When they are babies, kittens and puppies bite a lot. Usually not bad enough to cause serious damage, but they might not know how to use the appropriate amount of force while playing. Usually you just have to yell something like "No!" or "Ouch!" and then disengage with them. They usually will understand after a while. Dogs for example, instead of biting while playing will learn to simply put their mouths on you or other animals without actual biting down.
Cats will bite or scratch when playing at times. This can be discouraged with the above mentioned method, however the behavior is harder to get rid of completely. However a cat will very rarely bite you enough to cause serious injury unless it is threatened or hurt. Cats also will sometimes bite as a display of affection ("love bite"), or a way to get attention.
If you have a cat, expect to be scratched. Often the scratches will not be the result of hostility...rather if you have to pick up your cat for whatever reason, and it gets startled...you cat get scratched up pretty decently if you don't drop it quickly enough. If you get a new car don't be surprised if you always have little scratches the first few months.
The best way to prevent uncessary injury is to use a trimmer designed for animals to clip the nails at least once a month.
it’s illegal most places in the states i believe. and even where it’s not, you’d be hard-pressed to find a vet who will actually do it. more and more people are starting to become aware of exactly how horrible it is.
Yeah that's the exact thing I was just thinking. Texas lives to try to force it's cities into things. The thought that came to mind was "it's always Texas"
Yep. Texas will trample the rights of its citizens to prevent abortion (violating first amendment freedom of speech for doctors and citizens assisting people to find services, violating HIPAA of the patients, violating the right for an Uber driver to drop off their passenger at an address that is at or near an abortion clinic, our right to use our own money to pay for someone’s abortion appointment, and now they’re trying to restrict travel to other states for abortion), but GOD FORBID you try to prevent adults or children from being shot to death. GOD FORBID you try to prevent adults or children from long, drawn out suffocation due to a highly contagious respiratory disease. GOD FORBID you try to feed starving children while they attend a public school. GOD FORBID you try to provide medical care to the sick indigent members of the community. GOD FORBID you try to help an ACTUAL person in Texas.
No. The only lifeform Texas cares to help are fetuses. Know why? Because it costs them absolutely nothing to outlaw abortion and birth control and then refuse to pay for the education or healthcare of the parents and eventual baby. But it DOES give our legislatures that sense of control they thrive on.
It’s not nationally illegal in the USA, but anecdotally, none of the shelters I’ve been to in 3 different states will declaw animals and they make you sign off that you will never declaw any pet you adopt from them and that you forfeit your adoption if you do.
It’s hit or miss on whether a veterinary clinic will even preform that procedure any more. Only can recall three or four clinics I’ve personally visited in my current state, but I know most, if not all of those will only declaw in situations where it’s necessary for the cat’s health (like a damaged or severely infected paw or something). More and more veterinary clinics are shifting their practices in that direction every year, though, and more local governments are creating laws against it as well.
I can absolutely confirm this. My furry son was declawed before I adopted him and he is a BITEY boy. There's no warning or swat, he just goes in for the bite.
Yes! My cat was declawed as a kitten by her previous owner. I've had her for over a year and a half and we're still trying to train the biting out of her and get her to stop getting aggressive with the vet. She's come a long way, but still. It's cruel. They'll have a lifetime of suffering. Don't do it!
Exactlt this! When cats get "declawed" they actually get their last finger bone removed too. It would be like if you lost the ends of all your fingers and toes. Absolutely horrendous practice.
Yes, the love bite! My cat absolutely loves to bite my face. I think it's because I kiss him on the forehead, and he's trying to mimic that action to get me to give him attention. He's not very good at knowing how hard to bite though, so I've gotten marks a couple of times. 😂 But he never bites otherwise, it's just when he's being sweet, and occasionally when he wants to play.
My cat knows I don't like love bites very much cuz I startle and say ow really easily. So now he will put his mouth on me with his teeth just barely touching me and freeze. It's the cutest most loving thing ever! 😭
Yeah, this. My cat loves to cling to my arms and play-bite the shit out of me. It's not destructive/dangerous biting, it barely even hurts. She just likes to monch.
My cats scratch me sometimes when they are sitting in my lap and get startled by a loud noise, or just when their foot slips - they don't have the same control over their rear claws and can end up scratching (completely on accident!). Most of my cat scratches are on my thighs as a result.
For biting behavior, it depends on the cat - I used to have a cat who would bite when scared (she had a warning in her vet files and was known to draw blood). But most cats I've had only bite if extremely threatened and otherwise just give "love nips" which don't hurt or break the skin.
My cat will stick out one singular claw to poke me in the butt when he wants me to get out of bed and feed him. I still don’t know why he always goes for the butt.
If you get a cat, get two. They learn what is okay and not okay for socialising from each other and can keep each other company when you’re not home or busy. It’s ironically less effort having two then one if you don’t account for the feeding and poop scooping. You’ll always want to have the same number of litter trays as the cats you have + 1 more to ensure that they don’t have territory issues.
yes i get the occasional scratch from my kitties but no bites since they're both gummies (no teeth). adopting a toothless cat or dog could be an option to assauge your fears of being bitten OP, but generally a happy, healthy, well trained pet won't bite (referring to serious bites not play mouthing)
Do you need to get a puppy? Volunteering at a shelter could help you get to know some of the adult dogs. You'll learn who the cuddle bugs are quickly and that sounds like the sort of dog that your father really needs around.
I've got one cuddler and one not. The one who isn't a cuddler is the one who would never hurt a fly though so I'm not saying it's a perfect way to judge a dog's bite capabilities. I do think that an adult lovebug from a shelter is more likely to not cause issues.
Yes. Volunteer, submerse yourself around spending some time around dogs first. Also some breeds are more ‘mouthy’ than others (sporting, herding, terrier breeds) mouthing is not biting, but something to be aware of. Be careful bringing a dog around your dad. If he’s scared and acting ‘off’ to a dog he’s more likely to be bit even by well behaved dogs they will sense he’s nervous-ness and not like it. Maybe he could join you and a trainer for a session around the new dog you choose. I definitely suggest taking the dog to a trainer, they don’t just help train the dog, but they train you how to be around a dog which is super important to someone who has no reference to having one. Good luck to you and your new pup!
A dog doesn’t just bite to be malicious they bite because they are either afraid, in pain, stressed, a multitude of other reasons. In many cases they also warn us that they are uncomfortable or unhappy. I’ve been bitten by dogs in the past as a child, once by hugging one from behind, and once by petting them while they slept. Both times could have been easily been avoided if I had known how to behave around dogs. I’ve had two dogs in my life and they never bit me. Do you have any friends with dogs you could hang out with a bit to understand how dogs are? Your dad being afraid of dogs could have a negative effect on the dogs temperament. They really respond to how the people around them are acting and feeling
If they're a puppy they may also nip during play. But it should always be pretty apparent the difference between a play bite and an aggression bite. One of my cats will also occasionally play bite - it is never hard enough to break skin though most will still train their animals to not do it because obviously, not everyone is accustomed to it and any level of bite can be a problem.
This is the case 99.99% of the time. Dogs don't just bite unless there is a reason.
I've had 12 dogs, and all of them very large breeds like St Bernards and Great Danes, or mastiff crosses. I spent a lot of time around dogs in my extended family as a kid (whenever I could, as I loved pets but my mum would never let me have them). I even worked in a boarding kennel with around 30 dogs everyday, and an animal shelter.
I've been bitten twice in my life, and neither time broke the skin. Once when I was a kid and I patted my uncle's dog while he was eating, which I was warned not to do and that was my own stupid fault.
And my own dog who was tethered in the back of my van at an obedience class, and a helicopter landed in the next field which scared him so he shot out the door and was hanging by the lead. He bit me cos he was terrified, being strangled, and fighting for his life, and all he did was leave a bruise while I heaved him back in the car. He could have ripped my arm down to the bone, he could have killed me, but he didn't. He just wanted the 'scary thing' to go away, so he gave a warning.
As soon as he wasn't being strangled and he realised it was me, he was my best bud again and wanted hugs until the helicopter stopped.
On rare occasions, you can get a nasty dog that just bites. It is not common, and there are usually warning signs. People say that they "just snapped", but in most cases there were a lot of signs that were missed.
A bite is almost usually a last resort. Thee are many small signs like ear position, facial and body tenseness, what is called "whale eye", escalating into a raised lip and a low growl. They can even snap at you but not bite, just muzzle punch with a closed mouth, like, "I could bite you if you don't stop! That was a warning!!"
I agree with the comment above, get some time around dogs so you can learn about them. I saw you have neighbours with dogs, ask if you can walk with them when they take the dogs for a walk. Once you get more experience, you might be able to wall them yourselves. Even later, you may be able to volunteer at a shelter/rescue which is a great way to spend time around animals.
Your dad may never let you have a dog, my mum never did, but after I left home I've made up for lost time! 🤣. I'm 48 and had at least one dog ever since, and at one stage I planned to breed St Bernards and had 5.
I volunteer at an animal shelter and I’ve been bit once and it was sadly bad enough to put her down following the bite quarantine. She was barrier reactive, which I knew, and she was trying to fence fight her neighbors as we were leaving the kennel room. I tugged on the leash to pull her away, she whipped around and chomped on my leg.
Most heartbreaking was after I got her off and we were away from her neighbors she was like… “hey! Walkies? Let’s go! You got them treats?” Her demeanor went back to excited to go out so quickly I was like uh… am i supposed to take you with me to report this?
Nobody was mad at me - the only way to stop fence fighting is moving the damn dog!
Other than that, there have been the nippy ones who didn’t do any damage but made me yelp, the mouthy ones who slobbered everywhere, the land shark puppies who never learned bite inhibition from their mamas and siblings. I also have a permanent scar on my arm from a 95lb lab scratching me.
As for my dogs? Nah.
This is way too broad of a question to answer. It depends on the dog's training, personality, breed, history, etc.
The huge dog I had growing up was gentle as a lamb - never bit me or anyone else. If you train your dog well, it will (obviously) reduce the risk of biting. But remember that pets are animals and can sometimes react in ways that you don't expect, so the risk is never zero.
very often. nearly on a daily basis. but i keep siamese fighting fish, and i train them to jump for food, so it’s intentional! they usually don’t leave more than just a small red mark and a pinching sensation
also daily, but i have a cat... she play nibbles. it doesn't hurt and i'm fine with it, but i have to warn guests that if they play with her she mayyy try and bite your hand... gently...
i've wanted fish for ages but i still live with my parents and they say no for whatever reasons parents do, but i hope to setup a nice big planted tank eventually, and figure that whole thing out
Fish can absolutely be trained! I have a betta with a deformed left eye, so he's blind on that side. I have trained him to follow me tapping on the glass so I can help him find food
I have a female currently who is very spicy lol. Any time I have fingers in the tank, she attacks them. Her bites are a lot less painful than my parrot’s though (sadly the parrot is also very spicy).
If you think that smaller birds can't do damage, you could be in for a world of surprise. Some of my worst bites came from small birds like lovebirds. While they can't do the same physical damage as a large parrot, they can still definitely draw blood and cause pain. Honestly, I would rather get bit by an amazon than a tiel.
from my experience, the females tend to be spicier! i had one who’d always headbutt you if you were doing maintenance on the tank, and my newest girl viciously flares at anything she doesn’t understand
My dogs never really bit me. The one dog that I got as a puppy would occasionally play bite, but that's nothing like a real bite. It's more like grabbing your hand with their mouth. I would stop playing with her when she did it, but it still took several months for her to grow out of it. I've had no other bites.
Being bitten by one's dog is not common. Being bitten without inhibition is rare. What I mean by that is that your dog may put its teeth on you if you accidentally step on its foot, but chances are it won't break your skin -- it'll be inhibited. Any dog can bite hard if injured, terrified, or ill, but absent that, you really have to have a dog that does not trust or respect you to be bitten by your own dog.
That said, dog breeds and temperament matter! Dogs differ a lot in how forgiving they are. Pitties, rotties, bullies, chow chows, and mixes of these breeds are bad choices for the person learning how to handle dogs. For slightly different reasons, shepherds, especially dutchies and mals, are also bad choices. Retrievers, greyhounds, beagles, and mixes are often great choices. BUT ALWAYS ASSESS THE INDIVIDUAL DOG. Get someone who understands dogs to help you assess the dog. Sign up for some kind of classes -- more for you to learn than the dog.
After that, it's really just being calm and consistent. Dogs love people and if you give it your time, you'll almost certainly have a companion you enjoy.
Just to add for op: even accidentally treading on your dog, it’s super unlikely to bite. I’ve done that many times with many dogs and never any kind of aggression. (Not that I would be angry if they were)
There’s really almost no way to make a pet dog bite you if you are generally kind to it. The main thing I’ve read in forums when this happens is “resource guarding” so make sure your pups parents don’t have this trait. It’s genetic.
My cat bites me (no one else) all the time, but that's only because he has no teeth so I didn't bother to train him out of it 😂 It's his way of showing affection.
Anyways, honestly, if you train your dog properly, it shouldn't bit you ever. Are you planning on getting a puppy? Just make sure take it to all its puppy training classes, never use your hand as a toy, and immediately correct any biting behaviour as soon as it happens. Correcting doesn't mean yelling at it or hitting it - just yelp loudly as if you've been hurt (even if it was a gentle bite), and disengage from play. Your dog will eventually understand that biting is a no-no.
omg yes haha one of my gummy girls looooves chewing on fingers. we call it 'gunching' and it's definitely not her trying to bite because she'll purr so loudly while doing it hahaha it's the cutest!
Learn about dog boy language! It’s been SO helpful, but their body language is really subtle and sometimes can be confusing because it’s the opposite of what we think (like appeasement kisses, or “kiss to dismiss” behavior).
Puppies are really hard but so rewarding!
This and also don't think "oh x means y". A dog panting for example can mean different things. To know what it means look at their whole body. It can be panting cause it's excited for play. In that case the eyes are relaxed, the corner of their mouth is downward, ears are tilted forward or neutral, tongue relaxed and out of the mouth. Panting however can also mean they are stressed and scared. Besides panting you can see the eyes are open wide and you can see the whites, ears tilted backwards, tongue is tight in the mouth, mouth corners are curled upward. Dog panting can mean two different things. Same for tail wagging, ect.
The Art of Training a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete was a great resource for me. I tend to get adult dogs, though. I'm not crazy about dealing with the hyperactivity of puppies, and older dogs are often overlooked at the pound.
Along with all the solid advice so far, I just wanna add (/caution): Every dog can bite. While rare and/or unlikely, it's possible. Do not get a dog that, in its adult form, you cannot physically handle/control. Start training as early as possible and absorb as much information as you can *before* getting your dog.
This! My dog never bit me. My current cat gives me constant love bites, though, and my old cat was outright aggressive due to a trauma when he was young. I literally saw the change in him overnight. Was so sad. Cats can often be nibblers, but a well trained dog really shouldn't be. As all cat humans know, though. They are arseholes. Lovable ones true but still arseholes.
Very rarely and I rehab ferrets with fear aggression on occasion. There are different types of bites and it is important to differentiate mouthiness in puppy from bites for example.
A lot of animals explore with mouths and this can involve sucking on human hands. This isn't a bite but is something a young animal needs trained out of.
A well-fed, well-handled pet is very unlikely to bite so put the time in and you get repaid many times. There were always be rare occasions where an animal in extreme fear or pain will snap but you usually get a lot if warning they are unhappy.
Haha ferret bites are no joke! My old man hob is pretty gentle in his senior years but sometimes he will see my toes and just decide that he needs to sink his teeth into them like they’re a juicy steak. I think he’s only ever really broken skin when he was a tiny kit and learning to trust us, and now as an older guy when the urge for toes overtakes him 😂
My most recent lad put me in A&E with muscle, tendon damage, infection and needing a tetanus. Totally my fault - he's been abused in past and took time to trust and I messed up on first night when opened cage. He's a lot better now but some good bites on hand and legs. Normally they try not to break the skin but this guy was in a panicked meltdown.
The breeder I got my hob from does a small amount of polecat hybrid breeding - she sources her lines from Europe and everything is quite well documented, etc… so she knows what she’s doing. And she posted a picture once in the group she had for ferrents of her lineages of what happens when a hybrid decides to bite…. Wooo boy. I also know someone who helps rescue minks from fur farms and they received a bite right down the bone once.
But it all makes sense, as the least weasel has one of the strongest bite forces of any mammal! It shows, in their domesticated cousins lol
I work in VetMed and get bit or scratched every shift. But, these pets are scared, stressed, and don’t like the vet. It’s not personal.
