Building Social Competence: The real deal in dog safety training

Author Janis Bradley Posted on November 22, 2021April 4, 2023Categories News, Research & Publications

In 2013 the most comprehensive study to date asked whether the dogs (fewer than 1 dog in 2 million)  involved in dog bite-related fatalities (DBRF) had anything in common with one another. The collaboration of a veterinary epidemiologist, a public health expert, an animal behaviorist and dog behavior researchers examined the available evidence regarding every DBRF in the US over a 10 year period, a total of 256.   They found 7 situations that were often missing in the lives of … Continue reading “Building Social Competence: The real deal in dog safety training”

Canine public policies shouldn’t be created from media reports

Author Janis Bradley Posted on July 7, 2021April 4, 2023Categories News, Research & Publications

Dr. Gary Patronek and his colleagues, the authors of a ten-year study of dog bite-related fatalities (DBRF) did something not attempted before or since—they gathered their data from massive accumulations of reports and interviews done by officials, from investigating officers to coroners and pathologists. Previous work on the subject had always been based on collections of reports in the popular media.  One of Patronek et al’s discoveries was that the dog (or dogs) involved usually simply lived on the owner’s … Continue reading “Canine public policies shouldn’t be created from media reports”

When Doctors Stray Outside of Expertise

Author National Canine Research Council Posted on November 6, 2017April 4, 2023Categories News, Research & PublicationsTags , ,

Study finds that the literature on dog bites written by human health care professionals is rife with distortions and errors, and laden with rhetorical devices that mischaracterize dog behavior and grossly overstate the actual risk of dog bite injuries. 

Study finds that the literature on dog bites written by human health care professionals is rife with distortions and errors, and laden with rhetorical devices that mischaracterize dog behavior and grossly overstate the actual risk of dog bite injuries. 

What do we actually know about growling, snarling, snapping and biting behavior in dogs?

Author National Canine Research Council Posted on April 7, 2017April 4, 2023Categories News, Research & PublicationsTags ,

A critical review of the dog bite literature reveals that such encounters are often conflated and warning behaviors such as growls, snarls, and snaps are summarily lumped together with potentially injurious behavior such as biting.

A critical review of the dog bite literature reveals that such encounters are often conflated and warning behaviors such as growls, snarls, and snaps are summarily lumped together with potentially injurious behavior such as biting.

“Please don’t make me bite you”: A dog’s eye view of dog bite prevention

Author National Canine Research Council Posted on May 21, 2014May 31, 2022Categories NewsTags

This week is Dog Bite Prevention Week, and here’s something that most press releases, websites, and lists of do’s and don’ts may not mention: Dogs will do their part to prevent dog bites. All they need is a little help from us. That dog in front of you doesn’t want to bite you. Even if the situation pushes him beyond the remarkable scope of his species’ tolerance for human behavior and makes him feel he needs to defend himself, he … Continue reading ““Please don’t make me bite you”: A dog’s eye view of dog bite prevention”