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Third in a series Fear is the driving force in nearly all dog bites to humans. Really? Fear of a toddler or preschooler? Don’t bother trying to apply human logic to a split-second canine reaction. Dogs think differently. They share many social traits with us but they are members of a different species, not little people in furry suits. Instead of taking up residence in a human domicile Buster the Boston terrier could have lived in a feral canine social group. (Dogs, by the way, don’t live in packs. Wolves do.) Like others of his ilk he would be free of unnatural constraints like walls and furniture. Had I invaded his personal space he would not have felt trapped and bitten my face. He would have bolted and run far enough to feel safe from this @#%&* slobbering 4 year old. The simple way for the grownups to set this…

Second in a series I was not scarred for life when Buster the Boston bit me but it was certainly an eye-opener on canine and human behavior. All 4 parents leapt out of their chairs like they’d been shot from canons. Fusillades of reprimands descended upon poor Buster, now cowering even deeper into his erstwhile hideaway. An immediate consequence was essential. Vicious dogs would not be tolerated! Solutions were bandied about like a ball in a free-for-all tennis match, emotion-driven remedies masquerading as informed logic bouncing off the walls. Give Buster away? Put him to sleep? It was overwhelming; I too was trying to get small. An ice pack to my cheek deescalated the crisis. We’ve learned a lot about these child – dog debacles. In her seminal research paper, Behavioral characteristics associated with dog bites to children, Dr. Ilana Reisner found that, “Children are the most frequent victims of…

First in a series Visiting the Grahams was always exciting although, in retrospect, it was pretty ordinary. Kenny Graham was a funny kid, the same age as my big sister Martha. Their family was like June, Ward, and Beaver Cleaver. Life was simple. I was 4 years old; Martha was 6 – average baby boomer kids. I thought the Graham family was really lucky because they had a dog, a black and white Boston terrier named Buster. I loved Buster and I was sure he loved me back. We didn’t have pets. One day the grown-ups were playing cards and drinking tea. I was on the floor when I spied Buster camped out under the table. He sure was cute. I could tell right away that he was inviting me to creep up to him for a bit of snuggling. I happily accepted. Rushing in on all 4s to hug…

Retrievers can retrieve tennis balls until exhaustion. An Australian shepherd might herd you until you hide in a closet. At the Western Veterinary Conference last month I attended presentations on neurology, nutrition, and behavior medicine. Almost everything influences behavior. Environment and personal encounters are big but it all starts with genetic coding. Dr. Leanne Lilly is head of behavioral medicine at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. She explained that beyond an individual’s inherited tendencies, events surrounding its birth, called epigenetics, can alter the way DNA drives behavior. It’s complicated but the apple often doesn’t fall far from the tree. Working breeds are more excitable and energetic but interested in learning and play with their people. Many are aggressive toward other dogs. Jack Russel terriers, Chihuahuas, Rhodesian ridgebacks, American Staffordshire terriers, and Bernese Mountain dogs can be harder to train but, as Dr. Lilly stressed, the statistical differences are…