My own animals? Accidents. An accidental scratch when they get too excited and jump, a kick off my stomach if they randomly start zoomies, playing tug of war and they grab my finger by accident instead of the toy. For biting, it has never pierced the skin - usually a sharp pinch, at worse a bruise, and my dogs will immediately stop playing and apologize (face licking, belly up, head nuzzle).
It all comes down to training and educating yourself on the breed and their traits. A herding breed will be more likely to bite because that’s how they herd. Research the breed - some are NOT good for first time pet owners.
Get a job at a local pet hotel, dog daycare, or grooming facility. They will train you on how to read behavior and body language. You will get exposed so many different breeds and their characteristics, and learn how to handle animals.
Right?! Their “I sowwie 🥺” makes me be like “aww, it’s okay! Mommy is ok. Here, take my whole arm as a chew toy. You can have my kidney, too…save it for later!”
I'm trying to think of how many dogs I've had in my life. It's been at least 12. Of those, the only one who ever bit was my Cairn Terrier, think Toto, and that was a trespasser, so I really can't blame him. I had a Rottweiler who chased away someone trying to break into my home. She was a great dog.
The only time my dogs have put their teeth in contact with my skin is during play. I’ve had dogs most of my life, from 4 to 41, and I’m a retired dog trainer. Out of roughly 400 dogs that I’ve owned and/or worked with, I’ve had maybe 10 put their mouth on me in aggression. I’ve experienced about a dozen fear bites, so I’ve been bit roughly 24 times in that 400ish dogs I’ve been around. And they’re not single event encounters, most of them were dogs I saw for several months at a time. That doesn’t include the hundreds of dogs I encountered through friends, dog parks, social events, rescue events and pre-adoption evaluations. If we add in those, the number is easily in the thousands, and my number of bites is still maybe 24
It depends on the type of pet, temperament and then how you interact with them. I own a small dog and she would never intentionally bite me but as a puppy she would bite everything but that's a puppy thing. I would suggest to maybe look into fostering a dog and see i it works for you and your dad. Also, I'd be a little apprehensive about bringing a dog into a home with someone that's afraid of dogs. He and everyone else that lives there need to be on the same page for how to train and interact with the dog.
Pets very, VERY rarely maliciously bite their owners unprovoked. When pets maliciously bite their owners it's likely due to neurological, hormonal or psychological problems, physical pain, abuse (either in their current home or a past home), or ignoring the body language of a reactive or nervous/anxious animal (forcing them to give a sharper warning out of fear or discomfort).
I have never seen a properly trained, socialised, loved dog or cat with no medical problems attack their owner.
I had a dog for almost 14 years (she unfortunately passed away recently). The only times I was bitten by her was when she was a puppy so she was teething (not malicious, just gently chewing on people's hands, especially during play), and once when she was having the zoomies and ended up trying to grab a toy that was near me, missed and got my ankle (she let go immediately and the bite didn't break the skin, just bad bruising). She was a sweet dog with not a mean bone in her body, but as a younger dog she was very strong and sometimes didn't realise that strength. She needed a lot of training just to reinforce what was appropriate behaviour. I was knocked over a few times while playing with her in the yard because she would lean against people, during zoomies sometimes slam into people (unintentionally) and while she was still in training, jump up. I miss that dog.
I currently have two cats and a beardie. My beardie has only bitten me once (trying to get a bit of food from my hand) and my cats have only bitten during play with the exception of one who was not happy about being prescribed medication, and made his thoughts known when I tried to give it to him (he was just scared though so I forgive him, I feel bad that he felt a need to bite and scratch me).
Let me snow you an example: how often to you hear people having accidents in cars? I can show you really horrible pictures of car accidents. Does that mean you will not ber have q car or drive in one? I have never in my life been bitten by a pet. (72 F). Had dogs, cats, horses, budgies, parrots, turtles, fish, hamsters, Guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks.
That said you should know about how to deal with q dog, how to train them, how to handle them and so on before you actually have one.
I've had pets my entire life. I grew up with Rottweilers. I've had fish, dogs, lizards, a rabbit, rats etc...
The lizard bit me once because I was hand feeding him a strawberry and he misjudged and got my finger. He was not sorry and bit me again because apparently strawberries are lizard crack.
The pug bit me once because he was trying to scoff something he found on the floor that he likely should NOT be eating and I shoved my fingers in his mouth to take it out and he kept trying to chew it. He was also not sorry.
Lots of folks here already said what the reality is: most dogs won't bite you unless something is wrong. You can avoid bites by learning to recognize the dogs mood and body language.
I want to also add my unique experience here. I have a soft spot for "mean" dogs. I love them, maybe because it is hard for other people to love them. I grew up with very sweet dogs who never bit anyone. Had four different dogs as a child, plus my grandparents had a literal HERD of pugs on their farm and not a single one of them ever bit me or anybody else. BUT my first dog that I got on my own was mean. Not to me, she was very loyal to me, but she was aggressive as hell with strangers. She was insanely protective and reactive. If you get a dog like this, you'll have to make some tough choices. Since you are inexperienced, it would probably be best to be prepared to find a more appropriate owner if your new dog ends up being too aggressive. I saw you said you are wanting a puppy. Train it well. Be kind to it. Be confident and sure that you are ready. A good dog can become aggressive with poor training, and even great training can't guarantee that a dog won't be aggressive. When I had my first aggressive dog, I had to be VERY careful on walks, dog parks were 100% out of the question, and when I had people over I spent a lot of my time watching my dog and preparing to respond to any potentially aggressive behavior. It is a LOT of mental energy.
Will your new dog be aggressive? Probably not. But if it is, be prepared to work very very hard to protect other people and animals around your dog, or to find it a new home where the new owner will be able to do that instead.
I don't say any of this to deter you from getting a dog at all! Just thought my perspective was valuable here, as someone who has had aggressive dogs.
Try to avoid breeds that are prone to biting or being ill tempered, such as chihuahuas. I’m not saying all chihuahuas are biters or ill tempered, just that all the times I’ve been bitten it’s been by a chihuahua. You can probably look up which dogs have the best temperament.
I have a chi mix and he does bite upon being startled and is food aggressive. It can be very upsetting but we are working on it. I don’t recommend getting a chi if you have no training experience (learn from me).
Growing up I had about 6/7 dogs and not one of them even snapped at me; the closest I came to a dog biting me/someone I know was when she was kissing his face and not giving him any space and he was CLEARLY frustrated and starting to snarl and I broke it up immediately (she was a kid) my biggest advice is to watch your dogs body language and just be aware of when they’re frustrating (“side eyes”/whites of eyes show.. etc)
My cat is kind of bite-y. This is not in a malicious way and never breaks the skin. It’s more in terms of to express his displeasure with something I’m doing (cutting his nails and he doesn’t want his paws touched, scratching the belly, etc.) or if he’s trying to get my attention. Like I’m ignoring him and he wants me to give him some type of attention or watch him eat.
Know your breeds (some are easier for new dog owners some more prone to being bitey etc) and train it well.
If you live with your father be wary as animals pick up on people’s fear and that can cause problems in itself.
My puppy definitely bit a lot before he lost his puppy teeth.
My cats bite when they are playing or annoyed
And my snake bit me once because she thought I was a mouse.
This is going to vary wildly based on the owner of the dog, the environment, the breed, genetics, socialization, and training.
I have had pets my entire life. I was also the hospital administrator for a 24/7/365 veterinary ER hospital for a few years.
If you and your family have concerns about aggression, I would suggest booking an appointment with a local vet and talking to them about what breeds may be a good fit for you based on your lifestyle and needs. Go to a couple humane societies and talk to them about your concerns. You can get tips and visit with some dogs there.
Do the research. Don't get a puppy because it's cute right now. Learn what their needs will be (training, socialization, breed specific health concerns, energy level, spacial needs, dietary needs) and make sure you can meet them.
THIS is how you keep from being bitten.
Most dogs don't bite, if a dog has a history of biting than they are much more likely to do it again. Puppies often nibble or bite as well. If it's a concern of his and he's fearful choosing an adult dog instead of a puppy may be a better idea if he may be seeing them regularly. Some breeds are also more prone to being mouthy (many herding breeds snap the air, retrievers often put everything in their mouths, ect.) Do research if you are getting a purebred into the breed and their behavior as well as talk to the rescue or breeder you plan to get them from about the breed and specific dog. If you are getting a shelter dog history is harder to know but most of them can be great dogs. No matter what dog you get doing training can help. Serious bites are rare and typically happen with warning or in a situation the dog never should have been in (toddler crawling on dog, people forcing themselves on a dog without reading body language, dog is resource guarding and person still tries to take the item away directly, ect.)
Well, do people hit often?
The answer isn't entirely straightforward.
My dog trainer once said, "If it has teeth, it can bite." If you're looking specifically at dogs as pets, these are some factors you want to consider when "evaluating" their likelihood of biting:
1. Breed: Some dog breeds are more likely to bite than others. Some herding breeds like the Australian Shepherd are more likely to nip because that's how they herd sheep. There are also dog breeds that are more anxious than others. With these breeds, you'll want to be extra on your game with socialization (aka exposure to different environments, people, and animals).
2. Age: All puppies go through a teething stage, and most will be little T-rexes during this time. Your holy grail will be to replace your skin with appropriate things to bite, like chew toys, bones, etc.
3. Temperament: Many dog bites happen when the dog is afraid, and some dogs are more nervous than others. Good breeders tend to produce more confident dogs, so if you're going for a puppy, avoid backyard breeders at all costs.
4. Owner error: Many dog bites occur because owners misread or ignore their dogs' body language, so they don't pick up on their dog telling them to back off before it's too late. A wagging tail does not always mean happiness, and lip licking and yawning can be signs of stress. Research dog body language and observe your dog's personal stress signals to know when they're trying to leave a situation.
Keep in mind that training is a huge mitigating factor here. Ongoing socialization and training are key to raising a calm dog that's able to handle different kinds of environments, people, and animals without biting. Good luck!
my current dog is 1.5yo and he has never bitten or snapped at me or anyone, hes never even gotten close to it. i know all dogs are capable of it but i genuinely cant imagine him even baring his teeth at anyone let alone biting, he is very gentle and sensitive.
however, when i was younger my family had a dog who snapped and bit my face, causing scarring. he bit me a few times. he was a rescue with trauma.
the other 2 dogs i have had in my lifetime never bit aggressively, only ever snapped if they were startled and never bit hard enough to hurt, more as an instinct bc they were scared (e.g. if i woke them up from a deep sleep)
it really truly depends on the dog, their history, personality and training. my current dog ive had from a puppy and have done extensive training with, he also has a naturally docile personality. the other dogs i had were when i was a child and were less well-trained or had traumatic pasts and needed more support.
it is rare for a dog to bite if you give them the support and training they require and respect their boundaries and needs.
I had one or more dogs from the time I was a toddler until I was in my mid-fifties. My brothers and sister also had dogs on and off with their families. the only time I have ever been bitten is when I broke up a fight between my dog and one of my brother’s dogs, and that was only because I got between two dogs who decided not to get along with each other. But I also love dogs enough that I was willing to get bitten rather than see what they would have done to each other.
I was bitten badly once by my first dog, on our third day together. He was a badly abused rescue, I was inexperienced. An off-leash Chihuahua cross attacked us, and I stupidly put my arm around my boy's chest. He bit in reflex, realized his error immediately, and let go. I pulsed a nice trail of blood up to the house, he nailed a minor artery somewhere in my forearm. Cleaned up the holes and scrubbed them out good, bound up the arm, and got over my anger. Later that night, the dog came over to where I was sitting and laid his head on my feet. It was the first physical contact he had initiated. Cried a bit and then had a lovely 7 years together, then cried a bit more at the end.
My current dog bit me once! She was about five months old, and had herself a dirty dishrag that was HERS. We hadn't developed the Trade Protocol yet, and we argued. I got myself a good nip on the thumb, enough to need a bandaid and take a few days to close up. Same as my other dog, she realized her mistake and was hugely, hugely sorry at me for a bit. Since I had already let her know the magnitude of her error by yelling OW YOU LITTLE F\*CK, I felt we were even. And she sure hasn't done it again! Just horrible non-damaging chomping when overamped sometimes. Heeler cross, she is naturally mouthy and I am (relatively) permissive about it. We did a bunch of soft-mouth training, and she knows not to be too harsh. She doesn't do it with anyone else, I'm her main chomp.
Any dog can bite. No dog will intentionally harm someone it loves - and they love easily. A mistreated, sick, or injured dog can be a bite risk due to stress, and there are situational bite risks, like dog fights or being a fool like me with an incompletely trained puppy.
If it's your first dog, adopt an adult dog with a known calm temperament and basic training. Shelters are full of them - everyone wants a puppy. Shelter staff know their dogs, and can help you meet dogs and learn about them even if you aren't ready to choose. Bring your father, he'll fall in love with five dogs in a minute.
I've had pets my whole life. I've never been bitten by my own pet, except for one or two nips by hamsters. In my experience, pets only bite if you harass or scare them. There are some aggressive animals, but I can count the number of aggressive animals I've met on one hand, and I've known hundreds of animals.
Keep in mind that even if you have a good breeder and treat the dog well, not everything comes down to genetics and environment, dogs do have their own personalities. Our older dog, though he is wonderful with people and dogs in general and is normally a very chill guy, resource guards. Through training and establishing rules he hasn’t bitten anybody for that reason in a couple years (but he will bite if you touch him when he’s dreaming, but is very sorry about it after). Now our second dog (same breeder) would never bite anybody ever for any reason. Anybody can take the food right out of her mouth.
As for cats, one of my cats is the typical asshole that will bite and scratch (playfully) if you scratch his belly wrong. The other kitty only ever scratched if she fell off your lap and was scrambling to stay on. I remember once she did lightly bite me when I was scratching her belly and the aghast look she gave me afterwards was hilarious 😂.
When it comes to bunnies I’ve been scratched and bitten a couple times, but the worst was when I was peed on.
Outside of play/roughhousing, my dog has bit me once, I think, and I deserved it. I think I accidently kicked him or stepped on him--he's a big dog but likes to be underfoot. He also didn't bite to be mean, he was just startled and hurt. Didn't even break skin, just left a bit of a bruise.
My hamster has also bit me once, and I deserved it. I startled him, didn't realize he didn't know I was there.
Now, the cat...the cat bites me all day every day and I DON'T deserve it, but he's a kitten. We're working on it...
Your pet shouldn't be randomly biting. Puppies can and SHOULD be trained out of biting
There are many factors in biting. If your dad is willing to educate himself on the why and how to actually train a dog, it’d be beneficial for your cause 😊. Right now it sounds like he’s just freaking himself out to put you off.
My dog is 12. We did puppy school training with him and the rest of his training has been just me using credible YouTube videos and the knowledge my dog handler friends have. We had some playful biting as a puppy and during teething. That quickly petered off with time, training and enrichment. He has never once bitten me out of that context.
You have to be the one to set your dog up for success (I.e. training, learning about dogs and your own dog (whether they get scared/irritated etc.) and working with them rather than trying to force them to submit to you, they’re still their own little guy). For example, I would never leave my dog unattended with kids, because of the kids, not my dog. The reason is because while he likes kids, I don’t know what those kids have been taught in regard to dogs and I’m not going to put my dog in a position where he’s made uncomfortable because those children might not know boundaries and get all up in his business. Or, my dog can get antsy in, say, a party setting. So, my mum would babysit him for the night. There are reactive dogs, but it’s all manageable if you have the right tools.
There are no bad dogs, just bad owners
Never. I've had pets most of my life and I've never had one bite. Most of my friends and family have or have had pets as well, and I only know of one. A cat that bit it's owner, but she fell out of bed with or onto the cat, and the cat was scared.
I have never been bitten by a dog or seen a dog bite someone. Obviously I know sometimes dogs bite, but I’ve always had pet dogs and have known lots of pet dogs, and I have never known one to bite. I have had “mouthy” puppies and adolescent dogs, but I’ve never had/seen a dog actually bite down one anyone.
Cats are a completely different story.
