* Products | Articles | Clicker Training | Go Shopping! | Seminars * Does your little dog bite? If you ever want to hear the sound of laughter, tell your local letter carrier that your
dog doesn't bite. To get some more laughs, repeat your claim to a veterinarian, an animal control officer, a personal injury attorney or an insurance claims officer.
While almost everyone is convinced that their dog is incapable of violence, these various experts know the truth -- all dogs bite.
Before you tell me that your Shi Tzu, Fluffy, couldn't possibly bite someone, lift her cute little lips for a second. Inside that flat little mouth are 42 teeth -- exactly the
same number that are found in the mouths of Rottweilers. Those little tiny front teeth are called incisors and they allow Fluffy to daintily pick up things like crickets
and cat poop. You might convince someone that these itsy bitsy pearly-white lozenges could never do more than leave an impression on a person's skin, but
what about those big teeth on each side of the incisors? Those are canine teeth -- Just like the ones that Edgar Rice Boroughs called "fighting fangs" in all of those
Tarzan books. (The same canine teeth that the Dog Encyclopedia says are made for ripping and tearing flesh.) No amount of cuteness on the outside can completely
camouflage the truth. Canine teeth are remarkably similar to pruning shears -- and Fluffy has two sets of them. Now that we have gotten past the fact that she is actually capable of biting, you
may remain convinced that Fluffy would never really do it. After all, she has never really tried to bite you. Well, she did go after the groomer once, but he must have
done something to provoke the poor little thing. He just didn't understand how sensitive she is. That awful veterinarian said that she tries to bite him whenever he
gives her a shot. It is perfectly normal for a dog to dislike being hurt. The clinic staff always seem to overreact and hold her down so roughly. Of course she tries to
bite them, but that isn't really aggression, that's self defense. The growling and snarling she does when she hears the sound of the UPS truck isn't really serious,
because you can always pick her up and hold her as you sign for your package. Of course, you don't let her play with the grandkids anymore ever since that time
that little Robby accidentally fell on her. Every one said it was probably her claw that scratched his face, not her tooth. While many of us do not like to admit it, all dogs are capable of aggressive
behavior. Many people own a dog specifically because of the canine tendency to defend territory. When Fluffy starts snapping at children who try to steal her toys it
should not surprise anyone. When she begins lunging and barking at strangers who deliver packages, it should be viewed as a normal progression. Despite the fact that
canine aggression is a common occurrence, many pet owners refuse to believe it about their own animal. It is often this form of denial that leads to unexpected
violence. It is the unprepared owner whose dog is most likely to burst through an unlatched screen door and nail the UPS guy. The same dog may easily slip out of its collar and bite a neighbor's child.
While many pet owners are in control of their pet's agressive tendencies, many are not. To determine if you have a problem, ask yourself these questions. If you
answer several of the questions afirmatively, you may need to seek professional help in controlling your dog's behavior. * Do you automatically confine your dog when the doorbell rings? Do you attempt
to hold a conversation while simultaneously holding the dog's collar? * Can you bathe, dry and brush your dog without using some type of restraining device?
* If your dog had a thorn in its paw, could you remove it without help? If you knew how to remove stiches from a minor injury, would your pet let you do it?
* Could a child remove a chew toy or treat from your dog's mouth? Does your dog growl at people who get too close to a favorite toy, sleeping area or food bowl?
* Does your veterinarian always use a muzzle or other restraint when your dog is examined or treated. Do you find your self leaving the exam room rather than watch the attendents restrain your pet? Copyright 1997 by Gary Wilkes -- No portion of this web page may be reproduced without permission. |