A few days ago my wife and daughter came home from the library with a children's book about dogs. So I of course picked it up and flipped through it. The artwork was beautiful, made from different papers cut to shape. So I read a bit of it and was appalled at the content.
I checked the publication date and the book is only three years old. For being such a new book, the information is very outdated and filled with misconceptions that have been disproved long before the book was published.
So, I had a crazy idea. I actually went to college for fine arts and mass media. I spent 20 years as a graphic artist and desktop publisher. So, why not write and illustrate a children's book about dogs myself?
Now I can explain that dogs do not pack like people think wolves do. Although they are very close on the evolutionary timeline, there is some discussion as to whether dogs evolved from wolves, other canidae, or independently. How dogs may have been bred by early man. A wagging tail does not always mean a dog is happy or wants to play. How dogs smile. And a number of other topics explained in a way I hope my 4 year old can understand.
I happen to have some friends of friends who either are or work for publishers, so hopefully that will give me an in and I won't have to self-publish. Guess we'll see how that goes. I'm excited to see how it turns out and will keep everyone updated on the progress.
I've written the outline and first draft and I am picking up some reference material for the art today.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Entrance Anxiety
So the question was posed: I'd like to see you discuss how to get dogs into your business who might be scared. I'd love to bring my dog by, but I can only get her in if I pick her up and carry her through the door. She won't even go in for pastrami.
There's a lot written about counter conditioning your dog for the vet, which is a nice model, but obviously not quite the same. So, unfortunately I wasn't able to find a good reference, but there is a lot of information out there on counter conditioning and desensitization.
I'll preface this by saying I know the person who posted the question personally and a little bit about her situation, but I'll speak in much broader terms to cover the topic more thoroughly. So, here's my take on it, in an ideal world: The first step is to identify when exactly does the problem start. Do you see signs of anxiety when you first go to the car? Is it when you pull into the parking lot? When you walk up to the door?
Let's say she starts showing signs of anxiety when she gets in the car. How counter conditioning works is to make a good association with something that was bad. By forcing the dog into the car, you run the risk of flooding or learned helpless which I won't get into here but to say that it can lead to worse problems we want to avoid. We're trying to change behavior, not suppress it.
People who read my blog will also know that I am not a fan of positive punishment (leash corrections, hitting, etc.). All we would do in this instance is teach her that every time she gets close to the car she is punished. I won't go any further into that here either, but you should be able to see the down side to that.
So we might start by getting as close to as the dog can tolerate without going past threshold. For example, you can get to within 20 feet. Every time she looks at the car, give her a reinforcer, whether it's a treat, a favorite toy, praise, or whatever. Anything that makes her feel good, and it should be high value. Instead of the usual cookie, use a piece of liver (just a pea sized piece is plenty). It should be something that is only used in training, and not for everyday.
Once she associates the car with good things, move a little close. It may be as little as one step, or as much as 1/2 the distance. Just be sure she stays under threshold (freaking out to the point of ignoring everything else). You may even introduce having another person open the car door. When she looks at the car, treat, then have the person close the door. Eventually work her in this way with the car door left open.
Once she is comfortable working next to the car with the door open, instead of giving her the treat, put it on the door frame so she doesn't have to get in the car, but has to interact with it. Next, put the treat just inside the car, and so on. Something that may also help is opening the door on the opposite side so she can see a way out and doesn't feel trapped. Obviously you'll want to phase this out.
When she is comfortable getting into the car, close the door for literally one second, then open it and let her out. After a few trials of one second, go to two, then three, and so on. Then start the car, let it run for a second, then turn it off, and so on. To make the association stronger, once you can drive her in the car, go to the dog park or a puppy play date, or something really fun.
It's kind of like a recall. A lot of people complain that their dog won't come to them. Well, these people call their dog, the dog comes and they get the leash slapped on them and they go home or the get thrown in the crate or in some way they don't get to continue their play. What I do every time I take my dog out is call him, he comes, I reinforce the come, then let him go back to playing, sniffing or whatever. Only about one in five times do I put the leash on him and go home or make him go inside, or otherwise end the play. Likewise, only about one in five times she gets in the car should you go to the vet or the dog wash, or somewhere that might not be so fun.