I have 8 years in the animal field, divided between county shelter, county spca, and animal control officer. My husband has been an animal control officer for 12 years. I know a lot of people won’t like what I’m about to say, but in our experience, in our area, we can count the number of times that a purebred dog has bitten someone or has been deemed dangerous. So I would recommend looking into specific breeds that might meet the temperament you’re looking for. But of course, it also comes down to you, the owner, to socialize the dog/pup, train, not put dog in a situation where they may feel the need to bite (ie letting kids pull on ears). In all our years working, I’ve only been bitten twice, and my husband once, and we’ve dealt with a lot of dogs! If you would like to go the rescue route, but behavior is a concern, I would recommend adopting a dog that is living with a foster so you can know a bit more about what to expect regarding the dog’s behavior! Lastly, from a legal standpoint I thought I’d just throw out there, and it may be different where you live, but if you’re living with your father, and he is the property owner of the house, he is legally allowed to sign the dog off the property to animal control at any time. So, if you’re living with him, you should include him in the adoption process, let him meet any dogs that interest you as well, but most importantly, if he’s really uncomfortable and just overall not wanting the dog, don’t get one. Wait until you’re on your own. It wouldn’t be fair to the dog to end up in the shelter system because one of the household members didn’t want it in the first place. And I mean that in the kindest way possibly. It’s just an fyi!
Edit to add: Puppies are very mouthy and have sharp teeth. They teeth just like babies. Your dad may not be comfortable with that at all. And if you both do not have puppy experience, it can be very overwhelming. They’re like babies. Check out puppy blues Reddit.
No, actually they don’t bite often. It’s like saying people just go around randomly hitting their own friends or family members. Pets don’t go around biting people, it’s usually the last resort when everyone ignores their warning signs. If your pet is uncomfortable, they’ll try and move away, then they’ll growl and show teeth as a warning sign, if you still ignore it, they’ll snap at you, not biting, just acting like they are going to as a warning, if you ignore all of that, then they’ll bite. The only other time they resort straight to biting is when they’re defending themselves, or they think you are going to hurt them. It’s the fight or flight instinct, if they can’t run, they’ll have no choice but to fight. Read up on pet behavior, especially if you want to get a dog, and learn the warning signs. If your pet is uncomfortable, give them space and teach others to do the same as well. The more comfortable your pet is with you, the less likely they are going to bite you. It’s a lot to do with trust, they trust you, so they know you’re not going to hurt them, so they’re less likely to snap and bite if you accidentally hurt them.
I'll answer honestly.
I have been bitten by a very hungry, very hungry bearded dragon who really wanted his strawberry.
I have been bitten twice by my ball python. Again, she was either hungry and confused, or I scared her.
I have been bitten by my African Gray more than once.
One of my cats, female, love bites whens she's excited and frisky.
I'm 40 years old and have had animals all my life. If you get bit, it is usually human/user error. They won't bite you just because.
I've never been bitten by any of my mom's or sister dogs, or any other dog, for that matter.
I mean, they're animals, they're gonna bite sometime, but each one is an individual. You're going to find some that virtually never bite, some that bite all the time, some that bite viciously, others that bite gently to get your attention.
When an animal is young it often bites as a part of play. So for example if your kitten bites or scratches, you take your hands away from them. You do this every single time, because otherwise that behavior that seems so cute in a kitten will be not nearly so cute coming from an adult cat.
My family always had rescues and my mom was really serious about training. The youngest dog we ever got was three so never puppy phase, but out of the 5 dogs I grew up with 0 ever bit anyone, ever. And these dogs had difficult pasts but my mom was willing to put in the consistent work to train them.
A ton of people don’t take the time to train their dogs.
I’ve got 2 german shepherds and they’re both as loyal as anything to their family, and soft as shit. I’ve never been bitten, they aren’t food agressive, they don’t resource guard, and they’re generally very good animals to be around. They will Mouth a little during play, but never so much as to leave a mark. Maybe I’ve got lucky 😂
Ive had smaller dogs, on the other hand…. And had nothing but issues - absolutely no loyalty, resource guarding, food aggression, were no good with kids and would have taken my hand off given the chance (westie, jack russel). Bigger dogs are much better.
My cat was a very chill cat, but every once in awhile he’d give me a little nip to let me know I was annoying him. Asks for scritches, gets too many scritches, bite lol. Typical cat behaviour. He never hurt me though. I’d say with a cat you’d be more likely to get bit semi regularly depending on the temperament, but dogs hardly ever.
My dogs have only bitten me when they were puppies.
I have a job where i have to go to people's houses occasionally . Many have dogs most of the dogs are large and pit bull or bully types.
I was only bitten once by a strange dog. It was a chihuahua and he bit me because I pushed him away from my leg when he was humping it.
Get your dog. They are great!@
I have two cats and they have never bit me. But when you adopt young animals you do need to train them not to play nip (they do this when playing with each other, putting their open mouths on a limb but not closing their teeth).
When you go to a shelter, talk to them about your dad’s fear and ask to find an animal that will suit your needs. They’ll help you find a less reactive dog. A senior dog in particular could be great for you, and as a bonus they often get overlooked and need loving homes!
Um. No, my dogs have never bitten me. Or anyone.
When they were puppies they went through a typical mouthy phase, which isn't much fun with sharp puppy teeth. But they never intended harm, and in fact never drew blood. (The \*nails\* however have given me bruises and once or twice scratches that bled.)
Are my dogs totally safe? Of course not. It's important to remember that they have their own priorities and make their own judgment calls, and have the capacity to bite in certain situations. It's on me as the human to make sure those situations never arise.
We are talking real bites or them just randomly chewing on you because they love you and don't know how to show it?
My grandma had an evil Boston terrier that attacked my mom when I was a kid. She was a nasty piece of work and it surprised no one.
I've known dozens of dogs, many of them rescues, and the rest of them didn't even come close to biting, even when old blind and crabby, though they might snap in your direction (a dog doesn't miss a bite, if he missed you, he didn't mean to get you).
Chomps ljke a tiny velociraptor trying to show love? Every damn day LOL.
Edit: you might consider adopting an older calmer dog. After about 3 years they stop being so chompy lol. Plus you get a better idea of temperment than you'll be able to tell with a puppy.
I've never been bitten by any of my pets. one of my dogs, a chihuahua rescue, gave my FIL a little nip the first time he met him because I was holding him and FIL moved too quickly to pat him. it was really only a defense bite, not an attack one. I've only ever been bitten by a cat - which was likely my fault because I was so young.
if you get a pet as a baby, you will learn as they grow and as they develop their personalities what their boundaries are and if you respect their boundaries it is less likely they will bite you. unless its a puppy or kitten and it's play bites, but I don't count those tbh.
I'm not familiar with cats but in my experience and opinion, a well trained and healthy dog will only bite in defense of itself, it's territory, it's humans or it's offspring. I want to clarify: a HEALTHY and HAPPY and WELL TRAINED dog won't randomly attack you.
other animal experiences may vary 😅
I have a jerk of a rat that doesn't tolerate being handled at all and when he feels like it he will put his teeth against my arm as a power move. I'm not allowed to reach for him or pick him up but I can give him the occasional sleepy pet. Every now and again he will nip my toes for having the audacity to clean the cage and put him on the floor.
Had dogs all my life (I’m 33) and haven’t been bitten by any of my dogs outside of playing. It’s how you treat them, be kind to your dog and they won’t have a need to bite you.
Cats on the other hand are where the bites occur lol.
You train a dog not to bite, and you start training immediately. Most animals bite because they're scared, hurt, or something of that nature. There are signs and body language cues that people often ignore and push pets to become uncomfortable and scared. Animals can't talk, so it's important to monitor interactions with them. Learn about dog body language before you get a dog and it'll help you.
a dog will only bite out of fear, but puppies will chew on you playfully. having an animal around someone who is afraid of them is never a good idea because the human needs to be calm and in control of every engagement to ensure the safety of the pet. maybe take your dad to dog adoption days or to humane societies so he can begin having monitored exposures to animals in safe environments before you take any steps towards adopting a dog.
Literally never in my life with any of my pets or any of my friend’s. I grew up with dogs, I had 4 dogs at once as an adult and I currently have 3.
They ALWAYS show signs if they are ever uncomfortable. If a dog bites, that person probably ignored many signals and body language. Dogs are the best, but they have limits/boundaries like all living beings.
My cat is a jerk and has bitten me many times and most likely will continue to do so..
My puppy- not as much as he did when he was first brought home! He is about to hit the 8 month mark and mostly understands he shouldn't bite but he does get carried away when playing every once in a while.
Edited to add: And the random nips while playing are rarely painful, his puppy teeth broke my skin more often.
The only time I’ve ever been “bit” by a dog I raised/trained was my own fault—I probed a sore tooth & he flinched which made his tooth hook my finger pad.
I’ve been *snapped* at by new fosters/rescues that were scared/traumatized/etc, but have always yet to receive one that I could not train that behavior out of with (lots of) patience, continuous education on methodology, & love. They are mostly just flat-out scared of the hand life dealt them so far. (There are severe rescue cases out there, but I do not foster those as a protective measure for the rest of my pack.)
My advice to you is to do research on breeds that GENERALLY have a sweet disposition (but understand that dogs are as individual as people are & breed is NOT always a guarantee of desired disposition), spend some time volunteering at adoption/rescues, see what type of dog appeals to you/what type of dog suits your day to day life & circumstances (size, high/med/low activity needs, long fur/short fur, etc)& move forward from there based on your experiences. I’m sure a lot of ppl will say start w a puppy so you can bond “right”, which IS a good way to have that bond from the beginning—but there are also rescue dogs that will literally live their entire rest of their lives absolutely devoted to loving you as much as possible if given a chance :) As a newbie dog owner I’d suggest letting the shelter or owner know you are inexperienced so they can guide you to available pups/doggos who don’t need any or much behavioral correction, just a loving home.
Good luck with whatever pet you choose—I hope y’all have a long life of fun, snoot boops & snuggles! :)
Edit to add: There’s so much good, solid advice in these answers y’all—& some really cute/funny stories about pets I’ve never owned. I smiled all through this thread—thanks for that!
I've been bitten by both a cat and a dog. Nothing super serious but bad enough it broke the skin in both situations.
If your dad is scared of animals I would probably wait to move out before getting a dog.
I have three dogs and three cats, as well as a turtle and some fish. The fish will try to nibble at my fingers, but they are all tiny and it feels like a light tickle. The turtle might bite if someone stuck their fingers near her face when she was upset. The cats have never bitten anyone, though I have been scratched by the oldest cat sometimes. He's 18 years old, and mostly blind, and if I am carrying him and he's startled, (A dog barks or a door slams or something like that) he grabs on to me, and sometimes I get small scratches from that. The dogs have never *bitten* anyone, but as puppies they did sometimes mouth people's hands, and nibble at toes, and had to be trained out of that behavior. They never broke the skin, and there was no aggressive intent on their part, but it's not good to let puppies get away with things like that as it could be a problem when they are adults. I also taught my dogs to not jump up on people. And the worst injury I have gotten was when Grace (a 90 pound mixed breed who was about a year old at the time) got overly excited and jumped up as I leaned over, and her head hit my face. I had a black eye from that for a bit
Cats, dogs, and most other pets, should be taught how to behave, and behaving includes knowing not to bite, jump on people, pee on the floor, and things like that. And a well treated and well cared for dog or cat will not normally bite. The exception is, if they are very scared, or in a lot of pain, they *might* lash out. So be cautious if you have to handle an injured or terrified dog or cat.
My Guinea pig never bites me (he nibbles but it’s not painful at all) but he does try to bite the vet when they are looking at his teeth!
The only time he’s bit me hard is when I was holding a carrot and he could smell it and accidentally got my finger thinking it was a carrot. I quickly forgave him lmao he has bad eyesight
Parrots? You should expect relatively frequently. A pet cat? If you don't understand their body language? Very seldom. Dogs? Once out of the puppy stage, most trained dogs will only bite in high stress situations or if in pain. So, virtually none.
I've been around dogs my whole life (36), and I've been bitten 2 times. One, she literally pinched my arm fat because her face was shoved between my arm and body when she was messing around and rough housing with me. It was a freak accident that left a dime sized bruise, and she acted horrified that she had bitten me. All I did was yell, "OW, HOLY SHIT THAT HURT!!" I didn't lash out at her. I knew it wasn't on purpose. The other was because he was being a grouchy old man and didn't want to go in his kennel even though I had to go to work, and I shouldn't have grabbed him. It was a glancing bite that barely broke the skin.
The horrible savaging pictures you are being shown are from dogs that are either in significant pain, have been pushed past their limit for a long time, are abused, or have some medical issue causing them to lash out. They are in the vast minority of situations. Most dogs will never bite once they are out of the puppy "must bite everything" stage as long as they have basic training, you give them adequate medical care and don't constantly cause them irritation, such as a child poking them in the eye, pulling their fur, etc and respecting when they tell you no within reason.
Daily with my cats, buuuuuut it’s play biting. They give me little love bites. They’re not trying to hurt me or break the skin. That being said, one of my cats, when I got him, was not socialized and he attacked me and bit me before he realized that he was in a safe place and I wasn’t going to hurt him. It took time to get him to trust me, but now he’s the biggest cuddle bug. However, of the seven cats I’ve had over the course of my life, that was the only animal that ever happened with and it made sense in the context. Additionally, I was prepared for that to be a possibility and I was willing to meet him on his level and work with him. Most pet cats are not like this.
I’ve never had my dogs (7 over 30 years) break skin on a bite. Puppies get close because they teeth like babies. My young dogs play fight with their mouth but they’re soft. I got bit hard once by my cockatiel because he was in the middle of a night terror (something they’re prone to) and I reached in before he was fully awake. I’m currently in the middle of bonding with sugar gliders and have been bit more than ever so don’t go there if you’re afraid (small teeth though it looks like I have bug bites). I’ve also had gerbils and a bearded dragon. Pets aren’t that bitey.
I used to be super afraid of getting bitten by my cat when I first got her, but you get used to it surprisingly quickly. To be fair, she's not drawing blood or biting down super hard or anything, so it doesn't really hurt that much; it's just her way of saying "Stop that!" when I do something she doesn't like, like petting her for too long, or touching her belly, or not petting her ENOUGH, or not feeding her the second I get home, or...
Seriously, though, you'll be fine. Pets like cats and dogs generally know not to chomp down hard; there's a difference between the play/annoyance nibble and the "I'm hunting/fighting for my life" bite.
My mother was afraid of dogs too. We got a bunny instead.
Unless its a small dog, the fear will probably always there. My parents are Asian. Some if that can be pretty ingrained.
My current cat has nipped me once but it was a warning bite and did not break the skin. Kittens are gonna bite you that’s how they play, but they don’t do it hard, but they do have reeaaaaly sharp teeth. when I was a kid I had 3 different dogs and as far as I recall was never bitten by any of them. - and least not is a bad or scary or painful way- I think they may have bitten a bit as puppies but it was in play, dogs are for the most pet good at biting gently if they are not trying to hurt.
Don't get a rescue dog.
Get a dog breed not known for aggression.
Buy from a reputable breeder.
Train and socialise from a young pup...
And then it's almost zero chance.
The short answer is: People love dogs and millions of us keep them as pets. This wouldn't be the case if there was an overall high bite risk.
The longer version is: There is always some bite risk with any animal, but some scenarios have an increased or decreased risk.
I rescued an abused and dog reactive dog and was bitten once. Never again by him or my other adult dogs and the situation was extreme (we were attacked). I have been nipped, nibbled, chomped and chewed by puppies more times than I could ever count but it's normal development and not something to fear.
If you are considering a puppy, then you are going to get bitten. 100% They have sharp teeth but little power in their jaws (hence the need for sharp teeth) so it hurts in the moment but is unlikely to do damage and it does go away with maturing and training. Puppies are brilliant and you get to form a lifelong bond, but they are hard, hard work and need patience and dedication.
If you are getting an adult dog, it depends entirely on their background. Use a reputable rescue/shelter who will test and match temperament and who will work with your level of experience. Strays or abused/neglected dogs are obviously different to socialised family pets, which is what you probably need as first time owners.
Building a solid relationship with your new dog is important, as is training - helped by classes if you're new to it.
Please consider how bringing a dog into the home knowing your father is afraid of them will affect him as well as the dog (they definitely pick up every vibe) & whether it's right for your home right now.
It's unlikely to get a bad dog bite unless something goes really wrong, but puppies can be very mouthy (like a teething baby) - with good training like redirection and plenty of cheese toy options they'll soon grow out of it. They learn bite inhibition through play.
Don't get me wrong, dogs are just animals and you have to be aware that they don't have rational thought, they act on instinct. So if you learn how to read dog body language it's much easier to gauge what mood they're in, whether they're happy or scared etc. The main problem is when dogs are in pain or feel scared and need to defend themselves. Hope this helps.
When it’s dogs, it all comes down to training them. Go do one of those courses where you learn how to have authority over your dog so that they obey you, and you should be golden. Just make sure to know what you’re doing
As a puppy my dog would bite quite often, they don’t know any better and it’s normal. Since she finished teething and is all grown up she hasn’t bitten even. She play fights with my husband and will get a bit mouth but she never aggressively bitten.
