wounds | 1–4 shallow perforations, less than half canine |
| 4 | Single bite, deep wounds | Head shaking, serious damage, fear trigger |
| 5 | Multiple bites, deep wounds | Prolonged, dangerous, rehabilitation hard |
| 6 | Death or flesh consumed | Legal matter, destruction of dog likely |
FAQs
Q1. What is the Dunbar bite scale?
It is a system to assess dog bite severity and possible rehabilitation.
Q2. Why do puppies bite so much?
They bite to explore, learn, and express emotions.
Q3. What is a Level One bite?
It shows aggression signals like growling or snapping, but no skin contact.
Q4. What happens in a Level Two bite?
The teeth touch but do not break the skin.
Q5. How serious is a Level Three bite?
It causes shallow wounds with 1–4 perforations.
Q6. Why is a Level Four bite dangerous?
It causes deep wounds and may involve head shaking.
Q7. What defines a Level Five bite?
Multiple deep wounds, prolonged incident, dangerous outcome.
Q8. What is Level Six on the scale?
It involves death of the victim or flesh consumption.
Q9. Can dogs that bite be rehabilitated?
Yes, depending on the level and professional assessment.
Q10. Is the Dunbar scale about punishment?
No, it is about understanding aggression and planning rehabilitation.
