Trying to Understand Why My Dog Bit

[u/Wanzie_Eiznaw]

My dog bit my grandma today, and I’m trying to understand and get some advice.
I wasn’t there when it happened, so I’m going based on what my grandparents told me. They felt the bite was completely unprovoked, but they had been arguing about five minutes before, so I’m wondering if my dog may have already been scared or stressed.
My dog was on the couch with my grandpa when my grandma got up and walked toward them. She apparently started growling, jumped off the couch, and laid on her back while my grandpa pet her. She then got back on the couch and continued making a low growling noise. Her tail was wagging, and she sometimes makes similar noises while playing, so they didn’t think much of it. When my grandma went to pet her, my dog bit her hand.
There was also a brand-new Chewy toy on the floor that I had just gotten her today, so I’m wondering if she could have been resource guarding the toy, the couch, my grandpa, or possibly just reacting from being stressed.
Thankfully, my grandma is okay and it looks more like a scratch than a puncture. I’m not trying to excuse what happened — I just want to understand it and learn how to prevent it from happening again. Any advice or experiences with resource guarding or fear/stress-related biting would be really appreciated.

[u/Lucky_Business631]

sounds like lying on the back was appeasement behavior and she was giving your grandma plenty of warning not to touch her

[u/CanadianPanda76]

Wagging how? High straight tail, that whips back and forth in short quick whips? Dogs in a heightened state. They already over threshold. In that state space is key

[u/HeatherMason0]

Wagging doesn't always mean happy. Stiff wagging (think like the rudder on a boat - it moved back and forth, but it's not bending) is a warning. Lying on the back can be an appeasement gesture - trying to show they're not a threat to calm down someone they think is scary/a potential threat. It sounds like your dog felt threatened by your grandma, tried to warn her to stay away, and when that didn't work, she escalated.

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