People do the darndest things in the name of love.
I recently heard from a man who has two Mastiffs. One is dog-aggressive; the other, people-aggressive. One day this gentleman decided it was time to get serious about socializing his dogs, and so took the shy and people-aggressive pup to a local dog park for some forced interaction.
In an attempt to manipulate some level of friendly exchange, the dog's owner encouraged a passer-by to reach down ... go ahead ... give him a pet. The dog promptly bit the passer-by's hand.
In another shining example of the human intellect hard at work, I spoke to a woman who is the mother of 5- and 6-year-old girls. She is also the proud owner of a dog that repeatedly bites one of her daughters under the eye. Why? Our conversation went something like this:
When does he bite her?
When she hugs him.
Why is she still hugging him?
She wants to hug him!
What can Uncle Matty do? Mummy knows best.
And just when you thought the cheese platter was safe. ...
A man whose neighbors had so many narrow escapes with his dog that animal control had to come out and post
dangerous dog signs around his home later hosted a party during which said dog roamed free. At one point in the evening, a woman went into the kitchen to restock the cheese tray and the dog mauled her. My conversation with him went something like this:
Under no circumstance am I getting rid of the dog.
Do you feel guilty?
Yes, I do. I didn't do right by the dog.
Why didn't you hire a trainer?
He's trained!
To do what, I wonder. Protect the family cheese?
Here's the scoop: Most of the dogs mentioned above were rescues. And one of the households described above that doesn't already include kids is about to.
Why would you bring a dog into a household with kids, or with kids on the way, if you knew he was aggressive? And if you didn't know he was aggressive, why not?
"Well, the rescue folks told me he was a little aggressive."
A little aggressive — is that like partially pregnant?
The reason: We want to rescue a dog. We want to save a life. And that's admirable. It's commendable. But it should also be realistic. After all, when you rescue a dog that isn't well-suited to your lifestyle or home, you deny that dog the opportunity to be discovered by and adopted into an appropriate and permanent home. In other words, if the threat to the kiddies isn't enough, think about the dog! You aren't doing him any favors, either.
This reason is buffered by the romantic notion that love cures all.
If I love him enough, he won't urinate on the carpet. If I love him enough, he'll stop gnawing on little Petey's arm. If I love him enough, he'll cease construction on his tunnel through the azaleas. If only I could love him enough!
Just as love won't teach your kids their ABCs, it also won't solve your pup's behavioral problems. You want a smart kid? Send him to school. Want a smart dog? Send him to school. Love will show your dog that he's loved, but that's it. Love is good and essential, but it's not enough. If love worked, I'd be in the love business. Training works. That's why I'm in the ... you get it.
So, what do you do?
When at all possible, be pre-emptive. There's a quick and easy personality test that can be given to any dog, anytime, anywhere. It will determine the nature of his personality, including whether or not he's aggressive. I believe this test should be mandatory at all rescues and shelters. For specifics on the personality test, please visit www.unclematty.com, or read "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things."
If you already live with an aggressive dog and kids are on the way, professional training is non-negotiable. You must mitigate the circumstances. Along those lines, be prepared to keep the dog and the child separate at all times. They may never be alone together. These are the consequences of poor planning — try not to become ensnared in them. If this is unmanageable, it is your responsibility to find the dog an appropriate and permanent home. He isn't a bad dog, just a bad match.
There are many good and gentle dogs living in shelters that would be great with kids. But the process of determining which dogs those are requires more than general assumptions based on breed. No two dogs are alike. Each has his own distinct personality. Next time you get a dog, think of it as a chance to choose your relative, and choose wisely.
Woof!
Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619. © Creators Syndicate Inc.