Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Man bites dog

"Man bites dog" is a journalistic that encapsulates the principle that stories should prioritize unusual, extraordinary, or unexpected events over commonplace occurrences, with the reversal of the typical "" scenario serving as a for what makes headlines. The phrase first appeared in print in 1899 in the short story collection The Stolen Story and Other Newspaper Stories by Jesse Lynch Williams, where a character remarks, "'A dog bites a man'—that’s a story; 'A man bites a dog'—that’s a good story." By 1902, it was attributed to Charles A. , editor of the , in the form: "If you should see a man biting a , spare not , men nor telegraph tolls..." to emphasize pursuing sensational leads. A more definitive version emerged in 1918, credited to John B. Bogart, city editor of the , stating: "When a dog bites a man, that is not ... But if a man bites a dog, that is ." Over time, the saying has been misattributed to figures like Horace Greeley (as early as 1909) and Joseph Pulitzer (1934), reflecting its widespread adoption in newsrooms as a core tenet of reporting. It underscores the media's focus on novelty and deviation from the norm, influencing how journalists select and frame stories to capture public attention. Beyond journalism, the phrase has permeated popular culture, notably as the title of the 1992 Belgian mockumentary film Man Bites Dog (C'est arrivé près de chez vous), a black comedy that satirizes media sensationalism and violence through a documentary crew following a serial killer.

Idiomatic Usage in Journalism

Origins

The phrase "man bites dog" emerged as a journalistic in the late to illustrate the principle that value lies in the unusual or unexpected rather than routine events. It is commonly attributed to John B. Bogart, city editor of the New York Sun, with the saying first documented in a 1918 publication attributing it to his editorial guidance: "When a dog bites a man, that is not ; but if a man bites a , that is ." An alternative attribution credits , editor of the same newspaper, who died in 1897 and was said to have used a similar formulation to emphasize deviation from the norm in selection. The arose amid broader shifts in 19th-century , particularly the rise of "" in the 1890s, where publishers like and favored sensational, human-interest narratives over dry political or routine reporting to boost circulation amid growing literacy and competition from penny presses. This era marked a transition from partisan advocacy to entertainment-driven content, with unusual events like "man bites dog" exemplifying the appeal of the extraordinary to everyday readers. The earliest printed appearance was in 1899, in the short story collection The Stolen Story and Other Newspaper Stories by Jesse Lynch Williams, where a character uses it to teach newsworthiness, suggesting the saying circulated in newsrooms earlier. By the early 1900s, it had entered wider usage, appearing in trade publications and editorials as a for newsworthiness criteria.

Newsworthiness and Effects

The phrase "man bites dog" exemplifies a core criterion of newsworthiness in : unusualness or , where events that deviate from expected norms—such as a inverting the typical predator-prey dynamic with an —gain prominence over routine occurrences. This principle underscores how rarity and surprise elevate stories, as commonplace events like "" fail to meet the threshold for . In news selection processes, editors and journalists prioritize such anomalous events to attract attention and boost circulation or viewership, shaping what content advances from tip to publication. This focus on deviation influences gatekeeping decisions, ensuring that stories with unexpected elements stand out amid a flood of , thereby maintaining journalism's in highlighting societal disruptions. The emphasis on rarity in newsworthiness can distort public perception by amplifying coverage of infrequent risks, leading individuals to overestimate dangers from anomalous events while underappreciating commonplace hazards. In the evolution of , algorithms on platforms like exacerbate this dynamic by favoring sensational, anomalous content that maximizes engagement metrics such as clicks and shares, often sidelining balanced in favor of viral outliers. This , which prioritizes deviation to drive traffic, has intensified since the rise of social platforms, altering traditional newsworthiness criteria toward hyper-sensationalism.