Once she has a positive association with the car, you may want to come to the store, park away from the store, like down by the ATM kiosk, and work your way to the store in the same manner you worked your way to the car. If you want to start opening and closing the door to the store though, just let us know so we're not wondering what's going on.
Another option may be to bring the dog into the store and just sit down with her. Give her a few things to do like sit, down, or anything to preoccupy her. Then leave with her. A few days later, come back and do the same thing. If she's calm enough, maybe by the third or fourth time you could put her in a tub. Spend a minute letting her get used to the idea, then out of the tub, another sit or two, then leave. I have to say this would not be my first suggestion depending on the amount of anxiety, because again, we don't want to flood her or put her in a state of learned helplessness. I would really only recommend this in extreme cases (like having been sprayed by a skunk) or very mild cases.
This may seem like a lot of work and very time consuming, and honestly, it could take minutes, or it could take weeks. But it should change the behavior, not suppress it, and in the end, everyone should be happier for it.
One final note: According to Dr. Patricia McConnell in her May 4, 2009 blog (http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/you-cant-reinforce-fear-dogs-and-thunderstorms), "You can't reinforce fear." In the context she speaks of it, and in this context, I believe she is absolutely correct. So go ahead and comfort your dog when she's stressed, anxious, or fearful. It may not help, but it certainly won't hurt.
There's a lot written about counter conditioning your dog for the vet, which is a nice model, but obviously not quite the same. So, unfortunately I wasn't able to find a good reference, but there is a lot of information out there on counter conditioning and desensitization.
I'll preface this by saying I know the person who posted the question personally and a little bit about her situation, but I'll speak in much broader terms to cover the topic more thoroughly. So, here's my take on it, in an ideal world: The first step is to identify when exactly does the problem start. Do you see signs of anxiety when you first go to the car? Is it when you pull into the parking lot? When you walk up to the door?
Let's say she starts showing signs of anxiety when she gets in the car. How counter conditioning works is to make a good association with something that was bad. By forcing the dog into the car, you run the risk of flooding or learned helpless which I won't get into here but to say that it can lead to worse problems we want to avoid. We're trying to change behavior, not suppress it.
People who read my blog will also know that I am not a fan of positive punishment (leash corrections, hitting, etc.). All we would do in this instance is teach her that every time she gets close to the car she is punished. I won't go any further into that here either, but you should be able to see the down side to that.
So we might start by getting as close to as the dog can tolerate without going past threshold. For example, you can get to within 20 feet. Every time she looks at the car, give her a reinforcer, whether it's a treat, a favorite toy, praise, or whatever. Anything that makes her feel good, and it should be high value. Instead of the usual cookie, use a piece of liver (just a pea sized piece is plenty). It should be something that is only used in training, and not for everyday.
Once she associates the car with good things, move a little close. It may be as little as one step, or as much as 1/2 the distance. Just be sure she stays under threshold (freaking out to the point of ignoring everything else). You may even introduce having another person open the car door. When she looks at the car, treat, then have the person close the door. Eventually work her in this way with the car door left open.
Once she is comfortable working next to the car with the door open, instead of giving her the treat, put it on the door frame so she doesn't have to get in the car, but has to interact with it. Next, put the treat just inside the car, and so on. Something that may also help is opening the door on the opposite side so she can see a way out and doesn't feel trapped. Obviously you'll want to phase this out.
When she is comfortable getting into the car, close the door for literally one second, then open it and let her out. After a few trials of one second, go to two, then three, and so on. Then start the car, let it run for a second, then turn it off, and so on. To make the association stronger, once you can drive her in the car, go to the dog park or a puppy play date, or something really fun.
It's kind of like a recall. A lot of people complain that their dog won't come to them. Well, these people call their dog, the dog comes and they get the leash slapped on them and they go home or the get thrown in the crate or in some way they don't get to continue their play. What I do every time I take my dog out is call him, he comes, I reinforce the come, then let him go back to playing, sniffing or whatever. Only about one in five times do I put the leash on him and go home or make him go inside, or otherwise end the play. Likewise, only about one in five times she gets in the car should you go to the vet or the dog wash, or somewhere that might not be so fun.