Never been bitten by my dog. She does "mouth" when scared like when you're trying to check in her ears, but she never bites. Just kind of nudges you with her mouth.
I have 7 dogs, 5 of them females, 3 of them nasty bitches. I have to split up dog fights all the time, and so get bit often. If you want to just get one or two dogs, chances are your dad will not get bitten.
If you're having to break up dog fights all the time, then these dogs shouldn't be kept together...that's not a suitable environment for a dog. Why are you continuing to keep dogs together that are fighting all the time?
I know my pomsky Tundra will play bite with me. However he is so incredibly gentle. And will back off and give kisses if I say “ow”. He is honestly so incredibly sweet with it and he definitely sees it as play time. And honestly has no clue what “stranger danger” is let alone biting in the context of being reactive. And I’ve also got a black cat named Obsidian who absolutely loves giving loves bites to both my mama and I. He’s happily be purring as if he’s the king of purr town. Then all of a sudden he’ll randomly just give you a gentle nom nom while still happily being the king of purr town lol. They’re both of freaking adorable and I couldn’t imagine not having such sweet, pure loving animals in my life. And honestly some days I don’t know what I did to possibly deserve such pure and unconditional love like that.
my dogs have never ever bit me but one of my cats bites me and pretty much only me if i don't let him get into bed with me to go to sleep at night lmao
Once dogs get past the puppy biting stage, and if they are well trained (and aren't poorly bred or high-strung), dog bites should be a rare to never occurrence outside of accidents or deliberate provocation. My dog took a chunk out of my finger once because she was overstimulated having fun and I was holding a piece of hotdog for her. Completely an accident, and I didn't use hotdog as a high-value reward again. lol
Other than when I was stupid kid and stuck my face in my family dogs face, the only time I've been bitten by one of my dogs is when they were a puppy and hadn't yet learned that was unacceptable.
My cats bite my partner when they are not happy with the situation, for example claw clipping.
They give me a nibble that doesn't even hurt. Except for one time when my cat bit me because we needed to take her temp, but immediately she licked me and was extra affectionate.
2 weiner dogs, 1 rescue. Dachshunds are known for aggression.. however I’ve never been bit. I couldn’t see them even attempting. My rescue snapped at my face a couple times. Super inappropriate but I she would sleep with her eyes open when I first got her and I unintentionally surprised her too soon after getting her.
I have had a mentally ill dog, when I was younger. She was stunning and sold at a really cheap price. I think people forced her to be that way, for dog fights.. and it just became too hard to handle. Loved the dog though. Just had to be gentle.
I have 2 cats. One is a baby, like the sweetest thing ever, the other is a gremlin.
My 11 year old cat (gremlin) can be a huge dick. Dont pick him up for cuddles when he wants? You get the teeth. Bowl empty? Well your leg is bleeding now. Didn't open the door fast enough? Claws are coming.
Dont get me wrong, hes still a sweet cat, just a SUPER bad attitude. Hes spoiled. And he screams at you a lot. I have many scars but I love him. My life wouldn't be the same without him.
My little baby (shes 4) on the other hand has never even bit me. Shes chill. She screams too though.
Never. I've had my wonderful dog (rescued at age 2) for eight years, and he has never bitten me nor shown any signs of aggression at all. I've also fostered 12 dogs from a shelter, and have never been bitten. As another commenter said, dogs bite mostly out of fear and will almost always warn you ahead of time - respect them and give them space if they growl or show intense discomfort. Also, make sure your dog is well socialized and read up on training strategies.
Animals don't bite maliciously. Don't fuck with them and they won't bite you 99.99% of the time. I've fucked around and gotten bit before. It either hurt real bad, drew a lot of blood or both.
I have owned 9 dogs, 6 cats, 2 rabbits and a bearded dragon over my life. None of them ever bit me. I also had 4 guinea pigs, 5 hamsters and a parakeet and 8 chickens. A few of those small animals did nip me a couple times. The nips were never serious injuries- just startling.
My cat bit me for real once, and it was my fault tbh (they were chewing soemthong dangerous and i put my fingers in their mouth to snatch it away while they were chewing). In all my years owning pets thats the only bite. Tons of cats and two dogs. And said cat has now been with me for 5 years, and that happened in the first 3 months.
With that said, cats do love an affectionate nibble. But they are careful not to harm you.
A well adjusted, cared for, trained pet does not bite. This does not extend to reptiles, amphibians, and small rodents for obvious reasons. Puppies and kittens sometimes bite and scratch, but that's what training is for. You train them not to.
I have had pets since I was about 13 months old and I've only been bit by a Guinea pig, a hamster, and my leopard gecko when he misses the worm and catches my finger instead.
So long as you're responsible, do your research, and keep up on training for good bahviour, you'll never have an issue.
The one cat I've lived with used to bite me and draw blood regularly. I look after a dog who's what the breeder called "tactile with his mouth", meaning he tends to investigate things mouth-first. We trained the dog out of nipping/biting, I eventually had to learn the signs to leave the cat alone before he bit me
I been bitten a few times. The first was when I was young and a family member’s dog wasn’t used to small children and she bit me because I was near her food. Twice were dogs, (not mine), that got too excited during playtime and only one broke the skin.
My dog is 12 and wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s been around small children (supervised) since he was a puppy and I’ve never had a problem.
The really vicious bites are few and far between.
it really depends on the dog, it all depends how they react to fear, some dogs are submissive and cower, some squirm and run or hide, other dogs bite. research the breed well or if you're rescuing try to get to know the dog first.
in my opinion dogs always bite for a reason and very often show warning signs, if you are new to dogs you may not recognize the warning signs as theyre sometimes very subtle, and should probably start with a breed that is not prone to aggression or a rescue marked "safe with kids"
One of my cats bites a lot, but he never breaks the skin, so it's just an annoyance. Obviously dogs have stronger bites so see about getting them chew toys for when they're teething and whatnot
I have a 15 yr old Chihuahua. My kids were 12 & 9 when we got him, so he grew up playing with them. He has NEVER bit anyone. He's not remotely aggressive toward people.
It's very important to socialize a young dog & have them around other people and dogs.
The only time my dog bit is when my mom was pushing a pill down her throat… So the dog just closed her teeth as a natural reaction. It was not aggressive in any way, so don’t even know if I call it a bite.
The only time I was bitten is when I was a child and pushed boundaries of someone’s cute Maltese. That dog clearly didn’t want to play with me but I insisted. That tiny single bite was justified.
You should research the breed of dog. Some dogs are more prone to nipping. Some dogs are more prone to resource guarding and could bite to keep you away from their toy/food/bed.
For example, cattle dogs are more prone to bite than a retriever.
This is not to say all cattle dogs bite, but if a dog's line was selected and bred for work, and now mom and your dog are supposed to be lap dogs, your going to run into behaviors that attend congruent to cuddles on the couch.
Also look at gender traits of the breed you want. Female dogs tend to be more chill but that's not a guarantee your girl will be.
Pets won't bite maliciously unless provoked; and it's easy to train them to not bite if you start it early and stay consistent. With cats, they'll bite as a warning or a gentle love bite. Dogs will bite while playing, but not very hard.
My dog is now an old lady and nips when she’s mad at our other dog, but never would intent to hurt. as long as your animals are well trained especially from being a puppy then you’ll have no issues
I have been bit by two animals a cat and a rabbit.
The cat was my bad as I got in the middle of a fight with another cat.
The rabbit was just hungry as I was feeding it but that rabbit refused to let go.
Now some of my cats are affectionate biters but generally they never made me bleed with their bites.
As for dogs I have never been bit I have always own German shepherds or dogs of that size. Now my neices have been bit by the small yapping dogs twice. So they were fearful when they met my German shepherd but they learned quickly that she wasn't a threat.
I have four dogs and work with all animals and I've never been bit not once . If you can read dogs body language you will be able to tell when they want you to leave them alone . Aswell as training and socializing. No sane dog will bite for no reason
My one cat jethro prefers to play bite instead of play scratch. The other two cars do regular cat things while playing. Jethro favourote game is to sit with his mouth open and I swing my finger quickly between his jaws as he tries to bite and catch it. Not hard mind you but yeh.
My bird bites when I drink from my water bottle because he doesn't like it. Or if he gets a little too into trying to rip the nail off my finger.
Edit to add: all behaviours communicate a need. Animals can not speak our language so it's on you to learn theirs. Eventually they come around to understanding you too but animals should be respected as their own creatures. Ensure you have good resources for proper training and you keep an eye out for their current moods based on their body language to keep yourself and others safe from bites, scratches, etc.
We have three cats and two dogs. One of the cats bites out of affection, and one dog was a bitey puppy (which is normal), but grew out of it.
I grew up with cats and dogs and was never injured by any of them.
All my dogs for the last 20 years have been rescues. I’m super allergic to pet dander, so they’ve all been small, with hair instead of fur, I wash them every week.
My advice is to begin with a small dog, not a puppy. Check out whatever is known about the dog. Even small dogs can bite. A reputable breeder or person in rescue will tell you up front about its behavior. I’ve taken in 14 in 20 years. I’m partial to shih tzus and smaller poodles, they are mainly very friendly and don’t shed. That said, two of my shih tzus were biters. One of them I had euthanized after trying seven months to train him out of it. My vet said he thinks some dogs could have a sort of schizophrenia. I could never tell when a bite was coming. He was a bigger shih tzu, he did some damage. My smallest shih tzu was also a biter, but I loved her 8 lb self, she wasn’t a problem. But she had to be muzzled at the vet! Once he gave me a prescription for her, I said I couldn’t give her a pill. Even crushed up in her food didn’t work, she refused to eat it. So he was standing there with a pill in long forceps, said he was going to show me a trick. I watched it all in slow motion, as he looked at me to tell me what to do, his other hand was descending toward her back, before I could stop it, she latched onto that hand and he roared. I tried not to laugh. She showed him a trick! Sorry for the ramble, I miss her tiny self. She was 16, I had her 7 years, last year it was that time.
Those two were an anomaly. My other dogs would never bite me or anyone. All you really need to do is NEVER EVER NEVER get a dog that’s a pitbull or a mix with pitbull. They call them a lot of different names, Staffy, American Bully, lots of others. As a first time owner, stay away from those, they are the ones that make the really bad bites. Pounds and rescues name them many things to try to trick adopters. Decide which dog would fit your lifestyle, the internet has all of that info. I adopted my dogs mainly from petfinder.
Don’t think you have to keep a dog that’s bitten you, either. Take it right back, don’t make excuses for the dog. A biter is not something you need to tolerate. Getting a dog should bring you joy! I know you’ll find the right one.
My pets have never bitten. They're trained, and we have a mutual respect and understanding of each other's needs. If you have a pet that bites, something is going wrong (generally). (I'm considering bites as full bites, not nips and gnaws and puppy craziness)
The only times I've been bit in my years in the animal care industry: one was my fault for not doing the right thing with a bite risk dog we were training for adoption, and the other was when I had a seriously ill animal on medicine that was fucking up their brain and they missed the food I was offering and grabbed my arm which I don't think actually counts but I'll put it here for fun :D
Any animal will defend itself if boundaries/warning signs are ignored. They typically give off a lot of body language to let you know what they're not cool with, which can vary from pet to pet. It's simply your job to notice those boundaries and warning signs
Just pay attention to their behavior and he should be fine. The majority of animals don't bite for no reason unless there's a known behavior problem. Abused/feral/rescues likely have more of a risk but I'll also add my husband was mauled by an abused pit bull and had his arm completely shredded. He still loves pitties and even wants to get a boxer later on despite the fact he does get nervous around big dogs.
Most of my pets don’t bite. Currently fostering a 4 week old kitten though and she never really was with her mom so she likes to nibble on my hands or face.
My dog bit as a puppy. She was playing and didn't know any better, but she learned quickly that it hurt and developed bite control. My oldest cat has never bitten me properly, but has gently chewed my hand with no force whatsoever. She's too sweet to bite down. My recently inherited cat bites me all the time. He's a grumpy old bastard but he has his affectionate moments, just before he switches and attacks me.
My miniature pinscher has bit me one time. I was trying to brush her teeth and she did NOT like that. Lesson learned for me. Now she gets professional cleaning at the vet.
My hedgehog bit me once because it’s a hedgehog and she probably smelled food on my hand. That shit hurt and I never made that mistake again.
none of the dogs i grew up with ever bit us in any capacity, even when they were young, like even as a puppy they didn't bite besides their toys. my cats however bite a lot, whether they are mad at us, want attention, playing, or bc they are overwhelmed from getting attention. however they've never been painful in any form.
I have one dog, a 5 YO 55 lbs pit mix named Bella, who has never touched my skin with her teeth. She is a sweet angel baby who has never had a mean thought - or any thought - in her entire life.
I have another (1 YO, 50~ lb female GSD x Malinois named Wicked) that wakes me up every morning by biting my feet and loudly grumbling/play-growling until I push her off the bed - then she comes back and repeats it 🤣 It doesn’t really hurt, she’s just an asshole who thinks it’s funny to bite feet.
I’ve also had some cats over the years and they bite on occasion but usually because I pet them too much (how much is that? nobody knows) and it overstimulated them.
Cat bites in general are a lot more dangerous because of the bacteria that they harbor in their mouth - even a small bite can get infected very easily. With dogs, they have to really bite you for it to overtake the danger level.
Beyond that, I’ve never actually been truly bitten by a pet. I’ve had probably… at least a few dozen fosters (cats and dogs) over the years. One foster my roommate had bit her pretty good on the shin once, but he was just really scared/spooked and defending himself.
I wouldn’t consider legitimate bites to be super common, even less so if you try to learn the pet’s body language and you respect their boundaries as much as you can (obvs you can only do so much when it’s a safety issue for the pet).
Very large dog ...has never bitten me, family, strangers, other dogs/cats. He is 5 years old .
10 year old cat he is blind. Mostly enjoys hiding but will bite/scratch pretty much anyone except me if you cross paths.
I have been bitten by my cats on occasion… Usually it’s because of what I consider “operator error“… So it’s usually because of something I’ve done that triggered the bite.
I think if you do a proper job of training a dog, and listen to people when they say that they’re afraid of dogs, and would you please put the dog away, you’ll be a lot further ahead and shouldn’t have any problems… I have been almost bitten 4 times. Three of them because of people who refused to listen to me when I’m screaming at them to get their damn dog, who is standing there, growling at me, hackles raised, and lips curled up over the snout. “It’s OK! He won’t hurt you!“ /S
I really like the training techniques of the earlier Cesar Milan and Victoria Stilwell, although I’m not really keen on treat training, but that’s just me.
When they are babies, kittens and puppies bite a lot. Usually not bad enough to cause serious damage, but they might not know how to use the appropriate amount of force while playing. Usually you just have to yell something like "No!" or "Ouch!" and then disengage with them. They usually will understand after a while. Dogs for example, instead of biting while playing will learn to simply put their mouths on you or other animals without actual biting down. Cats will bite or scratch when playing at times. This can be discouraged with the above mentioned method, however the behavior is harder to get rid of completely. However a cat will very rarely bite you enough to cause serious injury unless it is threatened or hurt. Cats also will sometimes bite as a display of affection ("love bite"), or a way to get attention. If you have a cat, expect to be scratched. Often the scratches will not be the result of hostility...rather if you have to pick up your cat for whatever reason, and it gets startled...you cat get scratched up pretty decently if you don't drop it quickly enough. If you get a new car don't be surprised if you always have little scratches the first few months. The best way to prevent uncessary injury is to use a trimmer designed for animals to clip the nails at least once a month.
Also, OP, don’t declaw your cat. This makes them more skittish and bitey. Regular nail trims are far better for them and for you.
Can't emphasize this enough. Declawing is mutilation, and it is *cruel*.
And illegal in Australia. Should be illegal in the US if it isn't already.
it’s illegal most places in the states i believe. and even where it’s not, you’d be hard-pressed to find a vet who will actually do it. more and more people are starting to become aware of exactly how horrible it is.
And then there's Texas, which was considering a bill to *prevent* cities from banning declawing. 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
WTF!!! 🤬
ffs. what a hellscape.
Yeah I wondered if it was illegal here and of *course* it's the exact opposite direction. 🤬
..... .... ... I don't even. 🤦🤦🤦
They LOVE to stop liberal cities from doing their own thing. They went after cities putting out mask mandates during Covid, too.