Analytical Frameworks

Mathematical Analysis

In , the surprisal (or self-information) of an event measures its unexpectedness and the amount of information it conveys upon occurrence. It is formally defined as s = -\log_2 p where p is the probability of the event (with $0 < p \leq 1), and the result is expressed in bits, representing the number of binary decisions needed to identify the event. This quantity was introduced by as a fundamental building block for quantifying information in communication systems. The formula derives from the broader concept of entropy, which Shannon developed to capture average uncertainty in a probability distribution: H = -\sum_i p_i \log_2 p_i. For a single event, surprisal isolates the contribution -\log_2 p, ensuring desirable properties: it is zero for certain events (p = 1), approaches infinity as p nears zero (reflecting maximal surprise), and is additive for independent events (since \log(ab) = \log a + \log b). The base-2 logarithm standardizes units to bits, aligning with binary encoding in digital communication; other bases (e.g., natural log divided by \ln 2) yield equivalent scaled measures. To compute surprisal, evaluate \log_2 p = \frac{\ln p}{\ln 2} (using \ln 2 \approx 0.693), then negate: for instance, if p = 0.5, \ln 0.5 \approx -0.693, so s = -(-0.693 / 0.693) = 1 bit. This framework applies to by quantifying why low-probability events carry greater informational weight, aligning with established like unexpectedness or rarity. Seminal research identifies unexpectedness as a core criterion for newsworthiness, where events defying expectations receive disproportionate coverage. For example, consider hypothetical probabilities reflecting relative rarity: a common event like "" at p = 0.01 yields s = -\log_2 0.01 \approx 6.64 bits (computed as \ln 0.01 \approx -4.605, so -(-4.605 / 0.693) \approx 6.64). A rarer counterpart like "" at p = 0.0001 gives s = -\log_2 0.0001 \approx 13.29 bits ( \ln 0.0001 \approx -9.210, so -(-9.210 / 0.693) \approx 13.29). The doubled surprisal underscores the rare event's higher , explaining its elevated status in news selection processes. Despite its insights, the approach assumes verifiable, objective probabilities, which are often unavailable or context-dependent in real-world reporting. News decisions integrate subjective elements, such as editorial biases and additional values (e.g., impact or proximity), beyond pure probabilistic rarity.

Psychological Perspectives

The phrase "man bites dog" exemplifies how rare and unusual events, when highlighted in news coverage, influence public cognition through the , a mental shortcut where individuals assess the likelihood of events based on how easily examples come to mind. Coined by and , this heuristic leads to overestimation of rare risks because vivid, memorable stories like plane crashes—despite their statistical rarity compared to car accidents—dominate media attention and thus become more cognitively accessible, skewing perceptions of danger. In news consumption, further amplifies the appeal of such atypical stories, as audiences preferentially seek and interpret information that aligns with their preexisting beliefs or worldviews, often finding sensational "man bites dog" narratives particularly reinforcing if they fit ideological narratives. This drives selective , where individuals gravitate toward unusual reports that confirm expectations, such as conspiracy-laden anomalies during political upheavals, thereby entrenching polarized interpretations of reality. From the broader lens of media effects theory, agenda-setting explains how "man bites dog" stories shape public priorities by elevating the salience of specific issues, influencing what audiences consider important without dictating opinions. Pioneered by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw, this process demonstrates that frequent coverage of signals their societal relevance, prompting the public to prioritize those topics in discussions and , as seen in how outlier incidents can overshadow routine matters. Post-2020 research highlights how echo chambers exacerbate these effects by algorithmically amplifying rare events and , creating insulated environments where unusual stories circulate rapidly among like-minded users. During the 2024 U.S. elections, studies showed that such chambers boosted the spread of sensational falsehoods, like fabricated anomalies in processes, distorting assessments and deepening divisions through repeated exposure to unverified rarities. The psychological impact of these dynamics ties to notions of surprisal in , where rarity heightens mental engagement without delving into quantitative models.