Once she has a positive association with the car, you may want to come to the store, park away from the store, like down by the ATM kiosk, and work your way to the store in the same manner you worked your way to the car. If you want to start opening and closing the door to the store though, just let us know so we're not wondering what's going on.
Another option may be to bring the dog into the store and just sit down with her. Give her a few things to do like sit, down, or anything to preoccupy her. Then leave with her. A few days later, come back and do the same thing. If she's calm enough, maybe by the third or fourth time you could put her in a tub. Spend a minute letting her get used to the idea, then out of the tub, another sit or two, then leave. I have to say this would not be my first suggestion depending on the amount of anxiety, because again, we don't want to flood her or put her in a state of learned helplessness. I would really only recommend this in extreme cases (like having been sprayed by a skunk) or very mild cases.
This may seem like a lot of work and very time consuming, and honestly, it could take minutes, or it could take weeks. But it should change the behavior, not suppress it, and in the end, everyone should be happier for it.
One final note: According to Dr. Patricia McConnell in her May 4, 2009 blog (http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/you-cant-reinforce-fear-dogs-and-thunderstorms), "You can't reinforce fear." In the context she speaks of it, and in this context, I believe she is absolutely correct. So go ahead and comfort your dog when she's stressed, anxious, or fearful. It may not help, but it certainly won't hurt.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Myth of Dogs as Pack Animals
It seems to me that I've touched on this topic a few times, but I don't believe I've actually addressed it.
One of the most enduring myths about dogs is that they are pack animals. I believe this stems in part from the misconception that dogs are domestic wolves. I've discussed this a few times, so will only mention a few points. Studies of wolves and dogs, thus far, have only examined the Mitochondrial DNA which can only determine if there is a common ancestor. They are certainly close enough on the evolutionary timeline to crossbreed, but they are also separated by about 12,000 years of evolution or more.
We also need to define exactly what a pack is. Again, I've discussed this, so I will only reiterate a few things. According to research over the past few decades, it has been determined that wolf packs are actually family units with the parents holding the top positions, just like a human family, and the rest of the pack being made up of their offspring. About the time the pups reach maturity, they leave the pack to mate and form their own packs.
In the studies of feral or wild dogs, dogs do not pack. These dogs do form "loose, transitory associations," as Dr. Ian Dunbar calls it, but they usually only last for a few days at most. Dogs do come together in groups during mating season, but the male takes no part in the raising of the pups. Dogs may also come together when resources are scarce, but again, these associations only last for a few days.
Dogs are actually scavengers, frequenting trash heaps of human settlements, or staying in close proximity to humans, looking for handouts. However, this close proximity does not constitute a pack as there is no cooperation between the dogs as a rule.
All that being said, I think it is important to remember that although dogs are not pack animals, they are highly social. It is important that they have interaction with other dogs just as it is important for people to have a social life. I have two dogs myself, and I firmly believe they are better for it. However, in light of the information above, I do not think it would be a good idea to bring a third dog into our home on a permanent basis.
For more information:
Jean Donaldson wrote a great entry on this very topic:
http://www.jeandonaldson.com/jeans-blog-mainmenu-51/64-are-dogs-pack-animals
The book, "Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution" by Coppinger & Coppinger is a great resource. Although I did not agree with all of their conclusions, the raw data is irrefutable.
Also, I've mentioned Dr. David Mech before, who has done research on wolves for decades and admittedly started some of the fallacies, but has since refuted them. http://www.davemech.com/
One of the most enduring myths about dogs is that they are pack animals. I believe this stems in part from the misconception that dogs are domestic wolves. I've discussed this a few times, so will only mention a few points. Studies of wolves and dogs, thus far, have only examined the Mitochondrial DNA which can only determine if there is a common ancestor. They are certainly close enough on the evolutionary timeline to crossbreed, but they are also separated by about 12,000 years of evolution or more.
We also need to define exactly what a pack is. Again, I've discussed this, so I will only reiterate a few things. According to research over the past few decades, it has been determined that wolf packs are actually family units with the parents holding the top positions, just like a human family, and the rest of the pack being made up of their offspring. About the time the pups reach maturity, they leave the pack to mate and form their own packs.
