I recently got bit by a dog. I was wearing open-toed sandals while visiting a friend. As we were sitting on her sofa chatting, her dog started gently gnawing on my big toe. It felt good – sort of like a provocative pedicure. Then, out of the blue, the dog clamped his teeth down and drew blood. I still don’t know why the sudden mood change.
I can recall several dog bite incidents in my life. I had a friend whose dog, Shimmy, would always bite me – and everyone else. One never knew when he would bite – and when he did – it wasn’t a gentle nip. It would generate laughter from everyone but the victim. I guess the sudden shriek from the bitee seemed funny.
That friend once took Shimmy Christmas shopping with her at the mall. Somehow, he got away from her, jumped up onto a department store Santa’s lap, and bit him! Santa Claus responded loudly with a “@%^&^%$##*!” Nearby children were shocked Santa Claus would ever say such words – and so were their parents. Santa’s angry verbal outburst did not go over well. I wonder if he got fired? Did he deserve to be fired?
Shimmy had yet another canine incident. That same friend wanted to save money, so she would turn her thermostat way down at night and use her electric blanket. The blanket was ancient, and it caught fire. Fortunately, my friend woke up in time and wasn’t harmed. She managed to get the blanket outside and throw it into her trash barrel. The fire had not been wholly extinguished. Flames from the barrel reflected off one of her windows as it continued to smolder.
One of her neighbors saw those flames, assumed her house was on fire, and immediately called the fire department. The firefighters arrived and woke my surprised friend. She assured them her home was not on fire. It was just her electric blanket that caught on fire and had been put in the trash barrel. (She wished then she had put the lid on it.)
The firefighters refused to leave. They said it was their duty to inspect the entire house whenever there was an alarm call. Shimmy was placed in a spare room to protect the diligent firemen, and they were warned not to open that door as Shimmy would bite them. Did they listen? NO! One of them opened the door, and Shimmy attacked! He bit clear through the firefighter’s leather boot, causing him to let out a shrill scream. Anyway, after all was said and done, my friend was charged a lot of money for the fire alarm call – far more than the cost of setting her thermostat at a comfortable level.
One of my favorite dog bite stories comes from the comedy movie The Pink Panther. If you have not heard it, here goes: Inspector Clousseau approaches a hotel clerk with a large dog sitting nearby. He asks the hotel clerk if his dog bites. The clerk responds that no, his dog does not bite.
Inspector Clousseau proceeds to pet the dog. It growls and practically tears his arm off. Clousseau yells angrily at the clerk, “You said your dog does not bite!” The clerk responds, “That is not my dog!”
My special dachshund Wonder Dog seldom bit anyone. For some reason or other, though, she always liked to bite my baby sister. Could it be some form of sibling rivalry? However, I took advantage of the possibility that Wonder Dog may bite. If any company came over with unruly children, I would warn them to keep their kids close in case Wonder Dog tried to nip them. It worked like a charm. I was always amazed – since Wonder Dog would doze away on her blanket throughout the entire visit.
Recently, President Biden’s dogs have been in the news for biting. The first dog to get evicted from the White House was Major. He was sent to live with friends – boy, those must be some friends! The replacement dog, Commander, was even worse. He set a record – with eleven White House staff members suffering bites. Some required medical attention. I don’t know what eventually happened to Commander, but he was also booted.
So why do dogs bite? The reasons are many.
Fear is one reason for biting. The dog biting out of fear is trying to distance itself from whatever or whoever they are fretting about. Imagine what it was like for a dog living in a frantic White House. I’m surprised there weren’t even more bites!
A dog may bite if it’s startled. Suddenly awakened dogs may be confused about where they are and what is happening – and lash out instinctively. These bites may take people – and even the dog – by surprise. The proverb “Let sleeping dogs lie” makes sense. As the saying goes, avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problems. It might just do so with that interference.
Guarding or protecting may be a cause for biting. Years ago, I hired a babysitter and failed to introduce her to my son because he was asleep when she arrived. After I left, Wonder Dog would not let her enter his bedroom.
If a dog has something valuable, like a toy they don’t want to share, they may bite out of fear it will be taken away! I saw a dog on TV who always took his doggie toy to his food dish while eating. As it turns out, it’s common for dogs to exhibit this behavior. Taking a toy to their food dish can signify a desire to play while eating – or the dog wants to guard its toy while they eat.
Frustration can be a cause for biting. Dogs may feel frustrated by being unable to reach something they want because an owner or leash is holding them back. They may turn and bite whatever is restraining them. I feel like that sometimes! I knew an owner whose dog hated and chased golf carts. Where did he live? On a golf course! Whenever I was in my golf cart, I made it a priority to avoid that dog.
Being sick or injured can cause a dog to bite. That makes sense. Think what it must have been like before anesthesia. The best way to kill pain during surgery in those days was biting on something – or taking a swig of whiskey. Think of the poor dog. Chewing on a stick is an everyday activity for a dog. I don’t think they would care for whiskey – but you never know!
Playfulness may lead to biting. Supposedly, it is just “mouthing.” I guess that’s what happened when my friend’s dog bit my big toe. My son had a dog that just loved to lick people’s feet. It would slobber all over my bare tootsies! My son said she was just getting to know me! I hated it. So why was I in my bare feet? Because shoes were not allowed in the house. So why not wear socks? Because I usually wear sandals. Eventually, I realized I had to put on a pair of house slippers if visiting the house of the drooling dog.
So, how does one prevent a dog from biting? Avoid putting a dog in a stressful situation. Do you think those White House canine rejects, Major and Commander, weren’t flooded with stressful situations? Can you imagine? We shouldn’t punish a dog for being a dog, but when Wonder Dog tore up my yarn, ate the nose of my son’s teddy bear, chewed off the leg of GI Joe, and destroyed the TV cable, I certainly gave her a time-out or two!
Working with a professional, positive reinforcement trainer can be a good idea. My neighbor did that, but it wasn’t a success. As soon as the lessons were over and the trainer left – the dog ran away!
In California, every dog is allowed one free bite. Until the dog bites someone, the owner is deemed not to know his dog has such a propensity. After that, they are considered on notice – and liable for any injuries to others. So much for Major, Commander, and Shimmy.
And what about humans – especially kids? Some of them are known to bite, too! Years ago, my three-year-old granddaughter told me she had a good day at nursery school. I asked, “Why was it a good day?” She responded in all seriousness, “Because I didn’t bite anyone today!”
If a dog could talk – would they say that?
Do you have dog bite stories or thoughts about our relationships with man’s best friends? Readers would love to hear from you!
4 Comments
We always had a dog or two when I was growing up. None of them ever bit anyone as far as I know. My favorite dog used to go wandering in the hills and trees around our house and came home a time or two with porcupine quills in her nose. My mother pulled them out with pliers, but one time it was so bad, she took the dog to the vet. This dog would snarl or bark at strangers but never bite. When I was living alone, I had a little Maltese. She was a rescue dog and very nervous. She never barked or bit. But she didn’t like the man I was dating. and nipped at him if he got too close. When I was sick, she would sit next to me faithfully and always wanted to sleep next to me. I miss that little doggie.
Wonder dog could be nippy – I think he nipped all my kids. Maybe dogs are just like people- my most placid grandson was a biter, and as I recall so were you😂
Dog story: When I came home from a year in VietNam, Tammy, the family dog, did not recognize me. It’s not supposed to be that way! I was quite disappointed.
Did any of the other family members recognize you? Is that why you are a cat person today?