Literal Examples

Historical Incidents

One of the earliest reported literal instances of a man biting a dog occurred in 1925 in , , when Frank Kigger, 55, bit his own Buzz on the ear after consuming and imitating a dog, prompting the animal to retaliate by biting Kigger's and hands severely enough to require 25 stitches at . Police determined the dog acted in , and no charges were filed. The rarity of the reversal—human attacking canine—made it national news, exemplifying the journalistic fascination with unusual events that defy norms. In the mid-20th century, a 1967 case in , , highlighted the curiosity value of such incidents when Thomas Hayalian, 27, bit his pet during a domestic dispute, leading to police charges of . Hayalian claimed the bite was accidental amid the chaos, but the event drew local media attention for its bizarre nature, underscoring how even pet owners could invert the typical owner-animal dynamic in moments of frustration. The case was resolved with a fine, reflecting early legal recognition of laws without severe penalties for non-malicious acts. This coverage emphasized the story's appeal as a lighthearted oddity in an era when dog bites on humans were far more common headlines. By the 1980s, contexts brought more such reversals to light, as seen in a 1983 incident in Spokane, Washington, where a man bit his own during a fight, only for the animal to bite him back on the hands and legs while "acting in ." The man required medical treatment for his injuries, but no legal action followed, as authorities viewed it as a private matter exacerbated by the dog's pain response. Reported widely for its ironic twist, the story captivated journalists by illustrating human desperation in animal confrontations, a rarity that boosted its newsworthiness amid rising awareness of pet-related conflicts. A notable 1986 case in further demonstrated justifications when Stuart Smale bit his pet dog severely enough to require after attacked him, yet he received a conditional discharge from . The court accepted his account of reacting instinctively to , avoiding and highlighting evolving legal tolerances for in human-animal interactions under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. British tabloids covered extensively, drawn to the headline-grabbing inversion that mirrored the era's growing focus on while underscoring the incident's exceptional rarity.

Modern Cases

In the digital era, literal instances of humans biting dogs have remained exceedingly rare, often occurring during altercations involving or , with increased documentation facilitated by body cameras and smartphone videos. One early example unfolded on November 12, 2004, in , where a 25-year-old man bit both a and the officer's K-9 dog during a struggle following a for suspected . The incident resulted in minor injuries to both the human and canine, and the man was charged with assaulting a . In December 2014, a tragic incident in , , involved a 46-year-old man who bit a during an apparent confrontation outside a convenience store; moments later, he collapsed and died from , with toxicology later revealing high levels of drugs in his system. Police investigated the bite as part of a broader inquiry into the man's sudden death but classified it as non-criminal, highlighting the sporadic and often fatal contexts of such events. More recent police-related cases underscore the persistence of these encounters during arrests. On December 28, 2019, in , a 38-year-old nude man, covered in mud and high on , bit a K-9 dog named Casper on the ear after the animal was deployed to apprehend him following reports of erratic behavior; he was subsequently tasered and hospitalized for evaluation before facing charges of with violence. Similarly, in July 2019, a 35-year-old man in , barricaded himself in a hotel room and bit a on the leg during an following a report of him throwing things and acting aggressively; leading to charges of and . A particularly violent episode took place on April 20, 2022, in , where 44-year-old Kurt Dasilva, suspected of an elderly resident's home, bit a K-9 named Cort in the face and stabbed the dog in the side with a while hiding inside the residence; officers ultimately subdued him with a , and Cort required veterinary treatment but recovered. Dasilva, who appeared intoxicated, was booked on multiple charges including , on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, and injuring an assistance animal. From 2023 to 2025, literal "man bites dog" incidents remained rare, though a notable case occurred on May 7, 2025, in , where an unidentified naked man bit his own dog during an altercation in a gas station bathroom, leading to his on charges including animal cruelty and on a . Body-worn cameras and bystander smartphones have boosted visibility of police-involved cases—such as K-9 deployments—by capturing graphic details that previously went undocumented, potentially deterring misuse while amplifying public scrutiny of such tactics. However, the overall incidence remains low, with most documented examples tied to resistance during rather than deliberate animal cruelty.