In the studies of feral or wild dogs, dogs do not pack. These dogs do form "loose, transitory associations," as Dr. Ian Dunbar calls it, but they usually only last for a few days at most. Dogs do come together in groups during mating season, but the male takes no part in the raising of the pups. Dogs may also come together when resources are scarce, but again, these associations only last for a few days.
Dogs are actually scavengers, frequenting trash heaps of human settlements, or staying in close proximity to humans, looking for handouts. However, this close proximity does not constitute a pack as there is no cooperation between the dogs as a rule.
All that being said, I think it is important to remember that although dogs are not pack animals, they are highly social. It is important that they have interaction with other dogs just as it is important for people to have a social life. I have two dogs myself, and I firmly believe they are better for it. However, in light of the information above, I do not think it would be a good idea to bring a third dog into our home on a permanent basis.
For more information:
Jean Donaldson wrote a great entry on this very topic:
http://www.jeandonaldson.com/jeans-blog-mainmenu-51/64-are-dogs-pack-animals
The book, "Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution" by Coppinger & Coppinger is a great resource. Although I did not agree with all of their conclusions, the raw data is irrefutable.
Also, I've mentioned Dr. David Mech before, who has done research on wolves for decades and admittedly started some of the fallacies, but has since refuted them. http://www.davemech.com/
FREE Spay/Neuter Vouchers Available from Animal Control
I received the following press release yesterday and wanted to pass it along. I'll reserve my comments on the importance of spaying and neutering for another time.
COLUMBIA- Columbia/Boone County Animal Control officers are offering the gift of responsible pet ownership this holiday season. Beginning immediately, FREE spay/neuter vouchers are available to all Boone County residents.
The vouchers, which can be used to spay or neuter both dogs and cats, can be picked up anytime Monday – Friday from 8 am – 5 pm at the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services, 1005 West Worley in Columbia. No appointment is needed. Recipients must present a photo ID and proof of Boone County residency (i.e. driver’s license, utility bill, voter ID card, etc.) After a voucher is obtained, the pet owner should call the Central Missouri Humane Society to schedule the spay/neuter procedure.
There are no income restrictions for the vouchers and more than one voucher per household is allowed. Vouchers are available on a first come, first served basis. They must be picked up before December 30, 2010, but the spay/neuter procedure does NOT need to be completed before the end of 2010.
For more information, please contact Animal Control at 573.449.1888.
COLUMBIA- Columbia/Boone County Animal Control officers are offering the gift of responsible pet ownership this holiday season. Beginning immediately, FREE spay/neuter vouchers are available to all Boone County residents.
The vouchers, which can be used to spay or neuter both dogs and cats, can be picked up anytime Monday – Friday from 8 am – 5 pm at the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services, 1005 West Worley in Columbia. No appointment is needed. Recipients must present a photo ID and proof of Boone County residency (i.e. driver’s license, utility bill, voter ID card, etc.) After a voucher is obtained, the pet owner should call the Central Missouri Humane Society to schedule the spay/neuter procedure.
There are no income restrictions for the vouchers and more than one voucher per household is allowed. Vouchers are available on a first come, first served basis. They must be picked up before December 30, 2010, but the spay/neuter procedure does NOT need to be completed before the end of 2010.
For more information, please contact Animal Control at 573.449.1888.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Reinforcers
I got an interesting link today from Ian Dunbar's Dog Star Daily page on YouTube. It got me to thinking I hadn't really discussed the topic of food as a reinforcer. This does not contradict what Dr. Dunbar has to say. Truth be told, he is one of my top 3 favorite trainers. My comments should be viewed as a compliment to the information presented in the video.
So, this is my argument: Let's take for example I like to do wood working in my spare time. If you've been to the store, you've seen the bone shaped coffee table my brother and I made. Now, image if every time I picked up a hammer I hit my thumb. Imagine if every time I turned on the table saw I cut off a finger. Image if every time I turned on the router it skipped and took a chunk out of my leg. Not so fun any more, and there's no benefit in it for me.
Now let's take what actually happens: I make a plan, buy the supplies and create something I'm very pleased with. And the next time I make something similar, it comes out better. And possibly someone sees the end product and offers to pay me to make something for them.
