What I am about to write may be rejected out of hand by some dog owners. I hope not, for the sake of their dogs. Emily Dickenson wrote a poem that begins “Tell all the truth, but tell it slant. Success in circuit lies.” I’m not very good at skipping around an issue or zigzagging my way to the truth, so here it comes, served straight up and ice cold. You, or someone you know, may be unintentionally teaching your dog to bite. If you rough-house with your dog and allow him/her to mock bite you repeatedly, don’t be surprise if one day that dog tries to take a chunk out of you or someone else. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘dog aggression’
Unintentional Dog Bite Training
Saturday, March 21st, 2009When a Small Dog Bites
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Bite mark from a Maltese puppy. (Photo courtesy of Julianna at Flickr)
To date, I have been bitten by small dogs four times while working at Kelsey’s Dog House. In every case, the bite was minor. I could put some antibiotic ointment and a small bandage on the wound and then go back to work. This is a pretty good track record considering I work and play with hundreds of different dogs each year. In each case in which I was bitten, I believe I did something to instigate the bite. On the other hand, those who believe a dog should not bite, no matter what, have a defensible argument. So who is right? Or more appropriately, what is right? Are there some circumstances in which it is okay for a dog to bite? The answers are straight ahead. (more…)
