Not all biting dogs are rabid. A healthy dog bites for a reason while a rabid dog bites for no reason at all.
A dog normally bites if it get hurts (e.g. stepped on the tail). Puppies commonly do play bites. But for rabid dogs, they have this urge of biting viciously, not playfully. They’ll bite anything anywhere, and that would include inanimate objects such as tires and chairs.
If you got bitten by a dog, check first if the biting dog has rabies vaccination for the past year or successive years. If it has, we would recommend observing the dog first for 12 days. A rabid dog usually dies within 2 weeks when it starts to become aggressive and bites anyone. If the dog dies within the observation period, submit the dog’s head (wrapped in ice) at a government facility that checks for rabies, and have yourself immediately treated at a medical hospital. If the dog survives within the observation period, this pet is not suspect for rabies.
Do you need to get a rabies shot at once? That depends upon the situation. If it is a stray dog, have a shot at once. But if it is your pet or a friend’s pet without exposure to a rabid dog, we recommend an observation period of 12 days. But still it depends upon your discretion or your medical doctor’s advise if a shot is needed at once.
You think all dogs have rabies? We have an answer for this at this link: FAQ: Are all dogs born with rabies?
You got bitten by your pup? Check out our view on this at this link: FAQ: Are puppies more rabid than adult dogs?