So how does this relate to dog training? Whether it's just for the pleasure of accomplishment or payment, you're more inclined to do a job if you get something out of it as opposed to being reprimanded, punished, or hurt every time you try to do something.
Although I agree with what Dr. Dunbar says to a point, I have know some dogs that are not motivated by food, but are motivated by praise, or, in the case of my Brittany, Duncan, a toy. The point is, using a reinforcer such as food, a toy, praise, or whatever, is as much a bribe as my getting satisfaction from making a nice piece of furniture or your getting paid for your job. Let's face it, I wouldn't keep working if I got hurt every time I picked up a new tool any more than you would go to work if you were only reprimanded for every little error.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zULweD95RzQ
So, this is my argument: Let's take for example I like to do wood working in my spare time. If you've been to the store, you've seen the bone shaped coffee table my brother and I made. Now, image if every time I picked up a hammer I hit my thumb. Imagine if every time I turned on the table saw I cut off a finger. Image if every time I turned on the router it skipped and took a chunk out of my leg. Not so fun any more, and there's no benefit in it for me.
Now let's take what actually happens: I make a plan, buy the supplies and create something I'm very pleased with. And the next time I make something similar, it comes out better. And possibly someone sees the end product and offers to pay me to make something for them.
So how does this relate to dog training? Whether it's just for the pleasure of accomplishment or payment, you're more inclined to do a job if you get something out of it as opposed to being reprimanded, punished, or hurt every time you try to do something.
Although I agree with what Dr. Dunbar says to a point, I have know some dogs that are not motivated by food, but are motivated by praise, or, in the case of my Brittany, Duncan, a toy. The point is, using a reinforcer such as food, a toy, praise, or whatever, is as much a bribe as my getting satisfaction from making a nice piece of furniture or your getting paid for your job. Let's face it, I wouldn't keep working if I got hurt every time I picked up a new tool any more than you would go to work if you were only reprimanded for every little error.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zULweD95RzQ
Sunday, November 28, 2010
X-mas Puppies Again
This will mostly reiterate some of last year's blogs about getting puppies for X-mas. I did want to emphasize a few points though, then we'll get to the links.
First of all, Mudd Puppies does not sell puppies or recommend breeders. If you want a dog at any time, we strongly urge you to check with one of the local shelters. The main ones I know of in Columbia are The Central Missouri Humane Society, Columbia Second Chance, Happy Tails, and the newest, Precious Paws. Or, if you are looking for a specific breed, the AKC has a comprehensive list of breed specific rescues on their website.
You should also be weary of breeders who will not let you see their facilities, is selling their dogs on the internet or through the newspaper. These may truly be the result accidental breedings, the person may truly be trying to make things convenient for you, but then again, they may be from a puppy mill with questionable health and behavior problems.
Also, keep in mind that just because a dog is registered doesn't mean he's from good breeding. Of course AKC registration is the best known, but there are other registries that are just as good that are not AKC. However, there are some groups who have banded together to create registries that aren't worth the paper their printed on. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the registry if you are looking to get a dog with papers.
I go into a lot more depth in my previous blogs linked below, plus I get into some other topics. If you want to get a puppy for someone for X-mas, be sure you know what you are doing and how it will effect the dog.
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/09/puppies-for-sale-at-mudd-puppies.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/11/puppies-for-x-mas.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/12/dog-adoptions.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/12/registered-dogs.html
First of all, Mudd Puppies does not sell puppies or recommend breeders. If you want a dog at any time, we strongly urge you to check with one of the local shelters. The main ones I know of in Columbia are The Central Missouri Humane Society, Columbia Second Chance, Happy Tails, and the newest, Precious Paws. Or, if you are looking for a specific breed, the AKC has a comprehensive list of breed specific rescues on their website.
You should also be weary of breeders who will not let you see their facilities, is selling their dogs on the internet or through the newspaper. These may truly be the result accidental breedings, the person may truly be trying to make things convenient for you, but then again, they may be from a puppy mill with questionable health and behavior problems.
Also, keep in mind that just because a dog is registered doesn't mean he's from good breeding. Of course AKC registration is the best known, but there are other registries that are just as good that are not AKC. However, there are some groups who have banded together to create registries that aren't worth the paper their printed on. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the registry if you are looking to get a dog with papers.
