How to Love on Animals, but Protect from Bites

How often do we look at animals with their owners or within a rescue and just want to run up to either pet or hug them? When our family decided to adopt a dog for the first time, this was my first instinct. I wasn’t thinking about the environment the animal was in, any history they had, or how they could be nervous and afraid of me or a member of my family. Looking back, these things should have been in the forefront of my mind— not only for myself and my family’s wellbeing, but also for the animals.  

While dogs love to be pet and have the attention on them most of the time, there are situations when we need to take a step back and leave them alone. Animals tend to protect things they consider of value, like toys, food, or their owners. Take into consideration that, should an animal be sick or injured, they have more of an urgency to protect themselves as they may want to be left alone or are in pain.  

Animals usually display a range of behaviors before they would bite someone, such as growling, snarling, barking, holding their tails high or tucked underneath them, raised hackles, or exposing teeth. When this happens, the animal will then resort to growling, snapping, and biting to have the threat stop approaching or have them move away.  

Using knowledge and training to understand the proper way to approach an animal can help prevent bites. In a sense, animals are a lot like people. The best way to think about it is by considering the things you like, the things that you don’t like, what annoys you, and how your past experiences have made you who you are today. Now think about the animal and put yourself in their “paws”. They are individuals with their own past experiences, likes and dislikes, and react accordingly.  

An important way to keep yourselves and the animals safe is to understand an animal’s body language. Avoid placing the animal in an uncomfortable situation and try to train and socialize your animal so they feel comfortable in their environment or out in the community. Even with the training process, it could take time to get them to a point of consistent good behavior. Using tools like muzzles can add an extra level of protection while they work on their behavioral skills. Other tools that can be used include leashes, leather gloves, and catch poles, depending on the situation. These are all used to not only protect yourself, but the animal as well.  

One more thing to consider is that sometimes we all need a space to decompress and spend some time alone. Animals are no exception to this. Whether it be in a shelter setting or a busy home, the noise of children, adults, and just active working or running around can cause an animal to become stressed or anxious. A room dedicated to just them could do wonders to help them relax and help them get back to the happy animal we know they can be.  

Introducing kids to an animal can be difficult as children don’t see the dangers involved. Should you have children of your own or have young family members, it’s a wise to consider teaching them some basic rules before meeting any animal— especially if it’s not their own.  

When bringing an animal home for the first time, it is important to never leave any children alone with the animal. Both the child(ren) and the animal are learning to acclimate to the changes in environment, and this can be over stimulating for both. Children are learning to care for the animal and may not always make the best choices. It is extremely important for an adult to always be present to help correct the child and animal and to deescalate a situation if need be.  

Always ask permission from the owner/caregiver before approaching any animal. Not all owners will allow for their animal to be approached, and children need to understand that it is not OK to keep approaching when told no.  

There are three main times when you should never disturb an animal: 

• When they are sleeping 

• When they are eating 

• When they have toys/treats 

When an animal is asleep, their guard is down; however, when they are startled, their guard goes up, and they will protect themselves from any perceived threat. Never approach from behind or try and hug an animal while sleeping.   

During mealtimes, animals can get very territorial over their food. It is important to never grab their bowl away while they are eating. Wait until they have walked away before picking up the bowl to get washed.  

Toys/treats can be used to help train and stimulate an animal, however this is another territorial situation. Some animals can be more territorial than others. Be aware that you should never reach for a toy/treat that is being hovered over or is in the animal’s mouth.  

With or without children, the common practices above need to be considered for any interaction with an animal. Your safety is important just as much as the animal involved. By getting educated and trained, your interactions with any animal can be a joyous experience and could lead you to a forever friend/family member.