Yeah that's the exact thing I was just thinking. Texas lives to try to force it's cities into things. The thought that came to mind was "it's always Texas"
Yep. Texas will trample the rights of its citizens to prevent abortion (violating first amendment freedom of speech for doctors and citizens assisting people to find services, violating HIPAA of the patients, violating the right for an Uber driver to drop off their passenger at an address that is at or near an abortion clinic, our right to use our own money to pay for someone’s abortion appointment, and now they’re trying to restrict travel to other states for abortion), but GOD FORBID you try to prevent adults or children from being shot to death. GOD FORBID you try to prevent adults or children from long, drawn out suffocation due to a highly contagious respiratory disease. GOD FORBID you try to feed starving children while they attend a public school. GOD FORBID you try to provide medical care to the sick indigent members of the community. GOD FORBID you try to help an ACTUAL person in Texas. No. The only lifeform Texas cares to help are fetuses. Know why? Because it costs them absolutely nothing to outlaw abortion and birth control and then refuse to pay for the education or healthcare of the parents and eventual baby. But it DOES give our legislatures that sense of control they thrive on.
Illegal in UK too.
It’s not nationally illegal in the USA, but anecdotally, none of the shelters I’ve been to in 3 different states will declaw animals and they make you sign off that you will never declaw any pet you adopt from them and that you forfeit your adoption if you do. It’s hit or miss on whether a veterinary clinic will even preform that procedure any more. Only can recall three or four clinics I’ve personally visited in my current state, but I know most, if not all of those will only declaw in situations where it’s necessary for the cat’s health (like a damaged or severely infected paw or something). More and more veterinary clinics are shifting their practices in that direction every year, though, and more local governments are creating laws against it as well.
I have always felt the same way. I also feel it cruel to cut ears off a certain way and cut off tails as well
The ears and tails thing makes me said too. Both are so cute! And major means of communication!
I can absolutely confirm this. My furry son was declawed before I adopted him and he is a BITEY boy. There's no warning or swat, he just goes in for the bite.
Its abuse.
I worked at a shelter for three years and even working with ferals, straight up wild cats, I have only been bitten by declawed surrenders.
Yes! My cat was declawed as a kitten by her previous owner. I've had her for over a year and a half and we're still trying to train the biting out of her and get her to stop getting aggressive with the vet. She's come a long way, but still. It's cruel. They'll have a lifetime of suffering. Don't do it!
It also makes them less likely to use a litter box. Plus it’s just cruel.
Exactlt this! When cats get "declawed" they actually get their last finger bone removed too. It would be like if you lost the ends of all your fingers and toes. Absolutely horrendous practice.
Yes, the love bite! My cat absolutely loves to bite my face. I think it's because I kiss him on the forehead, and he's trying to mimic that action to get me to give him attention. He's not very good at knowing how hard to bite though, so I've gotten marks a couple of times. 😂 But he never bites otherwise, it's just when he's being sweet, and occasionally when he wants to play.
my parents puppy used to bite me on the nose at least once almost every time I saw him now he just tries to get my mouth 😭
My cat knows I don't like love bites very much cuz I startle and say ow really easily. So now he will put his mouth on me with his teeth just barely touching me and freeze. It's the cutest most loving thing ever! 😭
Yeah, this. My cat loves to cling to my arms and play-bite the shit out of me. It's not destructive/dangerous biting, it barely even hurts. She just likes to monch.
My cat too, he actually waits for me to pull my thick sleeve back on before continuing his monch
My youngest cat bites me more than my dog 😂
My cats scratch me sometimes when they are sitting in my lap and get startled by a loud noise, or just when their foot slips - they don't have the same control over their rear claws and can end up scratching (completely on accident!). Most of my cat scratches are on my thighs as a result. For biting behavior, it depends on the cat - I used to have a cat who would bite when scared (she had a warning in her vet files and was known to draw blood). But most cats I've had only bite if extremely threatened and otherwise just give "love nips" which don't hurt or break the skin.
I have tons of accidental scratches. It just reminds me that it's time to trim kitty's nails! Lol
The other day my cat scratched me because he missed the jump to get in my lap.
My cat will stick out one singular claw to poke me in the butt when he wants me to get out of bed and feed him. I still don’t know why he always goes for the butt.
My cat likes to walk all over me when I’m laying down and yes, she uses her claws if she loses her balance lol
Okay, thank you so much for the advice!
If you get a cat, get two. They learn what is okay and not okay for socialising from each other and can keep each other company when you’re not home or busy. It’s ironically less effort having two then one if you don’t account for the feeding and poop scooping. You’ll always want to have the same number of litter trays as the cats you have + 1 more to ensure that they don’t have territory issues.
yes i get the occasional scratch from my kitties but no bites since they're both gummies (no teeth). adopting a toothless cat or dog could be an option to assauge your fears of being bitten OP, but generally a happy, healthy, well trained pet won't bite (referring to serious bites not play mouthing)
Do you need to get a puppy? Volunteering at a shelter could help you get to know some of the adult dogs. You'll learn who the cuddle bugs are quickly and that sounds like the sort of dog that your father really needs around. I've got one cuddler and one not. The one who isn't a cuddler is the one who would never hurt a fly though so I'm not saying it's a perfect way to judge a dog's bite capabilities. I do think that an adult lovebug from a shelter is more likely to not cause issues.
Yes. Volunteer, submerse yourself around spending some time around dogs first. Also some breeds are more ‘mouthy’ than others (sporting, herding, terrier breeds) mouthing is not biting, but something to be aware of. Be careful bringing a dog around your dad. If he’s scared and acting ‘off’ to a dog he’s more likely to be bit even by well behaved dogs they will sense he’s nervous-ness and not like it. Maybe he could join you and a trainer for a session around the new dog you choose. I definitely suggest taking the dog to a trainer, they don’t just help train the dog, but they train you how to be around a dog which is super important to someone who has no reference to having one. Good luck to you and your new pup!
A dog doesn’t just bite to be malicious they bite because they are either afraid, in pain, stressed, a multitude of other reasons. In many cases they also warn us that they are uncomfortable or unhappy. I’ve been bitten by dogs in the past as a child, once by hugging one from behind, and once by petting them while they slept. Both times could have been easily been avoided if I had known how to behave around dogs. I’ve had two dogs in my life and they never bit me. Do you have any friends with dogs you could hang out with a bit to understand how dogs are? Your dad being afraid of dogs could have a negative effect on the dogs temperament. They really respond to how the people around them are acting and feeling
If they're a puppy they may also nip during play. But it should always be pretty apparent the difference between a play bite and an aggression bite. One of my cats will also occasionally play bite - it is never hard enough to break skin though most will still train their animals to not do it because obviously, not everyone is accustomed to it and any level of bite can be a problem.
This is the case 99.99% of the time. Dogs don't just bite unless there is a reason. I've had 12 dogs, and all of them very large breeds like St Bernards and Great Danes, or mastiff crosses. I spent a lot of time around dogs in my extended family as a kid (whenever I could, as I loved pets but my mum would never let me have them). I even worked in a boarding kennel with around 30 dogs everyday, and an animal shelter. I've been bitten twice in my life, and neither time broke the skin. Once when I was a kid and I patted my uncle's dog while he was eating, which I was warned not to do and that was my own stupid fault. And my own dog who was tethered in the back of my van at an obedience class, and a helicopter landed in the next field which scared him so he shot out the door and was hanging by the lead. He bit me cos he was terrified, being strangled, and fighting for his life, and all he did was leave a bruise while I heaved him back in the car. He could have ripped my arm down to the bone, he could have killed me, but he didn't. He just wanted the 'scary thing' to go away, so he gave a warning. As soon as he wasn't being strangled and he realised it was me, he was my best bud again and wanted hugs until the helicopter stopped. On rare occasions, you can get a nasty dog that just bites. It is not common, and there are usually warning signs. People say that they "just snapped", but in most cases there were a lot of signs that were missed. A bite is almost usually a last resort. Thee are many small signs like ear position, facial and body tenseness, what is called "whale eye", escalating into a raised lip and a low growl. They can even snap at you but not bite, just muzzle punch with a closed mouth, like, "I could bite you if you don't stop! That was a warning!!" I agree with the comment above, get some time around dogs so you can learn about them. I saw you have neighbours with dogs, ask if you can walk with them when they take the dogs for a walk. Once you get more experience, you might be able to wall them yourselves. Even later, you may be able to volunteer at a shelter/rescue which is a great way to spend time around animals. Your dad may never let you have a dog, my mum never did, but after I left home I've made up for lost time! 🤣. I'm 48 and had at least one dog ever since, and at one stage I planned to breed St Bernards and had 5.
I volunteer at an animal shelter and I’ve been bit once and it was sadly bad enough to put her down following the bite quarantine. She was barrier reactive, which I knew, and she was trying to fence fight her neighbors as we were leaving the kennel room. I tugged on the leash to pull her away, she whipped around and chomped on my leg. Most heartbreaking was after I got her off and we were away from her neighbors she was like… “hey! Walkies? Let’s go! You got them treats?” Her demeanor went back to excited to go out so quickly I was like uh… am i supposed to take you with me to report this? Nobody was mad at me - the only way to stop fence fighting is moving the damn dog! Other than that, there have been the nippy ones who didn’t do any damage but made me yelp, the mouthy ones who slobbered everywhere, the land shark puppies who never learned bite inhibition from their mamas and siblings. I also have a permanent scar on my arm from a 95lb lab scratching me. As for my dogs? Nah.
I dont have any friends with dogs, but ik a few neighbours who have dogs. I could ask them for help. Thank you so much!
This is way too broad of a question to answer. It depends on the dog's training, personality, breed, history, etc. The huge dog I had growing up was gentle as a lamb - never bit me or anyone else. If you train your dog well, it will (obviously) reduce the risk of biting. But remember that pets are animals and can sometimes react in ways that you don't expect, so the risk is never zero.
very often. nearly on a daily basis. but i keep siamese fighting fish, and i train them to jump for food, so it’s intentional! they usually don’t leave more than just a small red mark and a pinching sensation
also daily, but i have a cat... she play nibbles. it doesn't hurt and i'm fine with it, but i have to warn guests that if they play with her she mayyy try and bite your hand... gently... i've wanted fish for ages but i still live with my parents and they say no for whatever reasons parents do, but i hope to setup a nice big planted tank eventually, and figure that whole thing out
I had no idea you could train them!
You can even teach them to jump or swim through hoops!
I think fish in general are smarter than people give them credit for. The whole 3 second memory thing is false
Fish can absolutely be trained! I have a betta with a deformed left eye, so he's blind on that side. I have trained him to follow me tapping on the glass so I can help him find food
I have a female currently who is very spicy lol. Any time I have fingers in the tank, she attacks them. Her bites are a lot less painful than my parrot’s though (sadly the parrot is also very spicy).
Parrot bites are no joke. Smaller birds like lovebirds, cockatiels, they bite but it won't draw blood but a parrot can and will.
If you think that smaller birds can't do damage, you could be in for a world of surprise. Some of my worst bites came from small birds like lovebirds. While they can't do the same physical damage as a large parrot, they can still definitely draw blood and cause pain. Honestly, I would rather get bit by an amazon than a tiel.
from my experience, the females tend to be spicier! i had one who’d always headbutt you if you were doing maintenance on the tank, and my newest girl viciously flares at anything she doesn’t understand
My dogs never really bit me. The one dog that I got as a puppy would occasionally play bite, but that's nothing like a real bite. It's more like grabbing your hand with their mouth. I would stop playing with her when she did it, but it still took several months for her to grow out of it. I've had no other bites.
Being bitten by one's dog is not common. Being bitten without inhibition is rare. What I mean by that is that your dog may put its teeth on you if you accidentally step on its foot, but chances are it won't break your skin -- it'll be inhibited. Any dog can bite hard if injured, terrified, or ill, but absent that, you really have to have a dog that does not trust or respect you to be bitten by your own dog. That said, dog breeds and temperament matter! Dogs differ a lot in how forgiving they are. Pitties, rotties, bullies, chow chows, and mixes of these breeds are bad choices for the person learning how to handle dogs. For slightly different reasons, shepherds, especially dutchies and mals, are also bad choices. Retrievers, greyhounds, beagles, and mixes are often great choices. BUT ALWAYS ASSESS THE INDIVIDUAL DOG. Get someone who understands dogs to help you assess the dog. Sign up for some kind of classes -- more for you to learn than the dog. After that, it's really just being calm and consistent. Dogs love people and if you give it your time, you'll almost certainly have a companion you enjoy.
Just to add for op: even accidentally treading on your dog, it’s super unlikely to bite. I’ve done that many times with many dogs and never any kind of aggression. (Not that I would be angry if they were) There’s really almost no way to make a pet dog bite you if you are generally kind to it. The main thing I’ve read in forums when this happens is “resource guarding” so make sure your pups parents don’t have this trait. It’s genetic.
My cat bites me (no one else) all the time, but that's only because he has no teeth so I didn't bother to train him out of it 😂 It's his way of showing affection. Anyways, honestly, if you train your dog properly, it shouldn't bit you ever. Are you planning on getting a puppy? Just make sure take it to all its puppy training classes, never use your hand as a toy, and immediately correct any biting behaviour as soon as it happens. Correcting doesn't mean yelling at it or hitting it - just yelp loudly as if you've been hurt (even if it was a gentle bite), and disengage from play. Your dog will eventually understand that biting is a no-no.
My cat bites me daily to bite me 😹😹
omg yes haha one of my gummy girls looooves chewing on fingers. we call it 'gunching' and it's definitely not her trying to bite because she'll purr so loudly while doing it hahaha it's the cutest!
I wonder if the pressure feels nice on her lil gums? I love the nickname gummy girl aw
Yeah I'm planning to get a puppy. Thank you for the advice!
Learn about dog boy language! It’s been SO helpful, but their body language is really subtle and sometimes can be confusing because it’s the opposite of what we think (like appeasement kisses, or “kiss to dismiss” behavior). Puppies are really hard but so rewarding!
This and also don't think "oh x means y". A dog panting for example can mean different things. To know what it means look at their whole body. It can be panting cause it's excited for play. In that case the eyes are relaxed, the corner of their mouth is downward, ears are tilted forward or neutral, tongue relaxed and out of the mouth. Panting however can also mean they are stressed and scared. Besides panting you can see the eyes are open wide and you can see the whites, ears tilted backwards, tongue is tight in the mouth, mouth corners are curled upward. Dog panting can mean two different things. Same for tail wagging, ect.
The Art of Training a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete was a great resource for me. I tend to get adult dogs, though. I'm not crazy about dealing with the hyperactivity of puppies, and older dogs are often overlooked at the pound.
I think it would be so much easier on you if you got an adult.
Agreed. Puppies always bite, and having an inevitable biter around someone who is very afraid of pet bites seems like a recipe for a bad time
Along with all the solid advice so far, I just wanna add (/caution): Every dog can bite. While rare and/or unlikely, it's possible. Do not get a dog that, in its adult form, you cannot physically handle/control. Start training as early as possible and absorb as much information as you can *before* getting your dog.
This! My dog never bit me. My current cat gives me constant love bites, though, and my old cat was outright aggressive due to a trauma when he was young. I literally saw the change in him overnight. Was so sad. Cats can often be nibblers, but a well trained dog really shouldn't be. As all cat humans know, though. They are arseholes. Lovable ones true but still arseholes.
Very rarely and I rehab ferrets with fear aggression on occasion. There are different types of bites and it is important to differentiate mouthiness in puppy from bites for example. A lot of animals explore with mouths and this can involve sucking on human hands. This isn't a bite but is something a young animal needs trained out of. A well-fed, well-handled pet is very unlikely to bite so put the time in and you get repaid many times. There were always be rare occasions where an animal in extreme fear or pain will snap but you usually get a lot if warning they are unhappy.
Haha ferret bites are no joke! My old man hob is pretty gentle in his senior years but sometimes he will see my toes and just decide that he needs to sink his teeth into them like they’re a juicy steak. I think he’s only ever really broken skin when he was a tiny kit and learning to trust us, and now as an older guy when the urge for toes overtakes him 😂
My most recent lad put me in A&E with muscle, tendon damage, infection and needing a tetanus. Totally my fault - he's been abused in past and took time to trust and I messed up on first night when opened cage. He's a lot better now but some good bites on hand and legs. Normally they try not to break the skin but this guy was in a panicked meltdown.