Dog Shoots Man

The phenomenon of a dog causing a to be shot represents a stark reversal of the expected dynamic in human-animal interactions, typically occurring through accidental discharge of unsecured firearms. These incidents, though rare, underscore the risks associated with improper in environments involving pets, particularly in or rural settings. reported at least six such accidents in the United States from 2010 to 2015, often involving stepping on or pawing loaded weapons left within reach. Broader analyses indicate around 15 incidents over a 10-year period as of 2015. These early examples highlight a pattern emerging from inadequate firearm safety protocols around animals. By the , while specific farm-related reports are scarce in digitized records, anecdotal accounts from rural U.S. areas suggest analogous mishaps with working dogs and rifles, though verifiable details remain limited to broader historical discussions of farm accidents involving and tools. In the , several high-profile cases drew attention to the issue. A notable 2015 incident in involved a named , who stepped on a loaded left on the ground with the off, firing a that wounded the owner, Allie Carter, in the foot during a pheasant hunt at the Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area. Conservation officers ruled it accidental, emphasizing the need for hunters to secure weapons away from pets. These events contributed to increased awareness campaigns by organizations like the on pet-safe gun handling. More recent examples include a 2018 hunting mishap in , where a 120-pound mix named Charlie stepped on a .410-gauge in the back of a truck, shooting owner Sonny "Tex" Gilligan in the back and causing severe injuries including broken ribs and a shattered collarbone; Gilligan defended the dog, calling it a "freak accident." A tragic 2023 case in further illustrated the dangers, as a dog stepped on a loaded in a pickup truck during a , fatally shooting 30-year-old Joseph Austin Smith in the back of the head. Common themes across these incidents include unsecured firearms in hunting vehicles, boats, or homes, where dogs—often retrieving breeds like Labradors—interact with guns through stepping, pawing, or jumping. Legal ramifications typically involve no charges against the animals, but investigations often cite owner negligence under state firearm safety laws, such as failure to engage safeties or store weapons out of reach. For instance, in the 2018 case, authorities closed the matter as accidental without prosecution, though it prompted local reviews of regulations. These events parallel the "man bites dog" reversal by defying norms of animal passivity, serving as cautionary tales for responsible amid rising pet ownership rates. As of 2024, at least 23 people have been shot by dogs since 2014, resulting in two fatalities.

Man Bites Snake

Reports of humans biting snakes in survival or defensive contexts are exceedingly rare, with fewer than five well-documented cases globally where the act resulted in the snake's death. These incidents typically occur in situations where individuals lack access to tools or weapons and act out of immediate desperation to neutralize a venomous . Psychologically, such behavior is often attributed to a fight response under , where conventional options are unavailable, leading to improvised and visceral actions. One notable historical example dates to 1946 in , , where a villager was attacked by a hooded cobra that struck him nine times. In response, the man bit the snake ten times, ultimately killing it; remarkably, he survived the multiple bites and recovered without severe complications. This case, reported in Australian newspapers, highlights the extraordinary measures taken in rural, resource-scarce environments during encounters with highly venomous reptiles. Post-2000 examples include a 2012 incident in , where farmer Mohamed Salmo Miya was bitten by a while working in his rice paddy. He chased and caught the snake, then bit it to death in revenge; Miya received treatment and recovered without serious harm. In 2024, Indian railway worker Santosh Lohar was bitten by a while laying tracks in a forested area of . He bit the snake repeatedly until it died, then sought medical help and recovered after treatment. This scarcity aligns with broader patterns of role reversals in human-animal interactions, akin to other anomalous defensive acts.

