Some people don’t realize that their dogs (and cats as well) are still predators. Their eyes are set in front of their heads so they can see and focus directly in front of them. Prey animals by comparison, have eyes set to the sides of their heads so they can see what is around their sides and towards the back. Birds are an exception to this – I might address that in a future blog post.
Being a “predator” means that an animal naturally preys on other animals. While they are far removed from their wild cousins, the instinct is still there. Some of you may have a pet that has a knack for going after the local rodents or insects. In my own experience, I had one dog who managed to kill 5 groundhogs in two weeks. She was methodical and quick. She also enjoyed eating them (which made giving her a bath quite the undertaking..)
In addition to the natural prey drive that most dogs and cats have – they also have the gift of sharp teeth and claws. If they are cornered, or forced into a situation they don’t want to be in – the person doing the forcing can get hurt. Think about if a child is insistent on chasing or approaching a pet and there’s no way out for the pet? The child might very well get bitten or scratched. Think about the times an older teen or adult might rough house with the pet or hold them down and the pet vehemently objects? Again, the person doing the coercion is the one who may get hurt.
There are times when we have no choice but to force our predator pets to do something they don’t want to do. Like taking medication or going to the vet. Their flight or fight response will still kick in and they will still try to avoid you by any means necessary. The only thing we can do is to remain as focused, calm and as confident as possible while we gather them up to be crated, given meds or treated for something (like getting something out of their mouths).