Boulder Dog

How can it be that we humans have lived with dogs for thousands of years, and yet remain not-so-blissfully ignorant of canine behavior and manners? We pat them on their heads without giving it a thought. Many dogs HATE that and most, at least of those I know, don’t like it. They duck and pull back much like we would if someone rudely moved their hand toward our heads. We invade our dog’s personal space, as well as that of dogs we don’t know, and expect them to welcome our intrusions with enthusiasm.

Enter Smooch Your Pooch, a well-intentioned if hugely misguided children’s book released for this holiday shopping season. It invites children to kiss and hug dogs to show they care “anytime, anywhere.” The book might be better named: How to Provoke Your Dog To Bite You? Let Me Count the Ways. Okay. It’s not a catchy rhyme, but you get the point.

And, so did Dr. Sophia Yin. Pronto. Her excellent critique, “Avoid This Christmas Gift: This Children’s Book Can Cause Your Dog to Bite Your Kid” was published at the Huffington Post. Here’s an excerpt:

While this adorably illustrated book, with its sweet, catchy rhymes, is meant to foster affection for pets, the contents as well as the cover illustration teach kids to hug and kiss dogs; this can cause dogs to react aggressively. No one knows that better than Dr. Ilana Reisner, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Reisner and her colleagues published a study examining why children get bitten by dogs. Says Reisner, “The recommendations in this children’s book — and even the title of the book — are potentially dangerous.”

And, if that weren’t enough, Smooch Your Pooch encourages children to do dangerous things that could get their dogs killed. “Save him a seat when you pedal your bike” is the caption for a drawing of a child racing her bicycle down hill with her little dog in the basket attached to the handlebars. “Let him sit by your side when you go for a ride. And, make sure that the window is opened up wide.” This little rhyme underscores another whimsical sketch of a dog hanging most of her body out of a car window with a child barely holding on to the dog’s hind end. Not good.

Dr. Yin was spot-on in her review of the book on Amazon.com where she points out how the book could have been equally charming and whimsical and instructive in how to love and respect our dogs by keeping them safe and happy. She says, “A more appropriate but fun recommendation would be to ‘Let him sit by your side wearing a seatbelt when you go for a ride. And make sure the window is open, but not too wide.'” Read the full review here.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) was also on top of it. They issued a press release on December 14 urging parents not to buy the book:

“[AVSAB] strongly advises that parents avoid purchasing the recently released children’s book Smooch Your Pooch for their kids. The book recommends that children ‘Smooch your pooch to show that you care. Give him a hug anytime, anywhere.’ This information can cause children to be bitten.”

You can download the entire press release here.

Just a few days ago there was an article in the New York Times that said the “number of Americans hospitalized for dog bites almost doubled over a 15-year-period, increasing to 9,500 in 2008 from 5,100 in 1993” according to a new government study. Who were those people? Children under 5 and people over 65. The article went on to say that researchers are at a loss to explain such data.

The AVSAB press release also addressed research on dog bites to children, and it did include an explanation of the data provided by Dr. Reisner mentioned above by Dr. Sophia Yin.

… records of bites to 111 children were examined. Says Reisner, “We looked at dogs that had bitten children and found that most children had been bitten by dogs that had no history of biting. Most important here,” says Reisner, “familiar children were bitten most often in the contexts of “nice” interactions—such as kissing and hugging —with their own dogs or dogs that they knew.”

We make the same mistake with dogs as we do with people. Many of us are under the misguided impression that if we think our motives are good, or at least benign, then the dog, or person, on the receiving end of our well-intentioned behavior will welcome our overtures, or at least not complain about them. We are insulted if they do. “What’s the matter with you? I was only trying to be nice!”

People and dogs are entitled to their personal space, to their preferences for interpersonal or interspecies contact. I had an aunt who loved me and expressed it by grabbing me and hugging me close and rubbing her sandpaper cheek against mine. I hated it. I pulled away and grimaced. If I were a dog I probably would have growled. I might have bitten.

We have a responsibility to dogs, to children, and to ourselves to learn what dogs are telling us with their behavior. We need to learn how to appreciate and respect dogs as dogs and as unique individuals. I feel strongly about this because I believe dogs’ welfare and lives lie in the balance.

Here are two of my contributions to learning how to interact with dogs lovingly and respectfully: “How Do You Greet a Strange Dog” and “Thank You for Ignoring My Dog.”

I know many of you know of more posts and articles that help us to interact with dogs respectfully and safely. I know some of you have written them. Please leave a comment with a link!

Tags: American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, AVSAB, Children, Children's books, Dog bites, Dog greeting behavior, Dogs, Greeting a strange dog, Greeting dogs, Huffington Post, Ilana Reisner, New York Times, Smooch Your Pooch, Sophia Yin