Our dog Pearl has been bugging me to write this article to help other dogs—and their humans—and the clueless parents of semi-feral children—to avoid avoidable traumatic experiences. Pearl is a Covid puppy, so she didn’t get socialized as much as she would’ve otherwise. Unfortunately, the only children she met in the first two years of her life convinced her that small humans are not to be trusted. It’s not that she doesn’t like children. (She hates them.)
The first time Pearl met children was when a friend of ours (hey, Rosemary) brought her grown daughter and three grandchildren to visit. The kids were all under kindergarten age, the youngest still a hip-baby about eight months old. Now, these kids were truly great kids who’d been socialized with dogs, so they’d been taught how to behave. The oldest, a boy, wasn’t all that interested in Pearl, so fine. He was happy to hang on Jed, our big lab mix, who loves to be hugged. The oldest girl really wanted Pearl to love her, so she was sweet and quiet and low-key, doing everything she could to connect with Pearl in a reassuring way.
But to Pearl, these small humans with their high-frequency energy were as scary as unpredictable flying monkeys. Worse, one of them (the baby) had attached herself to a regular-sized human! What next? Would these others jump up and attach themselves to Pearl’s beloved humans? And if they did, what-oh-what could Pearl, a little four-pound puppy at the time, do to save the family who had saved her?
She knew that she would be unable to pry these strange humanoids off her people if they managed to glom onto them. She had to prevent the terrible assimilation process before it happened, and the bigger and older dogs in her new family were of no help whatsoever. In fact, they seemed to like these little aliens, and one was glomming onto Jed right now!
Well, as far as Pearl was concerned, Jed had gotten himself into this mess, so he could get himself out of it. But Pearl had to save her people, the ones who’d saved her when she’d been tossed from a car with her littermates, then lost in the woods for days while her littermates froze to death or got picked off by predators. Her new human family was her only source of safety, and they were being threatened. The only thing she knew how to do was bark and growl and try to chase these small alien monkey-people away before something terrible happened.
After our friends left, Pearl and I had a long talk about the life-stages of humans. She heard me, but she didn’t completely understand the foreign concepts, so she didn’t believe me. And unfortunately, none of the children Pearl has met since then have convinced her that underdeveloped humanoids can be trusted. Despite my vigilance in curating Pearl’s experiences with random kids we meet (and my ability to communicate with her telepathically), she is still wary of children.
I’m afraid I must agree with Pearl that in many cases, she’s right. Kids aren’t always taught how to interact with dogs, and some grown people are clueless too. So, like I said, Pearl has been after me to write this public service announcement. I hope it helps.
Ten Reasons Why Dogs Bite People
- Extreme circumstances. Any dog—even the very best dog in the universe—will bite under extreme circumstances. It’s their instinct to protect themselves, and if a dog can’t flee or hide when they feel unsafe, their only recourse is to bite. If a dog has been injured and you touch it in a way that causes pain, it may bite. Approach injured dogs with caution, use a towel or blanket to move them, and don’t get your face in their face.
- Misdirected aggression. If dogs are fighting and you wade into the fray, you’re likely to get bitten. A dog fight is a dangerous situation—better to prevent it from happening than to try to stop an ongoing fight. It’s up to us humans to take precautions. If you’re out walking your dog, keep them on a leash, and carry a walking stick or pepper spray in case a loose dog threatens to attack them (or you).
We walk our dogs on lava cliffs, and I always carry a walking stick to help me stay balanced on uneven ground. It came in handy recently when someone’s loose dog ran up to our dog Jed in an aggressive manner. I held the stick out to keep distance between us and the dog, who was so focused on getting to Jed that he ran right into the stick’s tip end, giving himself a startling bop on the nose. If that dog had managed to get around my stick, we’d have been in a bad tangle for sure. It’s best to be prepared now than to be sorry later.
- Poor training. Aggressive biting dogs aren’t born; they’re made. This happens when at least one human—often many—have given the dog mixed signals of love vs. fear during puppyhood. I once knew a perfect puppy who was happy, friendly, and fully potty trained when he went to his forever home. But his new humans thought it was fun to play rough with him and make him do his cute little-puppy growl. He grew to fear hands and began to bite anything that waved or moved near his face. This confident, well-adjusted puppy was turned into a dangerous, unpredictable dog who was euthanized before his third birthday.
- Lack of socialization. Every dog (and the dog’s human family members of all ages) should attend puppy class if possible, so everyone is playing off the same rule book. Our dog Pearl didn’t have that opportunity because of Covid, and the lack of early training among other dogs and people made it much harder to socialize her. Now she is more fearful in new situations than she would’ve been otherwise. A fearful dog is more likely to feel threatened and bite. I had to provide alternative experiences for Pearl, like asking strangers and their dogs on the beach to greet her so she would become more comfortable around people of all ages and dogs of all sizes. (It didn’t help that she was thrown out of a car before she found us, but we did the best we could.)
Monitor your dog’s interactions with new animals, people, and situations. A dog who isn’t used to children may be overwhelmed by a kid’s exuberant vibe, so it’s essential that the dog’s initial experiences with children are positive. (One horrible kid can make a dog distrust all children forevermore.) Puppies and dogs who are safely exposed to many different experiences and settings will be more confident and relaxed when they are grown.