I go into a lot more depth in my previous blogs linked below, plus I get into some other topics. If you want to get a puppy for someone for X-mas, be sure you know what you are doing and how it will effect the dog.
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/09/puppies-for-sale-at-mudd-puppies.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/11/puppies-for-x-mas.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/12/dog-adoptions.html
http://muddpuppies.blogspot.com/2009/12/registered-dogs.html
Friday, November 12, 2010
Infants and Dog Bites
I debated whether or not to tackle this subject, but it seems important enough to warrant discussion. Recently, a four day old child was mauled to death by the family dog while the mother was taking a shower.
Here's the crux of the issue: No child should EVER be left alone with a dog... EVER!
In a study done by the University of Colorado School of Medicine (link below), the highest number of dog bites - 23% - were by mixed breeds, 13.7% were by Labradors, and 3% were by Golden Retrievers.
Children must be taught how to interact with dogs. A dog cannot speak or write a note. The only way they have to communicate is by the tools they are given. If all the signals that have worked previously don't - growling, leaving, yelping - the situation can and sometimes does escalate to biting. But imagine a four day old, or even a one year old who has had minimal exposure to dogs. Imagine if the child grabs the dog's ear or lip and the dog yelps. The child is then startled and reflexively tightens his grip. The only means of escape in the dog's mind, may be to bite. So who's to blame? The dog? The child? I suggest it is the person responsible for the child at that time, be it the parent, babysitter, or whomever.
This is not to brag, but suggestion on some ways to avoid problems. In the rare instances my wife or I needed to take a shower and were home alone after my daughter was born, we would put a changing mat with bumpers so she couldn't roll off on the floor and shut the door. The dogs had the run of the house, and our daughter was safe and in sight.
When my daughter started coming to the store with me, the first thing I taught her was she could not run up to every dog that walked in and throw her arms around their neck like she did to our dogs at home. Never mind that most dogs just don't like it, but we don't know all the dogs that walk into the store and don't know how they will react to a small child.. Once we got past that, I taught my daughter to ask first if she can pet a dog and how to pet them.
Dogs have had a relationship with humans for at least 12,000 years, and in my opinion, longer. They aren't going away. With just a little effort, we can keep children and dogs safe and they can have a happy, mutually beneficial relationship.
Study:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109133233.htm
Attack Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2010-10-27/story/investigation-continuing-dog-mauling-death-jacksonville-newborn
Here's the crux of the issue: No child should EVER be left alone with a dog... EVER!
In a study done by the University of Colorado School of Medicine (link below), the highest number of dog bites - 23% - were by mixed breeds, 13.7% were by Labradors, and 3% were by Golden Retrievers.
Children must be taught how to interact with dogs. A dog cannot speak or write a note. The only way they have to communicate is by the tools they are given. If all the signals that have worked previously don't - growling, leaving, yelping - the situation can and sometimes does escalate to biting. But imagine a four day old, or even a one year old who has had minimal exposure to dogs. Imagine if the child grabs the dog's ear or lip and the dog yelps. The child is then startled and reflexively tightens his grip. The only means of escape in the dog's mind, may be to bite. So who's to blame? The dog? The child? I suggest it is the person responsible for the child at that time, be it the parent, babysitter, or whomever.
This is not to brag, but suggestion on some ways to avoid problems. In the rare instances my wife or I needed to take a shower and were home alone after my daughter was born, we would put a changing mat with bumpers so she couldn't roll off on the floor and shut the door. The dogs had the run of the house, and our daughter was safe and in sight.
When my daughter started coming to the store with me, the first thing I taught her was she could not run up to every dog that walked in and throw her arms around their neck like she did to our dogs at home. Never mind that most dogs just don't like it, but we don't know all the dogs that walk into the store and don't know how they will react to a small child.. Once we got past that, I taught my daughter to ask first if she can pet a dog and how to pet them.
Dogs have had a relationship with humans for at least 12,000 years, and in my opinion, longer. They aren't going away. With just a little effort, we can keep children and dogs safe and they can have a happy, mutually beneficial relationship.
Study:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109133233.htm
Attack Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2010-10-27/story/investigation-continuing-dog-mauling-death-jacksonville-newborn
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