Give a dog a bone in his mouth, and you may kick him and he can't bite.

A reward can occupy someone so completely that they lose the ability to resist the person offering it. The bone stands for an inducement; the kick shows how that advantage can be abused.

The proverb warns that a seemingly welcome gift may serve the giver's interests rather than the recipient's. Accepting it can make a person less able to object when they are treated unfairly.

Use this proverb to warn that an offer may be intended to keep a potential opponent quiet or distracted while the giver acts against them. Its force lies in the contrast between the apparent kindness of the gift and the harm that follows.