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Nobody really likes a dog that bites. Oh sure, if it’s your dog, you have an attachment to him or her. Some of those attachments are better than others. Some people are proud of their biting dog, because he’s the biggest, baddest dog around. And because he will bite anybody but them.
But most owners of biting dogs are embarrassed by their dog and often a little nervous. They certainly do not want their dog to bite anybody. That could cause harm, a necessary investigation by the health department, and possibly a lawsuit.
I know I do not appreciate dogs that bite. I love dogs in general, but in a country that suffers from an over-abundance of dogs (and cats) in shelters that are in need of a good home, why would anybody want to keep a dog that bites? There are great dogs that are literally dying while waiting for a good home. Meanwhile, there are dogs filling that potential vacancy that are nasty.
I’ve seen numerous biting dogs. Usually the complaint on the medical record reads: “Bit neighbor,” or “Bit delivery person,” or “Bit granddaughter.” Why? Why? Why?
I definitely do not look forward to walking into that exam room. As soon as the door opens, the dog is barking and lunging. This usually requires a muzzle or sedation. And trying not to get myself or my technician bitten while attempting to muzzle or sedate the dog.
Not all biting dogs are aggressive biting dogs. Many are fear-biters. They are totally terrified, and only resort to nipping or biting when they are backed into a corner. This makes sense … fight or flight.
And I have seen one dog that supposedly bit somebody, but I don’t know if I believe he did. His mom brings him in with a muzzle on every time, but I always remove it once in the room as he has never displayed even a hint of a biting issue. Supposedly a stranger came to the front door and asked to borrow a tool, and that is when the dog bit.
In my profession, I’ve had more nips and near-misses than you can shake a stick at. But I’ve also had three solid bites that still rattle me. The first was on the lip as I foolishly thought this Dalmatian was simply going to kiss me. My wife laughingly said even the dog knew better!
The second was not on the front lines, but rather while out jogging at home. A shepherd mix could not resist the thrill of the hunt as its prey went trotting by. Even though I was on the road, his boundaries were not as clearly drawn in his head as they were in mine. A good puncture in my left calf resulted in some scar tissue and stiffness for a few weeks.
The third was back on the daily grind. I often sit on the floor when examining my larger patients; therefore, I put myself in a very vulnerable position while looking at this Doberman’s left rear leg. One wrong touch and the top of my head was in his mouth. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough hair on my head to offer much protection to the thin skin up there. Fortunately, apparently my head does not taste very good, as he was quick to release his quarry.
It’s not in my nature to tell anybody to give up. However, having a dog that you know is aggressive is very similar to having a loaded gun in the house. With the exception that most people would keep the gun out of reach of children. A dog, on the other hand, is something that many children are attracted to. As a child walks up to pet the doggy, the gun fires.
It’s one thing to have a dog that bites if it is only you, and you know how to avoid his or her “trigger.” It’s another thing if you have children, although you may also be able to train your child(ren) to avoid that same trigger.
But what happens when your child has his or her friend over? And your dog bites that kid? Not only may that kid have a physical scar from the puncture or laceration, but he or she may also have a mental scar and be afraid of dogs all their life. On top of that, now you have opened yourself up to a potential lawsuit.
There are lots of great dogs out there in need of a home. While some breeds are meant to be nippy (Border Collies and Australian Shepherds herd livestock by nipping at the heels; Jack Russell Terrorists go after varmints in tunnels), the vast majority of dogs (even of those breeds) have wonderful, non-biting personalities. Enjoy a good dog!
Disclaimer: In the above article, I am talking about those aggressive dogs that bite simply because they are jerks. The old arthritic dogs that become nippy as they get older and more painful are entirely another story. We tend to acclimate to them as they deteriorate. Any dog in pain has an excuse.