- Lack of connection. A dog needs to feel that they are an integral part of the family. Dogs are pack animals, hardwired to live with their people. A dog who is kept outside, separated from their humans, (or heaven forbid, kept on a chain or in a cage), will be isolated and fearful. An isolated dog who feels unsafe will defend its space, even if that means attacking anyone who comes too close.
Even more scary, puppies often absorb the trauma their mother endured. Puppies who come from puppy mills, backyard breeders, or any environment in which the mother and her puppies were abused or treated with indifference may lack the ability to trust humans from the get-go. Lack of human connection breeds distrust, and that distrust leads to aggression. Some of these dogs can be rehabilitated. For others, euthanasia is the only option to give them peace and ensure the safety of others.
- Human insensitivity. Most dogs would be mortified if they accidentally bit someone. But again, if a dog feels unsafe… It’s up to us humans to understand—and to teach our children—how to interact safely with dogs. We need to be sensitive to the dog’s needs, respect their personal space, and learn the cues their body language provides. And for heaven’s sake, if a dog is barking or growling at you or your child, there’s a reason. Pay attention.
- Just like humans, dogs can suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Certain settings and situations can trigger past trauma and cause a dog to bite. These triggers can be avoided if humans are aware of a dog’s actions and reactions, and mindful of their own behavior. Some common triggers:
-
-
- Too-fast movements—like a quickly raised hand—could be interpreted as an imminent hit.
- Energetic movements may cause a dog to get wound up enough to bite. Running, jumping, yelling, boisterous kids or excited adults can be terrifying to a dog who isn’t used to a lot of commotion.
- Bending over a dog can feel like an attack. (Aggressive dogs will climb onto another dog’s back to signal dominance and a desire to fight for supremacy.) When children get bitten in the face, it is usually because they’re perceived by the dog to be looming over them, invading their personal space and making them feel trapped.
- Loud voices or sounds, crowds, Halloween costumes, strange people or dogs.
- A houseful of people at a holiday gathering can be overwhelming for a dog who’s used to a normally quiet home.
- A loud party can make a dog think they must protect themselves from a drunk adult whose uncoordinated movements and unpredictable outbursts seem crazy.
- Fireworks can look and sound like Armageddon to a dog.
- Arguments and aggression between humans in the dog’s home environment creates negative energy that can trigger confusion and fear. They want to protect their humans, but how do they decide which of their beloved humans they’re supposed to protect? This uncertainty can cause a dog to react unpredictably, possibly even biting the person who’s being threatened by a friend or family member.
- Extreme changes in the dog’s normal environment, like Christmas decorations, flashing lights, piles of packages heaped under a scary tree that should be outdoors, not covered in blinking lights in the living room.
-
- Unruly kids. Parents, please teach your children to treat animals with kindness and respect. If you take your child to someone’s house, don’t let them run wild, especially if your host has animals. During a social gathering at our house, I heard Pearl barking hysterically in the dining room and rushed in to see a visitor’s ten-year-old kid leaping back and forth over our old dog Jed, who was stretched out on the floor. Jed was oblivious, but Pearl was standing over Jed’s head, desperately trying to protect him from being jumped on. The kid’s parents were sitting right there, completely ignoring his bad behavior.
Pearl didn’t bite him, but I sure wanted to. I chastised the kid, then took him aside and gave him the talking-to his parents should’ve. As a host, I have the right and obligation to ensure the safety of my animals and guests. It’s a parent’s responsibility to supervise their children. Failing that, it’s the responsibility of an animal’s human to protect their pet from potential harm. Animals should not have to fear for their safety in their own home.
- Lack of supervision. On the flip side of the coin, if you know your dog has a problem with certain types of people or situations, it’s your job to protect and control your dog. If they’re afraid of people wearing sunglasses and hats, ask your friends not to wear these when they meet your dog. And for the love of Pete, please keep your dog on a leash whenever you take them out into the world.
When that dog tried to attack Jed while we were on a walk, his human was fifty yards behind him and around a corner, too far away to see what was happening, let alone be of any help. She heard me yell “No,” and she yelled back, “It’s okay, he won’t bite.”
But she didn’t know her dog well as she thought she did. He may not have bitten a human on purpose, but he’d have eviscerated another dog without hesitating. We turned around and went back the way we’d come as fast as we could go, and she never got close enough to see us or to understand the potentially dangerous situation she’d created by trusting her dog off-leash.
- Human stupidity. Bad dogs aren’t born, they’re created by the unfortunate—and often unintentional—actions of people who just don’t know any better. No matter what verbal reassurance a human gives you that their dog won’t bite, don’t just take their word for it. You’re in charge of your own safety and that of your loved ones. Take that responsibility seriously.
Help yourself and those you care about avoid the trauma and drama of dog bites. Just like people, dogs are a product of their upbringing, and right action by mindful and compassionate people can make all the difference.
Thanks so much for reading this article and sharing with anyone you know who might find it helpful, especially during the holidays when many dogs will be struggling to make sense of the changes in their world. If you know anyone who has a puppy, dog, or child, this information may one day save their lives. We all need to work together to ensure the safety and security of those we love. If you’d like to read more articles like this or learn about animal communication, please visit www.babettedejongh.com and sign up for my newsletter. Hear Them Speak, my book about animal communication is available on Amazon.com. Click here to order your copy.
