--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better give your path to a dog than be…" description: "\"Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/abraham-lincoln-88_animal_better-give-your-path-to-a-dog-than-be-b_874440.png" --- # Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in… ![“Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/abraham-lincoln-88_animal_better-give-your-path-to-a-dog-than-be-b_874440.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/abraham-lincoln-88_animal_better-give-your-path-to-a-dog-than-be-b_874440.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/abraham-lincoln-88_animal_better-give-your-path-to-a-dog-than-be-b_874440.png) > “Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Offering a path to a dog is safer than confronting it aggressively; even extreme measures may not heal the wound. **In simple terms:** Avoid conflict; sometimes aggression harms more. Key Takeaway Choose peaceful resolution over aggression. Themes conflict aggression resolution healing Mood cautionary thoughtful serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - negotiations - personal disputes - conflict management - animal handling Key Concepts metaphor cautionary advice futility of force Questions to Reflect On - When is confrontation necessary? - What alternatives exist to violent solutions? A Different Perspective Violence may cause deeper damage than the original issue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Bites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bites/) [Bitten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitten/) [Bitten Contesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitten-contesting-985665/) [Contention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contention/) [Cures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cures/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Dog Bitten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog-bitten-985666/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-dog-985664/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Quarrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarrels/) [Right Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-killing-985667/) [Spare time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spare-time/) ## Related quotes > [“It is better to give your path to a dog than to be bitten by him, contesting for the right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-lincoln/it-is-better-to-give-your-path-to-a-dog-than-to-be-bitten-by-him/) [Abe Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-lincoln/) > [“Wolf, not dog. You were bitten by a Lycan, not Lassie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannan-albright/wolf-not-dog-you-were-bitten-by-a-lycan-not-lassie/) [Shannan Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannan-albright/) > [Killing the dog does not cure the bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/killing-the-dog-does-not-cure-the-bite/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Right here, you're killing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kinsale/right-here-you-re-killing-me/) [Laura Kinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kinsale/) > [Killing is right or killing is wrong at the end of the day are we not but the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-salameh/killing-is-right-or-killing-is-wrong-at-the-end-of-the-day-are-we-not/) [Tony Salameh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-salameh/) > [You can't just go around killing people. You're right. 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No man resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/quarrel-not-at-all-no-man-resolved-to-make-the-most-of-himself-can/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [no man who is resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention, still less can he afford to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/no-man-who-is-resolved-to-make-the-most-of-himself-can-spare-time-for/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Thousands of mosquitoes had already bitten all of us on chest and arms and ankles. Then a bright idea came to me: I jumped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/thousands-of-mosquitoes-had-already-bitten-all-of-us-on-chest-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The taste of blood and that annoying sting of a bitten tongue. 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I remember this movie called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/lost-boys-is-one-of-my-all-time-faves-i-just-thought-it-would-be/) [Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/) > [I didnt write Snow White for any class, but I got bitten by the screenwriting bug and wrote a couple of scripts in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-daugherty/i-didnt-write-snow-white-for-any-class-but-i-got-bitten-by-the/) [Evan Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-daugherty/) > [“Women want to be bitten and swept away by a sparkling, 100-year-old, handsome vampire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-peebles/women-want-to-be-bitten-and-swept-away-by-a-sparkling-100-year-old/) [Chrissy Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-peebles/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? 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It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. 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