References

  1. [1]
    Quote Origin: 'Dog Bites a Man' Is Not News. 'Man Bites a Dog' Is News
    Nov 22, 2013 · Dana's famous definition of the journalistic ... 1934 February 11, Augusta Chronicle, Man Bites Dog, Quote Page 4, Column 2, Augusta, Georgia.
  2. [2]
  3. [3]
    "Man bites dog"
    ### Summary of Earliest Documented Uses and Attributions of "Man Bites Dog" (1890-1900)
  4. [4]
    The Quote Verifier - Macmillan Publishers
    ... press baron Lord Northcliffe (Alfred Harmsworth). Whoever first defined news as "man-bites-dog" may have got that notion from Oliver Goldsmith's "An Elegy ...
  5. [5]
    U.S. Diplomacy and Yellow Journalism, 1895–1898
    Yellow journalism was a style of newspaper reporting that emphasized sensationalism over facts. During its heyday in the late 19th century it was one of many ...
  6. [6]
    American Newspapers, 1800-1860: City Newspapers
    Instead of merely reprinting foreign news or speeches, they expanded coverage to local news, human interest stories, court reports, and scandals. Partisan ...
  7. [7]
    The Components of "Newsworthiness" - Purdue OWL
    Dog bites man—no story. Man bites dog—story. Every news outlet has a different protocol for selecting which stories to run, but some shared, traditional values ...
  8. [8]
    What Makes News? 7 Key Criteria for Newsworthiness • Journalism ...
    There's an old journalism saying: “Dog bites man is not news. Man bites dog is news.” This perfectly captures the criterion of unusualness. Events that ...
  9. [9]
    How news value is assessed - Media Helping Media
    The classic definition of news is this: “Dog bites man” is not news; “Man bites dog” is news. This definition, though, is not universal. If dogs are eaten in ...
  10. [10]
    Geographic bias in the media reporting of aquatic versus terrestrial ...
    This high media coverage on shark incidents in the developed world may consequently lead humans to overestimate the risk of being attacked through rare events ( ...
  11. [11]
    Shark Bite Reporting and The New York Times - PMC - NIH
    In a landmark study on the media and sharks Muter et al. (2012) found that “Shark attacks were reported at least 5 times more than conservation concerns or any ...
  12. [12]
    How do we determine 'newsworthiness' in the digital age?
    Sep 11, 2023 · The relentless flow of news in the digital age has re-shaped the parameters by which we decide what is 'news' and what is not.Missing: sensational | Show results with:sensational
  13. [13]
    [PDF] The Role of Social Media Algorithms in Editorial Decision Making
    Jul 10, 2020 · Several studies have evaluated news out- put as a means of determining what kinds of content are considered newsworthy, finding that various ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  14. [14]
    [PDF] A Mathematical Theory of Communication
    379–423, 623–656, July, October, 1948. A Mathematical Theory of Communication. By C. E. SHANNON. INTRODUCTION. THE recent development of various methods of ...
  15. [15]
    Availability: A heuristic for judging frequency and probability
    This paper explores a judgmental heuristic in which a person evaluates the frequency of classes or the probability of events by availability.
  16. [16]
    Availability Heuristic: Definition & Examples - Statistics By Jim
    A classic example of the availability heuristic is believing that airplanes are unsafe because of highly publicized plane crashes.What Is The Availability... · How The Availability... · Media CoverageMissing: skewed | Show results with:skewed<|control11|><|separator|>
  17. [17]
    Confirmation Bias in the Era of Mobile News Consumption
    Confirmation bias is the predisposition to only consume the news, or what appears to be news, that confirms our pre-existing attitudes and beliefs.
  18. [18]
    Confirmation bias in journalism: What it is and strategies to avoid it
    Jun 6, 2022 · A behavioral scientist explains why it's important for journalists to recognize and reduce the influence of cognitive bias in their work.
  19. [19]
    [PDF] THE AGENDA-SETTING FUNCTION OF MASS MEDIA*
    In choosing and displaying news, editors, newsroom staff, and broadcasters play an important part in shaping political reality. Readers learn not only.
  20. [20]
    The Plot Thickens: A Sociology of Conspiracy Theories