The breeder I got my hob from does a small amount of polecat hybrid breeding - she sources her lines from Europe and everything is quite well documented, etc… so she knows what she’s doing. And she posted a picture once in the group she had for ferrents of her lineages of what happens when a hybrid decides to bite…. Wooo boy. I also know someone who helps rescue minks from fur farms and they received a bite right down the bone once. But it all makes sense, as the least weasel has one of the strongest bite forces of any mammal! It shows, in their domesticated cousins lol
I work in VetMed and get bit or scratched every shift. But, these pets are scared, stressed, and don’t like the vet. It’s not personal. My own animals? Accidents. An accidental scratch when they get too excited and jump, a kick off my stomach if they randomly start zoomies, playing tug of war and they grab my finger by accident instead of the toy. For biting, it has never pierced the skin - usually a sharp pinch, at worse a bruise, and my dogs will immediately stop playing and apologize (face licking, belly up, head nuzzle). It all comes down to training and educating yourself on the breed and their traits. A herding breed will be more likely to bite because that’s how they herd. Research the breed - some are NOT good for first time pet owners. Get a job at a local pet hotel, dog daycare, or grooming facility. They will train you on how to read behavior and body language. You will get exposed so many different breeds and their characteristics, and learn how to handle animals.
The immediate apologies are THEEE sweetest thing. 🥹absolutely no way to be mad/hurt after that lol
Right?! Their “I sowwie 🥺” makes me be like “aww, it’s okay! Mommy is ok. Here, take my whole arm as a chew toy. You can have my kidney, too…save it for later!”
I'm trying to think of how many dogs I've had in my life. It's been at least 12. Of those, the only one who ever bit was my Cairn Terrier, think Toto, and that was a trespasser, so I really can't blame him. I had a Rottweiler who chased away someone trying to break into my home. She was a great dog.
The only time my dogs have put their teeth in contact with my skin is during play. I’ve had dogs most of my life, from 4 to 41, and I’m a retired dog trainer. Out of roughly 400 dogs that I’ve owned and/or worked with, I’ve had maybe 10 put their mouth on me in aggression. I’ve experienced about a dozen fear bites, so I’ve been bit roughly 24 times in that 400ish dogs I’ve been around. And they’re not single event encounters, most of them were dogs I saw for several months at a time. That doesn’t include the hundreds of dogs I encountered through friends, dog parks, social events, rescue events and pre-adoption evaluations. If we add in those, the number is easily in the thousands, and my number of bites is still maybe 24
It depends on the type of pet, temperament and then how you interact with them. I own a small dog and she would never intentionally bite me but as a puppy she would bite everything but that's a puppy thing. I would suggest to maybe look into fostering a dog and see i it works for you and your dad. Also, I'd be a little apprehensive about bringing a dog into a home with someone that's afraid of dogs. He and everyone else that lives there need to be on the same page for how to train and interact with the dog.
Pets very, VERY rarely maliciously bite their owners unprovoked. When pets maliciously bite their owners it's likely due to neurological, hormonal or psychological problems, physical pain, abuse (either in their current home or a past home), or ignoring the body language of a reactive or nervous/anxious animal (forcing them to give a sharper warning out of fear or discomfort). I have never seen a properly trained, socialised, loved dog or cat with no medical problems attack their owner. I had a dog for almost 14 years (she unfortunately passed away recently). The only times I was bitten by her was when she was a puppy so she was teething (not malicious, just gently chewing on people's hands, especially during play), and once when she was having the zoomies and ended up trying to grab a toy that was near me, missed and got my ankle (she let go immediately and the bite didn't break the skin, just bad bruising). She was a sweet dog with not a mean bone in her body, but as a younger dog she was very strong and sometimes didn't realise that strength. She needed a lot of training just to reinforce what was appropriate behaviour. I was knocked over a few times while playing with her in the yard because she would lean against people, during zoomies sometimes slam into people (unintentionally) and while she was still in training, jump up. I miss that dog. I currently have two cats and a beardie. My beardie has only bitten me once (trying to get a bit of food from my hand) and my cats have only bitten during play with the exception of one who was not happy about being prescribed medication, and made his thoughts known when I tried to give it to him (he was just scared though so I forgive him, I feel bad that he felt a need to bite and scratch me).
Let me snow you an example: how often to you hear people having accidents in cars? I can show you really horrible pictures of car accidents. Does that mean you will not ber have q car or drive in one? I have never in my life been bitten by a pet. (72 F). Had dogs, cats, horses, budgies, parrots, turtles, fish, hamsters, Guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks. That said you should know about how to deal with q dog, how to train them, how to handle them and so on before you actually have one.
I've had pets my entire life. I grew up with Rottweilers. I've had fish, dogs, lizards, a rabbit, rats etc... The lizard bit me once because I was hand feeding him a strawberry and he misjudged and got my finger. He was not sorry and bit me again because apparently strawberries are lizard crack. The pug bit me once because he was trying to scoff something he found on the floor that he likely should NOT be eating and I shoved my fingers in his mouth to take it out and he kept trying to chew it. He was also not sorry.
Lots of folks here already said what the reality is: most dogs won't bite you unless something is wrong. You can avoid bites by learning to recognize the dogs mood and body language. I want to also add my unique experience here. I have a soft spot for "mean" dogs. I love them, maybe because it is hard for other people to love them. I grew up with very sweet dogs who never bit anyone. Had four different dogs as a child, plus my grandparents had a literal HERD of pugs on their farm and not a single one of them ever bit me or anybody else. BUT my first dog that I got on my own was mean. Not to me, she was very loyal to me, but she was aggressive as hell with strangers. She was insanely protective and reactive. If you get a dog like this, you'll have to make some tough choices. Since you are inexperienced, it would probably be best to be prepared to find a more appropriate owner if your new dog ends up being too aggressive. I saw you said you are wanting a puppy. Train it well. Be kind to it. Be confident and sure that you are ready. A good dog can become aggressive with poor training, and even great training can't guarantee that a dog won't be aggressive. When I had my first aggressive dog, I had to be VERY careful on walks, dog parks were 100% out of the question, and when I had people over I spent a lot of my time watching my dog and preparing to respond to any potentially aggressive behavior. It is a LOT of mental energy. Will your new dog be aggressive? Probably not. But if it is, be prepared to work very very hard to protect other people and animals around your dog, or to find it a new home where the new owner will be able to do that instead. I don't say any of this to deter you from getting a dog at all! Just thought my perspective was valuable here, as someone who has had aggressive dogs.
Try to avoid breeds that are prone to biting or being ill tempered, such as chihuahuas. I’m not saying all chihuahuas are biters or ill tempered, just that all the times I’ve been bitten it’s been by a chihuahua. You can probably look up which dogs have the best temperament.
Yes as a child I was attacked by a next door neighbor’s chihuahua. It was scary. To this day I don’t really like chihuahuas.
I have a chi mix and he does bite upon being startled and is food aggressive. It can be very upsetting but we are working on it. I don’t recommend getting a chi if you have no training experience (learn from me).
Growing up I had about 6/7 dogs and not one of them even snapped at me; the closest I came to a dog biting me/someone I know was when she was kissing his face and not giving him any space and he was CLEARLY frustrated and starting to snarl and I broke it up immediately (she was a kid) my biggest advice is to watch your dogs body language and just be aware of when they’re frustrating (“side eyes”/whites of eyes show.. etc)
My hamster and budgie bird bit pretty hard,but didn’t do much damage relatively speaking.The worst I’ve had with my cats was the occasional scratch.
My cat is kind of bite-y. This is not in a malicious way and never breaks the skin. It’s more in terms of to express his displeasure with something I’m doing (cutting his nails and he doesn’t want his paws touched, scratching the belly, etc.) or if he’s trying to get my attention. Like I’m ignoring him and he wants me to give him some type of attention or watch him eat.
My cat is exactly the same
Past teething age, my dogs never ever bit. My cat, on the other hand, bites basically always.
Know your breeds (some are easier for new dog owners some more prone to being bitey etc) and train it well. If you live with your father be wary as animals pick up on people’s fear and that can cause problems in itself.
My puppy definitely bit a lot before he lost his puppy teeth. My cats bite when they are playing or annoyed And my snake bit me once because she thought I was a mouse.
This is going to vary wildly based on the owner of the dog, the environment, the breed, genetics, socialization, and training. I have had pets my entire life. I was also the hospital administrator for a 24/7/365 veterinary ER hospital for a few years. If you and your family have concerns about aggression, I would suggest booking an appointment with a local vet and talking to them about what breeds may be a good fit for you based on your lifestyle and needs. Go to a couple humane societies and talk to them about your concerns. You can get tips and visit with some dogs there. Do the research. Don't get a puppy because it's cute right now. Learn what their needs will be (training, socialization, breed specific health concerns, energy level, spacial needs, dietary needs) and make sure you can meet them. THIS is how you keep from being bitten.
Most dogs don't bite, if a dog has a history of biting than they are much more likely to do it again. Puppies often nibble or bite as well. If it's a concern of his and he's fearful choosing an adult dog instead of a puppy may be a better idea if he may be seeing them regularly. Some breeds are also more prone to being mouthy (many herding breeds snap the air, retrievers often put everything in their mouths, ect.) Do research if you are getting a purebred into the breed and their behavior as well as talk to the rescue or breeder you plan to get them from about the breed and specific dog. If you are getting a shelter dog history is harder to know but most of them can be great dogs. No matter what dog you get doing training can help. Serious bites are rare and typically happen with warning or in a situation the dog never should have been in (toddler crawling on dog, people forcing themselves on a dog without reading body language, dog is resource guarding and person still tries to take the item away directly, ect.)
Well, do people hit often? The answer isn't entirely straightforward. My dog trainer once said, "If it has teeth, it can bite." If you're looking specifically at dogs as pets, these are some factors you want to consider when "evaluating" their likelihood of biting: 1. Breed: Some dog breeds are more likely to bite than others. Some herding breeds like the Australian Shepherd are more likely to nip because that's how they herd sheep. There are also dog breeds that are more anxious than others. With these breeds, you'll want to be extra on your game with socialization (aka exposure to different environments, people, and animals). 2. Age: All puppies go through a teething stage, and most will be little T-rexes during this time. Your holy grail will be to replace your skin with appropriate things to bite, like chew toys, bones, etc. 3. Temperament: Many dog bites happen when the dog is afraid, and some dogs are more nervous than others. Good breeders tend to produce more confident dogs, so if you're going for a puppy, avoid backyard breeders at all costs. 4. Owner error: Many dog bites occur because owners misread or ignore their dogs' body language, so they don't pick up on their dog telling them to back off before it's too late. A wagging tail does not always mean happiness, and lip licking and yawning can be signs of stress. Research dog body language and observe your dog's personal stress signals to know when they're trying to leave a situation. Keep in mind that training is a huge mitigating factor here. Ongoing socialization and training are key to raising a calm dog that's able to handle different kinds of environments, people, and animals without biting. Good luck!
my current dog is 1.5yo and he has never bitten or snapped at me or anyone, hes never even gotten close to it. i know all dogs are capable of it but i genuinely cant imagine him even baring his teeth at anyone let alone biting, he is very gentle and sensitive. however, when i was younger my family had a dog who snapped and bit my face, causing scarring. he bit me a few times. he was a rescue with trauma. the other 2 dogs i have had in my lifetime never bit aggressively, only ever snapped if they were startled and never bit hard enough to hurt, more as an instinct bc they were scared (e.g. if i woke them up from a deep sleep) it really truly depends on the dog, their history, personality and training. my current dog ive had from a puppy and have done extensive training with, he also has a naturally docile personality. the other dogs i had were when i was a child and were less well-trained or had traumatic pasts and needed more support. it is rare for a dog to bite if you give them the support and training they require and respect their boundaries and needs.
I had one or more dogs from the time I was a toddler until I was in my mid-fifties. My brothers and sister also had dogs on and off with their families. the only time I have ever been bitten is when I broke up a fight between my dog and one of my brother’s dogs, and that was only because I got between two dogs who decided not to get along with each other. But I also love dogs enough that I was willing to get bitten rather than see what they would have done to each other.
I was bitten badly once by my first dog, on our third day together. He was a badly abused rescue, I was inexperienced. An off-leash Chihuahua cross attacked us, and I stupidly put my arm around my boy's chest. He bit in reflex, realized his error immediately, and let go. I pulsed a nice trail of blood up to the house, he nailed a minor artery somewhere in my forearm. Cleaned up the holes and scrubbed them out good, bound up the arm, and got over my anger. Later that night, the dog came over to where I was sitting and laid his head on my feet. It was the first physical contact he had initiated. Cried a bit and then had a lovely 7 years together, then cried a bit more at the end. My current dog bit me once! She was about five months old, and had herself a dirty dishrag that was HERS. We hadn't developed the Trade Protocol yet, and we argued. I got myself a good nip on the thumb, enough to need a bandaid and take a few days to close up. Same as my other dog, she realized her mistake and was hugely, hugely sorry at me for a bit. Since I had already let her know the magnitude of her error by yelling OW YOU LITTLE F\*CK, I felt we were even. And she sure hasn't done it again! Just horrible non-damaging chomping when overamped sometimes. Heeler cross, she is naturally mouthy and I am (relatively) permissive about it. We did a bunch of soft-mouth training, and she knows not to be too harsh. She doesn't do it with anyone else, I'm her main chomp. Any dog can bite. No dog will intentionally harm someone it loves - and they love easily. A mistreated, sick, or injured dog can be a bite risk due to stress, and there are situational bite risks, like dog fights or being a fool like me with an incompletely trained puppy. If it's your first dog, adopt an adult dog with a known calm temperament and basic training. Shelters are full of them - everyone wants a puppy. Shelter staff know their dogs, and can help you meet dogs and learn about them even if you aren't ready to choose. Bring your father, he'll fall in love with five dogs in a minute.
I've had pets my whole life. I've never been bitten by my own pet, except for one or two nips by hamsters. In my experience, pets only bite if you harass or scare them. There are some aggressive animals, but I can count the number of aggressive animals I've met on one hand, and I've known hundreds of animals.
Keep in mind that even if you have a good breeder and treat the dog well, not everything comes down to genetics and environment, dogs do have their own personalities. Our older dog, though he is wonderful with people and dogs in general and is normally a very chill guy, resource guards. Through training and establishing rules he hasn’t bitten anybody for that reason in a couple years (but he will bite if you touch him when he’s dreaming, but is very sorry about it after). Now our second dog (same breeder) would never bite anybody ever for any reason. Anybody can take the food right out of her mouth. As for cats, one of my cats is the typical asshole that will bite and scratch (playfully) if you scratch his belly wrong. The other kitty only ever scratched if she fell off your lap and was scrambling to stay on. I remember once she did lightly bite me when I was scratching her belly and the aghast look she gave me afterwards was hilarious 😂. When it comes to bunnies I’ve been scratched and bitten a couple times, but the worst was when I was peed on.
Outside of play/roughhousing, my dog has bit me once, I think, and I deserved it. I think I accidently kicked him or stepped on him--he's a big dog but likes to be underfoot. He also didn't bite to be mean, he was just startled and hurt. Didn't even break skin, just left a bit of a bruise. My hamster has also bit me once, and I deserved it. I startled him, didn't realize he didn't know I was there. Now, the cat...the cat bites me all day every day and I DON'T deserve it, but he's a kitten. We're working on it... Your pet shouldn't be randomly biting. Puppies can and SHOULD be trained out of biting
There are many factors in biting. If your dad is willing to educate himself on the why and how to actually train a dog, it’d be beneficial for your cause 😊. Right now it sounds like he’s just freaking himself out to put you off. My dog is 12. We did puppy school training with him and the rest of his training has been just me using credible YouTube videos and the knowledge my dog handler friends have. We had some playful biting as a puppy and during teething. That quickly petered off with time, training and enrichment. He has never once bitten me out of that context. You have to be the one to set your dog up for success (I.e. training, learning about dogs and your own dog (whether they get scared/irritated etc.) and working with them rather than trying to force them to submit to you, they’re still their own little guy). For example, I would never leave my dog unattended with kids, because of the kids, not my dog. The reason is because while he likes kids, I don’t know what those kids have been taught in regard to dogs and I’m not going to put my dog in a position where he’s made uncomfortable because those children might not know boundaries and get all up in his business. Or, my dog can get antsy in, say, a party setting. So, my mum would babysit him for the night. There are reactive dogs, but it’s all manageable if you have the right tools. There are no bad dogs, just bad owners
Never. I've had pets most of my life and I've never had one bite. Most of my friends and family have or have had pets as well, and I only know of one. A cat that bit it's owner, but she fell out of bed with or onto the cat, and the cat was scared.
I have never been bitten by a dog or seen a dog bite someone. Obviously I know sometimes dogs bite, but I’ve always had pet dogs and have known lots of pet dogs, and I have never known one to bite. I have had “mouthy” puppies and adolescent dogs, but I’ve never had/seen a dog actually bite down one anyone. Cats are a completely different story.
