Have you been bitten by dog? Do you know what constitutes as a dog bite? Animal control and public health departments define “dog bite” as any incident involving a person’s skin breaking by a dog’s tooth or nail. In fact, many “dog bites” the general public defines as playful or accidental can legally be considered a “dog bite.” These “dog bites” include nips from playful puppies, scratches from a dog’s nail, and accidental bites by dogs.