    Feb 5, 2024 · Some work has focused on social media as homophilous echo chambers—places in ... goes to novel, dramatic, and sensational events (Hilgartner & ...
  21. [21]
    How disinformation defined the 2024 election narrative | Brookings
    Nov 7, 2024 · Disinformation shaped views about the candidates, affected how voters saw leader performance, and generated widespread media attention.
  22. [22]
    MAN BITES A DOG, SO GETS INTO THE NEWS - The New York Times
    Kigger was taken to the Allegheny General Hospital, where fifteen stitches were required to close the wound in his scalp and ten those on his hands. The police ...Missing: historical | Show results with:historical
  23. [23]
    Childress Index Newspaper Archives, Mar 10, 1967, p. 6
    Man bites dog Cincinnati up it happened a Man bit his dog. Police Here charged Thomas Hayalian 27, with cruelty to animals after he bit his pet Beagle Puppy ...<|separator|>
  24. [24]
    Man bites dog, suffers - UPI Archives
    Dec 27, 1983 · Man bites dog, suffers. Dec. 27, 1983. SPOKANE ... The animal, 'acting in self defense' and in great pain, bit Olyfsen on his hands and legs.
  25. [25]
    The Straits Times, 5 April 1986 - NLB eResources
    Apr 5, 1986 · Lock icon Growls at man bites dog case · Save Citation. 190 1986-04-05 5 IjONDON A man bit his dog so hadly that It had to undergo surgery bat ...
  26. [26]
    Man bites (police) dog - UPI.com
    Nov 13, 2004 · Kansas City Police have said an officer and his dog were bitten by a suspect resisting arrest, the BBC reported Saturday.
  27. [27]
    Americas | Man bites dog (and a policeman) - BBC NEWS
    Nov 13, 2004 · Police say an officer and his dog were bitten by a man resisting arrest in Kansas City. Officer David Magruder tried to arrest the man ...
  28. [28]
    Man bites dog in bizarre incident in Chicago - NDTV
    May 5, 2013 · ... incident in Chicago. This Article is From May 05, 2013. Man bites dog in bizarre incident in Chicago ... literally in the nose and he let go ...
  29. [29]
    Florida Man, Nude and Covered in Mud, Arrested for Biting Police Dog
    Dec 31, 2019 · A K-9 unit was sent to flush him out and the man bit the dog's neck before being apprehended. The animal officer was given a course of ...
  30. [30]
    Man Bites Dog: New Hampshire Man Barricades Himself in Hotel ...
    Jul 5, 2019 · In a literal case of "man bites dog" a New Hampshire man has been charged with resisting arrest after he took a bite out of a police dog.
  31. [31]
    Fairfield Suspect Arrested For Allegedly Biting Police K-9 - CBS News
    Apr 21, 2022 · A man allegedly bit and stabbed a police dog in Fairfield as he struggled with officers while they tried to take him into custody.
  32. [32]
    California man arrested after biting, stabbing police dog
    Apr 21, 2022 · “The suspect bit K9 Cort in the face and stabbed him on his left side with a knife,” police said. “The suspect appeared to be under the ...
  33. [33]
    In the past five years, at least six Americans have been shot by dogs
    Oct 27, 2015 · An Indiana woman had left her loaded shotgun on the ground with the safety off. Trigger stepped on it, inadvertently pressing the trigger. The ...
  34. [34]
    Dog named Trigger steps on gun, shoots owner - CNN
    Oct 27, 2015 · Yes, a dog named Trigger shot her human, accidentally as far as we know. Trigger has had little to say about the matter.
  35. [35]
    Dog shoots man, man survives, defends dog: 'He didn't mean to do it ...
    Nov 1, 2018 · Charlie 120-pound Rottweiler mix got his foot in the trigger of the gun, caught the trigger and blasted a shot at his unsuspecting owner, who ...
  36. [36]
    Dog kills hunter after stepping on rifle and shooting ... - CBS News
    Jan 24, 2023 · A man was killed during a weekend hunting trip in Kansas when a dog stepped on a rifle and discharged the gun, the Sumner County Sheriff's office said.
  37. [37]
    Dogs shooting humans on hunting trips? It's rare, but it happens.
    Jan 11, 2019 · A freak accident in Mississippi left a hunter without a leg. But reports show dogs have accidentally shot hunters in several instances ...
  38. [38]
    Man Bites Snake to Death in Revenge | Live Science
    Aug 24, 2012 · An angry Nepali man bit a cobra to death in revenge for getting bit by the snake ... Man Bites Snake to Death in Revenge. News. By Live Science ...