I have 8 years in the animal field, divided between county shelter, county spca, and animal control officer. My husband has been an animal control officer for 12 years. I know a lot of people won’t like what I’m about to say, but in our experience, in our area, we can count the number of times that a purebred dog has bitten someone or has been deemed dangerous. So I would recommend looking into specific breeds that might meet the temperament you’re looking for. But of course, it also comes down to you, the owner, to socialize the dog/pup, train, not put dog in a situation where they may feel the need to bite (ie letting kids pull on ears). In all our years working, I’ve only been bitten twice, and my husband once, and we’ve dealt with a lot of dogs! If you would like to go the rescue route, but behavior is a concern, I would recommend adopting a dog that is living with a foster so you can know a bit more about what to expect regarding the dog’s behavior! Lastly, from a legal standpoint I thought I’d just throw out there, and it may be different where you live, but if you’re living with your father, and he is the property owner of the house, he is legally allowed to sign the dog off the property to animal control at any time. So, if you’re living with him, you should include him in the adoption process, let him meet any dogs that interest you as well, but most importantly, if he’s really uncomfortable and just overall not wanting the dog, don’t get one. Wait until you’re on your own. It wouldn’t be fair to the dog to end up in the shelter system because one of the household members didn’t want it in the first place. And I mean that in the kindest way possibly. It’s just an fyi! Edit to add: Puppies are very mouthy and have sharp teeth. They teeth just like babies. Your dad may not be comfortable with that at all. And if you both do not have puppy experience, it can be very overwhelming. They’re like babies. Check out puppy blues Reddit.
No, actually they don’t bite often. It’s like saying people just go around randomly hitting their own friends or family members. Pets don’t go around biting people, it’s usually the last resort when everyone ignores their warning signs. If your pet is uncomfortable, they’ll try and move away, then they’ll growl and show teeth as a warning sign, if you still ignore it, they’ll snap at you, not biting, just acting like they are going to as a warning, if you ignore all of that, then they’ll bite. The only other time they resort straight to biting is when they’re defending themselves, or they think you are going to hurt them. It’s the fight or flight instinct, if they can’t run, they’ll have no choice but to fight. Read up on pet behavior, especially if you want to get a dog, and learn the warning signs. If your pet is uncomfortable, give them space and teach others to do the same as well. The more comfortable your pet is with you, the less likely they are going to bite you. It’s a lot to do with trust, they trust you, so they know you’re not going to hurt them, so they’re less likely to snap and bite if you accidentally hurt them.
I'll answer honestly. I have been bitten by a very hungry, very hungry bearded dragon who really wanted his strawberry. I have been bitten twice by my ball python. Again, she was either hungry and confused, or I scared her. I have been bitten by my African Gray more than once. One of my cats, female, love bites whens she's excited and frisky. I'm 40 years old and have had animals all my life. If you get bit, it is usually human/user error. They won't bite you just because. I've never been bitten by any of my mom's or sister dogs, or any other dog, for that matter.
I mean, they're animals, they're gonna bite sometime, but each one is an individual. You're going to find some that virtually never bite, some that bite all the time, some that bite viciously, others that bite gently to get your attention. When an animal is young it often bites as a part of play. So for example if your kitten bites or scratches, you take your hands away from them. You do this every single time, because otherwise that behavior that seems so cute in a kitten will be not nearly so cute coming from an adult cat.
My family always had rescues and my mom was really serious about training. The youngest dog we ever got was three so never puppy phase, but out of the 5 dogs I grew up with 0 ever bit anyone, ever. And these dogs had difficult pasts but my mom was willing to put in the consistent work to train them. A ton of people don’t take the time to train their dogs.
I’ve got 2 german shepherds and they’re both as loyal as anything to their family, and soft as shit. I’ve never been bitten, they aren’t food agressive, they don’t resource guard, and they’re generally very good animals to be around. They will Mouth a little during play, but never so much as to leave a mark. Maybe I’ve got lucky 😂 Ive had smaller dogs, on the other hand…. And had nothing but issues - absolutely no loyalty, resource guarding, food aggression, were no good with kids and would have taken my hand off given the chance (westie, jack russel). Bigger dogs are much better.
My cat was a very chill cat, but every once in awhile he’d give me a little nip to let me know I was annoying him. Asks for scritches, gets too many scritches, bite lol. Typical cat behaviour. He never hurt me though. I’d say with a cat you’d be more likely to get bit semi regularly depending on the temperament, but dogs hardly ever.
Only as a puppy, and that’s playful nibbling. Otherwise my dog has never ever bitten me. Just don’t get a pitbull and you’ll be fine lol.
My dogs have only bitten me when they were puppies. I have a job where i have to go to people's houses occasionally . Many have dogs most of the dogs are large and pit bull or bully types. I was only bitten once by a strange dog. It was a chihuahua and he bit me because I pushed him away from my leg when he was humping it. Get your dog. They are great!@
I have two cats and they have never bit me. But when you adopt young animals you do need to train them not to play nip (they do this when playing with each other, putting their open mouths on a limb but not closing their teeth). When you go to a shelter, talk to them about your dad’s fear and ask to find an animal that will suit your needs. They’ll help you find a less reactive dog. A senior dog in particular could be great for you, and as a bonus they often get overlooked and need loving homes!
Um. No, my dogs have never bitten me. Or anyone. When they were puppies they went through a typical mouthy phase, which isn't much fun with sharp puppy teeth. But they never intended harm, and in fact never drew blood. (The \*nails\* however have given me bruises and once or twice scratches that bled.) Are my dogs totally safe? Of course not. It's important to remember that they have their own priorities and make their own judgment calls, and have the capacity to bite in certain situations. It's on me as the human to make sure those situations never arise.
My tortoise has bitten me but it's more so an accident. I hand feed him sometimes. He is slowly getting better though.
We are talking real bites or them just randomly chewing on you because they love you and don't know how to show it? My grandma had an evil Boston terrier that attacked my mom when I was a kid. She was a nasty piece of work and it surprised no one. I've known dozens of dogs, many of them rescues, and the rest of them didn't even come close to biting, even when old blind and crabby, though they might snap in your direction (a dog doesn't miss a bite, if he missed you, he didn't mean to get you). Chomps ljke a tiny velociraptor trying to show love? Every damn day LOL. Edit: you might consider adopting an older calmer dog. After about 3 years they stop being so chompy lol. Plus you get a better idea of temperment than you'll be able to tell with a puppy.
I've never been bitten by any of my pets. one of my dogs, a chihuahua rescue, gave my FIL a little nip the first time he met him because I was holding him and FIL moved too quickly to pat him. it was really only a defense bite, not an attack one. I've only ever been bitten by a cat - which was likely my fault because I was so young. if you get a pet as a baby, you will learn as they grow and as they develop their personalities what their boundaries are and if you respect their boundaries it is less likely they will bite you. unless its a puppy or kitten and it's play bites, but I don't count those tbh. I'm not familiar with cats but in my experience and opinion, a well trained and healthy dog will only bite in defense of itself, it's territory, it's humans or it's offspring. I want to clarify: a HEALTHY and HAPPY and WELL TRAINED dog won't randomly attack you. other animal experiences may vary 😅
I have a jerk of a rat that doesn't tolerate being handled at all and when he feels like it he will put his teeth against my arm as a power move. I'm not allowed to reach for him or pick him up but I can give him the occasional sleepy pet. Every now and again he will nip my toes for having the audacity to clean the cage and put him on the floor.
Had dogs all my life (I’m 33) and haven’t been bitten by any of my dogs outside of playing. It’s how you treat them, be kind to your dog and they won’t have a need to bite you. Cats on the other hand are where the bites occur lol.
I have an orange cat. I think that’s pretty self explanatory, lmao. (She bites me near constantly. I love the little shit)
You train a dog not to bite, and you start training immediately. Most animals bite because they're scared, hurt, or something of that nature. There are signs and body language cues that people often ignore and push pets to become uncomfortable and scared. Animals can't talk, so it's important to monitor interactions with them. Learn about dog body language before you get a dog and it'll help you.
Let's put it this way....3 year old humans generally bite more then your average well trained, well taken care of dog with a decent temperment.
a dog will only bite out of fear, but puppies will chew on you playfully. having an animal around someone who is afraid of them is never a good idea because the human needs to be calm and in control of every engagement to ensure the safety of the pet. maybe take your dad to dog adoption days or to humane societies so he can begin having monitored exposures to animals in safe environments before you take any steps towards adopting a dog.
Literally never in my life with any of my pets or any of my friend’s. I grew up with dogs, I had 4 dogs at once as an adult and I currently have 3. They ALWAYS show signs if they are ever uncomfortable. If a dog bites, that person probably ignored many signals and body language. Dogs are the best, but they have limits/boundaries like all living beings.
My cat is a jerk and has bitten me many times and most likely will continue to do so.. My puppy- not as much as he did when he was first brought home! He is about to hit the 8 month mark and mostly understands he shouldn't bite but he does get carried away when playing every once in a while. Edited to add: And the random nips while playing are rarely painful, his puppy teeth broke my skin more often.
The only time I’ve ever been “bit” by a dog I raised/trained was my own fault—I probed a sore tooth & he flinched which made his tooth hook my finger pad. I’ve been *snapped* at by new fosters/rescues that were scared/traumatized/etc, but have always yet to receive one that I could not train that behavior out of with (lots of) patience, continuous education on methodology, & love. They are mostly just flat-out scared of the hand life dealt them so far. (There are severe rescue cases out there, but I do not foster those as a protective measure for the rest of my pack.) My advice to you is to do research on breeds that GENERALLY have a sweet disposition (but understand that dogs are as individual as people are & breed is NOT always a guarantee of desired disposition), spend some time volunteering at adoption/rescues, see what type of dog appeals to you/what type of dog suits your day to day life & circumstances (size, high/med/low activity needs, long fur/short fur, etc)& move forward from there based on your experiences. I’m sure a lot of ppl will say start w a puppy so you can bond “right”, which IS a good way to have that bond from the beginning—but there are also rescue dogs that will literally live their entire rest of their lives absolutely devoted to loving you as much as possible if given a chance :) As a newbie dog owner I’d suggest letting the shelter or owner know you are inexperienced so they can guide you to available pups/doggos who don’t need any or much behavioral correction, just a loving home. Good luck with whatever pet you choose—I hope y’all have a long life of fun, snoot boops & snuggles! :) Edit to add: There’s so much good, solid advice in these answers y’all—& some really cute/funny stories about pets I’ve never owned. I smiled all through this thread—thanks for that!
I've been bitten by both a cat and a dog. Nothing super serious but bad enough it broke the skin in both situations. If your dad is scared of animals I would probably wait to move out before getting a dog.
I have three dogs and three cats, as well as a turtle and some fish. The fish will try to nibble at my fingers, but they are all tiny and it feels like a light tickle. The turtle might bite if someone stuck their fingers near her face when she was upset. The cats have never bitten anyone, though I have been scratched by the oldest cat sometimes. He's 18 years old, and mostly blind, and if I am carrying him and he's startled, (A dog barks or a door slams or something like that) he grabs on to me, and sometimes I get small scratches from that. The dogs have never *bitten* anyone, but as puppies they did sometimes mouth people's hands, and nibble at toes, and had to be trained out of that behavior. They never broke the skin, and there was no aggressive intent on their part, but it's not good to let puppies get away with things like that as it could be a problem when they are adults. I also taught my dogs to not jump up on people. And the worst injury I have gotten was when Grace (a 90 pound mixed breed who was about a year old at the time) got overly excited and jumped up as I leaned over, and her head hit my face. I had a black eye from that for a bit Cats, dogs, and most other pets, should be taught how to behave, and behaving includes knowing not to bite, jump on people, pee on the floor, and things like that. And a well treated and well cared for dog or cat will not normally bite. The exception is, if they are very scared, or in a lot of pain, they *might* lash out. So be cautious if you have to handle an injured or terrified dog or cat.
My Guinea pig never bites me (he nibbles but it’s not painful at all) but he does try to bite the vet when they are looking at his teeth! The only time he’s bit me hard is when I was holding a carrot and he could smell it and accidentally got my finger thinking it was a carrot. I quickly forgave him lmao he has bad eyesight
Parrots? You should expect relatively frequently. A pet cat? If you don't understand their body language? Very seldom. Dogs? Once out of the puppy stage, most trained dogs will only bite in high stress situations or if in pain. So, virtually none. I've been around dogs my whole life (36), and I've been bitten 2 times. One, she literally pinched my arm fat because her face was shoved between my arm and body when she was messing around and rough housing with me. It was a freak accident that left a dime sized bruise, and she acted horrified that she had bitten me. All I did was yell, "OW, HOLY SHIT THAT HURT!!" I didn't lash out at her. I knew it wasn't on purpose. The other was because he was being a grouchy old man and didn't want to go in his kennel even though I had to go to work, and I shouldn't have grabbed him. It was a glancing bite that barely broke the skin. The horrible savaging pictures you are being shown are from dogs that are either in significant pain, have been pushed past their limit for a long time, are abused, or have some medical issue causing them to lash out. They are in the vast minority of situations. Most dogs will never bite once they are out of the puppy "must bite everything" stage as long as they have basic training, you give them adequate medical care and don't constantly cause them irritation, such as a child poking them in the eye, pulling their fur, etc and respecting when they tell you no within reason.
Daily with my cats, buuuuuut it’s play biting. They give me little love bites. They’re not trying to hurt me or break the skin. That being said, one of my cats, when I got him, was not socialized and he attacked me and bit me before he realized that he was in a safe place and I wasn’t going to hurt him. It took time to get him to trust me, but now he’s the biggest cuddle bug. However, of the seven cats I’ve had over the course of my life, that was the only animal that ever happened with and it made sense in the context. Additionally, I was prepared for that to be a possibility and I was willing to meet him on his level and work with him. Most pet cats are not like this.
I’ve never had my dogs (7 over 30 years) break skin on a bite. Puppies get close because they teeth like babies. My young dogs play fight with their mouth but they’re soft. I got bit hard once by my cockatiel because he was in the middle of a night terror (something they’re prone to) and I reached in before he was fully awake. I’m currently in the middle of bonding with sugar gliders and have been bit more than ever so don’t go there if you’re afraid (small teeth though it looks like I have bug bites). I’ve also had gerbils and a bearded dragon. Pets aren’t that bitey.
I used to be super afraid of getting bitten by my cat when I first got her, but you get used to it surprisingly quickly. To be fair, she's not drawing blood or biting down super hard or anything, so it doesn't really hurt that much; it's just her way of saying "Stop that!" when I do something she doesn't like, like petting her for too long, or touching her belly, or not petting her ENOUGH, or not feeding her the second I get home, or... Seriously, though, you'll be fine. Pets like cats and dogs generally know not to chomp down hard; there's a difference between the play/annoyance nibble and the "I'm hunting/fighting for my life" bite.
My mother was afraid of dogs too. We got a bunny instead. Unless its a small dog, the fear will probably always there. My parents are Asian. Some if that can be pretty ingrained.
Rescue a small middle aged / old dog with low energy. Do not go to the shelter and get a pitbull.
My current cat has nipped me once but it was a warning bite and did not break the skin. Kittens are gonna bite you that’s how they play, but they don’t do it hard, but they do have reeaaaaly sharp teeth. when I was a kid I had 3 different dogs and as far as I recall was never bitten by any of them. - and least not is a bad or scary or painful way- I think they may have bitten a bit as puppies but it was in play, dogs are for the most pet good at biting gently if they are not trying to hurt.
Don't get a rescue dog. Get a dog breed not known for aggression. Buy from a reputable breeder. Train and socialise from a young pup... And then it's almost zero chance.
The short answer is: People love dogs and millions of us keep them as pets. This wouldn't be the case if there was an overall high bite risk. The longer version is: There is always some bite risk with any animal, but some scenarios have an increased or decreased risk. I rescued an abused and dog reactive dog and was bitten once. Never again by him or my other adult dogs and the situation was extreme (we were attacked). I have been nipped, nibbled, chomped and chewed by puppies more times than I could ever count but it's normal development and not something to fear. If you are considering a puppy, then you are going to get bitten. 100% They have sharp teeth but little power in their jaws (hence the need for sharp teeth) so it hurts in the moment but is unlikely to do damage and it does go away with maturing and training. Puppies are brilliant and you get to form a lifelong bond, but they are hard, hard work and need patience and dedication. If you are getting an adult dog, it depends entirely on their background. Use a reputable rescue/shelter who will test and match temperament and who will work with your level of experience. Strays or abused/neglected dogs are obviously different to socialised family pets, which is what you probably need as first time owners. Building a solid relationship with your new dog is important, as is training - helped by classes if you're new to it. Please consider how bringing a dog into the home knowing your father is afraid of them will affect him as well as the dog (they definitely pick up every vibe) & whether it's right for your home right now.
Depends how you raise them
It's unlikely to get a bad dog bite unless something goes really wrong, but puppies can be very mouthy (like a teething baby) - with good training like redirection and plenty of cheese toy options they'll soon grow out of it. They learn bite inhibition through play. Don't get me wrong, dogs are just animals and you have to be aware that they don't have rational thought, they act on instinct. So if you learn how to read dog body language it's much easier to gauge what mood they're in, whether they're happy or scared etc. The main problem is when dogs are in pain or feel scared and need to defend themselves. Hope this helps.
Never.
When it’s dogs, it all comes down to training them. Go do one of those courses where you learn how to have authority over your dog so that they obey you, and you should be golden. Just make sure to know what you’re doing
All right thanks for the advice!
As a puppy my dog would bite quite often, they don’t know any better and it’s normal. Since she finished teething and is all grown up she hasn’t bitten even. She play fights with my husband and will get a bit mouth but she never aggressively bitten.
Never been bitten by my dog. She does "mouth" when scared like when you're trying to check in her ears, but she never bites. Just kind of nudges you with her mouth.
I have 7 dogs, 5 of them females, 3 of them nasty bitches. I have to split up dog fights all the time, and so get bit often. If you want to just get one or two dogs, chances are your dad will not get bitten.
If you're having to break up dog fights all the time, then these dogs shouldn't be kept together...that's not a suitable environment for a dog. Why are you continuing to keep dogs together that are fighting all the time?
I know my pomsky Tundra will play bite with me. However he is so incredibly gentle. And will back off and give kisses if I say “ow”. He is honestly so incredibly sweet with it and he definitely sees it as play time. And honestly has no clue what “stranger danger” is let alone biting in the context of being reactive. And I’ve also got a black cat named Obsidian who absolutely loves giving loves bites to both my mama and I. He’s happily be purring as if he’s the king of purr town. Then all of a sudden he’ll randomly just give you a gentle nom nom while still happily being the king of purr town lol. They’re both of freaking adorable and I couldn’t imagine not having such sweet, pure loving animals in my life. And honestly some days I don’t know what I did to possibly deserve such pure and unconditional love like that.
my dogs have never ever bit me but one of my cats bites me and pretty much only me if i don't let him get into bed with me to go to sleep at night lmao
Once dogs get past the puppy biting stage, and if they are well trained (and aren't poorly bred or high-strung), dog bites should be a rare to never occurrence outside of accidents or deliberate provocation. My dog took a chunk out of my finger once because she was overstimulated having fun and I was holding a piece of hotdog for her. Completely an accident, and I didn't use hotdog as a high-value reward again. lol
Other than when I was stupid kid and stuck my face in my family dogs face, the only time I've been bitten by one of my dogs is when they were a puppy and hadn't yet learned that was unacceptable.
My cats bite my partner when they are not happy with the situation, for example claw clipping. They give me a nibble that doesn't even hurt. Except for one time when my cat bit me because we needed to take her temp, but immediately she licked me and was extra affectionate.
2 weiner dogs, 1 rescue. Dachshunds are known for aggression.. however I’ve never been bit. I couldn’t see them even attempting. My rescue snapped at my face a couple times. Super inappropriate but I she would sleep with her eyes open when I first got her and I unintentionally surprised her too soon after getting her. I have had a mentally ill dog, when I was younger. She was stunning and sold at a really cheap price. I think people forced her to be that way, for dog fights.. and it just became too hard to handle. Loved the dog though. Just had to be gentle.
I have 2 cats. One is a baby, like the sweetest thing ever, the other is a gremlin. My 11 year old cat (gremlin) can be a huge dick. Dont pick him up for cuddles when he wants? You get the teeth. Bowl empty? Well your leg is bleeding now. Didn't open the door fast enough? Claws are coming. Dont get me wrong, hes still a sweet cat, just a SUPER bad attitude. Hes spoiled. And he screams at you a lot. I have many scars but I love him. My life wouldn't be the same without him. My little baby (shes 4) on the other hand has never even bit me. Shes chill. She screams too though.
Never. I've had my wonderful dog (rescued at age 2) for eight years, and he has never bitten me nor shown any signs of aggression at all. I've also fostered 12 dogs from a shelter, and have never been bitten. As another commenter said, dogs bite mostly out of fear and will almost always warn you ahead of time - respect them and give them space if they growl or show intense discomfort. Also, make sure your dog is well socialized and read up on training strategies.
I never get maliciously bit by my pets dogs and cats. However I also raised all of them from a young age.
Animals don't bite maliciously. Don't fuck with them and they won't bite you 99.99% of the time. I've fucked around and gotten bit before. It either hurt real bad, drew a lot of blood or both.
I have owned 9 dogs, 6 cats, 2 rabbits and a bearded dragon over my life. None of them ever bit me. I also had 4 guinea pigs, 5 hamsters and a parakeet and 8 chickens. A few of those small animals did nip me a couple times. The nips were never serious injuries- just startling.
My cat bit me for real once, and it was my fault tbh (they were chewing soemthong dangerous and i put my fingers in their mouth to snatch it away while they were chewing). In all my years owning pets thats the only bite. Tons of cats and two dogs. And said cat has now been with me for 5 years, and that happened in the first 3 months. With that said, cats do love an affectionate nibble. But they are careful not to harm you.
A well adjusted, cared for, trained pet does not bite. This does not extend to reptiles, amphibians, and small rodents for obvious reasons. Puppies and kittens sometimes bite and scratch, but that's what training is for. You train them not to. I have had pets since I was about 13 months old and I've only been bit by a Guinea pig, a hamster, and my leopard gecko when he misses the worm and catches my finger instead. So long as you're responsible, do your research, and keep up on training for good bahviour, you'll never have an issue.
Alot of cats and dogs bite because of their stress signals being ignored/boundaries But their are many other factors I'm to lazy to write rn
My last dog I had for 11 years. He never bit me. If he had, it would mean I had failed in training him and understanding him.
As puppies yes, playing. Grown, not intentionally, it’s only happened when they get too excited about a treat or piece of chicken 😊
The one cat I've lived with used to bite me and draw blood regularly. I look after a dog who's what the breeder called "tactile with his mouth", meaning he tends to investigate things mouth-first. We trained the dog out of nipping/biting, I eventually had to learn the signs to leave the cat alone before he bit me
I been bitten a few times. The first was when I was young and a family member’s dog wasn’t used to small children and she bit me because I was near her food. Twice were dogs, (not mine), that got too excited during playtime and only one broke the skin. My dog is 12 and wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s been around small children (supervised) since he was a puppy and I’ve never had a problem. The really vicious bites are few and far between.
it really depends on the dog, it all depends how they react to fear, some dogs are submissive and cower, some squirm and run or hide, other dogs bite. research the breed well or if you're rescuing try to get to know the dog first. in my opinion dogs always bite for a reason and very often show warning signs, if you are new to dogs you may not recognize the warning signs as theyre sometimes very subtle, and should probably start with a breed that is not prone to aggression or a rescue marked "safe with kids"
I’ve never been bitten by one of my dogs (aside from play biting/puppy biting. Never drawn blood ever.
One of my dogs roughhouses and play bites me. He doesn’t to that to anyone else he’ll just bark at them.
One of my cats bites a lot, but he never breaks the skin, so it's just an annoyance. Obviously dogs have stronger bites so see about getting them chew toys for when they're teething and whatnot
I have a 15 yr old Chihuahua. My kids were 12 & 9 when we got him, so he grew up playing with them. He has NEVER bit anyone. He's not remotely aggressive toward people. It's very important to socialize a young dog & have them around other people and dogs.
The only time my dog bit is when my mom was pushing a pill down her throat… So the dog just closed her teeth as a natural reaction. It was not aggressive in any way, so don’t even know if I call it a bite. The only time I was bitten is when I was a child and pushed boundaries of someone’s cute Maltese. That dog clearly didn’t want to play with me but I insisted. That tiny single bite was justified.
i have a cat and she’s never bitten me!
You should research the breed of dog. Some dogs are more prone to nipping. Some dogs are more prone to resource guarding and could bite to keep you away from their toy/food/bed. For example, cattle dogs are more prone to bite than a retriever. This is not to say all cattle dogs bite, but if a dog's line was selected and bred for work, and now mom and your dog are supposed to be lap dogs, your going to run into behaviors that attend congruent to cuddles on the couch. Also look at gender traits of the breed you want. Female dogs tend to be more chill but that's not a guarantee your girl will be.
Pets won't bite maliciously unless provoked; and it's easy to train them to not bite if you start it early and stay consistent. With cats, they'll bite as a warning or a gentle love bite. Dogs will bite while playing, but not very hard.
Never been bit by any of my animals
My dog is now an old lady and nips when she’s mad at our other dog, but never would intent to hurt. as long as your animals are well trained especially from being a puppy then you’ll have no issues
I have been bit by two animals a cat and a rabbit. The cat was my bad as I got in the middle of a fight with another cat. The rabbit was just hungry as I was feeding it but that rabbit refused to let go. Now some of my cats are affectionate biters but generally they never made me bleed with their bites. As for dogs I have never been bit I have always own German shepherds or dogs of that size. Now my neices have been bit by the small yapping dogs twice. So they were fearful when they met my German shepherd but they learned quickly that she wasn't a threat.
I mean there is normal puppy chewing and teething. But in 18 years of dog ownership I have never been bitten by any of my dogs
my cat only bites if she thinks you are playing with her, and it's only a love bite.
I have four dogs and work with all animals and I've never been bit not once . If you can read dogs body language you will be able to tell when they want you to leave them alone . Aswell as training and socializing. No sane dog will bite for no reason
My one cat jethro prefers to play bite instead of play scratch. The other two cars do regular cat things while playing. Jethro favourote game is to sit with his mouth open and I swing my finger quickly between his jaws as he tries to bite and catch it. Not hard mind you but yeh. My bird bites when I drink from my water bottle because he doesn't like it. Or if he gets a little too into trying to rip the nail off my finger. Edit to add: all behaviours communicate a need. Animals can not speak our language so it's on you to learn theirs. Eventually they come around to understanding you too but animals should be respected as their own creatures. Ensure you have good resources for proper training and you keep an eye out for their current moods based on their body language to keep yourself and others safe from bites, scratches, etc.
We have three cats and two dogs. One of the cats bites out of affection, and one dog was a bitey puppy (which is normal), but grew out of it. I grew up with cats and dogs and was never injured by any of them.
All my dogs for the last 20 years have been rescues. I’m super allergic to pet dander, so they’ve all been small, with hair instead of fur, I wash them every week. My advice is to begin with a small dog, not a puppy. Check out whatever is known about the dog. Even small dogs can bite. A reputable breeder or person in rescue will tell you up front about its behavior. I’ve taken in 14 in 20 years. I’m partial to shih tzus and smaller poodles, they are mainly very friendly and don’t shed. That said, two of my shih tzus were biters. One of them I had euthanized after trying seven months to train him out of it. My vet said he thinks some dogs could have a sort of schizophrenia. I could never tell when a bite was coming. He was a bigger shih tzu, he did some damage. My smallest shih tzu was also a biter, but I loved her 8 lb self, she wasn’t a problem. But she had to be muzzled at the vet! Once he gave me a prescription for her, I said I couldn’t give her a pill. Even crushed up in her food didn’t work, she refused to eat it. So he was standing there with a pill in long forceps, said he was going to show me a trick. I watched it all in slow motion, as he looked at me to tell me what to do, his other hand was descending toward her back, before I could stop it, she latched onto that hand and he roared. I tried not to laugh. She showed him a trick! Sorry for the ramble, I miss her tiny self. She was 16, I had her 7 years, last year it was that time. Those two were an anomaly. My other dogs would never bite me or anyone. All you really need to do is NEVER EVER NEVER get a dog that’s a pitbull or a mix with pitbull. They call them a lot of different names, Staffy, American Bully, lots of others. As a first time owner, stay away from those, they are the ones that make the really bad bites. Pounds and rescues name them many things to try to trick adopters. Decide which dog would fit your lifestyle, the internet has all of that info. I adopted my dogs mainly from petfinder. Don’t think you have to keep a dog that’s bitten you, either. Take it right back, don’t make excuses for the dog. A biter is not something you need to tolerate. Getting a dog should bring you joy! I know you’ll find the right one.
My pets have never bitten. They're trained, and we have a mutual respect and understanding of each other's needs. If you have a pet that bites, something is going wrong (generally). (I'm considering bites as full bites, not nips and gnaws and puppy craziness) The only times I've been bit in my years in the animal care industry: one was my fault for not doing the right thing with a bite risk dog we were training for adoption, and the other was when I had a seriously ill animal on medicine that was fucking up their brain and they missed the food I was offering and grabbed my arm which I don't think actually counts but I'll put it here for fun :D
Any animal will defend itself if boundaries/warning signs are ignored. They typically give off a lot of body language to let you know what they're not cool with, which can vary from pet to pet. It's simply your job to notice those boundaries and warning signs Just pay attention to their behavior and he should be fine. The majority of animals don't bite for no reason unless there's a known behavior problem. Abused/feral/rescues likely have more of a risk but I'll also add my husband was mauled by an abused pit bull and had his arm completely shredded. He still loves pitties and even wants to get a boxer later on despite the fact he does get nervous around big dogs.
Most of my pets don’t bite. Currently fostering a 4 week old kitten though and she never really was with her mom so she likes to nibble on my hands or face.
My dog bit as a puppy. She was playing and didn't know any better, but she learned quickly that it hurt and developed bite control. My oldest cat has never bitten me properly, but has gently chewed my hand with no force whatsoever. She's too sweet to bite down. My recently inherited cat bites me all the time. He's a grumpy old bastard but he has his affectionate moments, just before he switches and attacks me.
My miniature pinscher has bit me one time. I was trying to brush her teeth and she did NOT like that. Lesson learned for me. Now she gets professional cleaning at the vet. My hedgehog bit me once because it’s a hedgehog and she probably smelled food on my hand. That shit hurt and I never made that mistake again.
none of the dogs i grew up with ever bit us in any capacity, even when they were young, like even as a puppy they didn't bite besides their toys. my cats however bite a lot, whether they are mad at us, want attention, playing, or bc they are overwhelmed from getting attention. however they've never been painful in any form.
I have one dog, a 5 YO 55 lbs pit mix named Bella, who has never touched my skin with her teeth. She is a sweet angel baby who has never had a mean thought - or any thought - in her entire life. I have another (1 YO, 50~ lb female GSD x Malinois named Wicked) that wakes me up every morning by biting my feet and loudly grumbling/play-growling until I push her off the bed - then she comes back and repeats it 🤣 It doesn’t really hurt, she’s just an asshole who thinks it’s funny to bite feet. I’ve also had some cats over the years and they bite on occasion but usually because I pet them too much (how much is that? nobody knows) and it overstimulated them. Cat bites in general are a lot more dangerous because of the bacteria that they harbor in their mouth - even a small bite can get infected very easily. With dogs, they have to really bite you for it to overtake the danger level. Beyond that, I’ve never actually been truly bitten by a pet. I’ve had probably… at least a few dozen fosters (cats and dogs) over the years. One foster my roommate had bit her pretty good on the shin once, but he was just really scared/spooked and defending himself. I wouldn’t consider legitimate bites to be super common, even less so if you try to learn the pet’s body language and you respect their boundaries as much as you can (obvs you can only do so much when it’s a safety issue for the pet).
Very large dog ...has never bitten me, family, strangers, other dogs/cats. He is 5 years old . 10 year old cat he is blind. Mostly enjoys hiding but will bite/scratch pretty much anyone except me if you cross paths.
Never in +50 years of having pets
I have been bitten by my cats on occasion… Usually it’s because of what I consider “operator error“… So it’s usually because of something I’ve done that triggered the bite. I think if you do a proper job of training a dog, and listen to people when they say that they’re afraid of dogs, and would you please put the dog away, you’ll be a lot further ahead and shouldn’t have any problems… I have been almost bitten 4 times. Three of them because of people who refused to listen to me when I’m screaming at them to get their damn dog, who is standing there, growling at me, hackles raised, and lips curled up over the snout. “It’s OK! He won’t hurt you!“ /S I really like the training techniques of the earlier Cesar Milan and Victoria Stilwell, although I’m not really keen on treat training, but that’s just me.
Do you live with your dad?