When we see a news story about a dog attacking a child, we quickly look for the reason behind the tragedy. It's usually there, if you know what you're looking for. And no, what we're talking about isn't a reference to the dog's being identified -- or just as often, misidentified -- as a "pit bull."

What we're looking for -- and usually find -- are the indicators that the situation was already well on the way to being dangerous when the attack happened. Typically, the dog was young, male and unneutered. He was also unsocialized, usually a backyard dog with little to no interaction with the family. Even more likely, the dog was in effect trained to defend his turf by being kept full-time on a chain or in a small kennel run.

"He never gave us any problem before!" says the owner of the dog, who really didn't know the animal because he was little more than a lawn ornament or the living equivalent of a burglar alarm sign. Or maybe the owners will grudgingly admit to a bite now and then -- but "nothing serious." Again, more warning signs ignored.

Is there a dog like this in your neighborhood -- or in your own yard? If it's the latter, call your veterinarian and arrange for your pet to be neutered, and then ask for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist with experience in aggressive dogs who can help you with any problems that have driven you to ban your pet from your family (like house-training issues). You can then work on manners and socialization that will turn your pet into a true member of the family -- safe around both family members and visitors alike.

Of course, you can't control what other people do with their animals. That's why you have to make sure your children know how to behave around dogs to protect them from attack.

Here's what every child should know:

Never approach a loose dog, even if he seems friendly. Dogs who are confined in yards, and especially those on chains, should also be avoided. Many are very serious about protecting their turf. If the dog is with his owner, children should always ask permission before petting, and then begin by offering the back of the hand for a sniff. Further, they should pat the dog on the neck or chest. The dog may interpret a pat from above as a gesture of dominance. Teach your children to avoid fast or jerky movements around dogs, since these may trigger predatory behavior.

Be a tree when a dog approaches, standing straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Teach your children to make no eye contact, since some dogs view eye contact as a challenge. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible thing to do around a dog, because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs will just sniff and leave. Teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly from the area.

"Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked, or use a bike to block the dog. These strategies may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting with flesh.

Act like a log if knocked down: face down, legs together, curled into a ball with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal. Role-play these lessons with your child until they are ingrained. They may save your child's life.

Discuss safe behavior with your children and role-play how to approach dogs, when not to approach, and what to do if confronted or attacked.

To be fair, dogs aren't the biggest risk that children face growing up. Organized sports, for example, are 10 times more likely to result in a child's trip to the emergency room than are dogs.

But why take a chance? With summer here and children out and about more than the rest of the year, you need to make sure they know the risks and what to do. You can help protect your child from a dog bite, and it's always worth the time to do so. And sometimes the place to start is in your own family, with a dog who needs your attention now.

Q&A

Have cats checked on

when you take a trip

Q: How long can my cat stay home alone if I leave plenty of food and water? I don't have anyone to care for him while I am gone, up to four days at a time for business. -- S.W., via e-mail

A: How would you like to be left with food that's getting older by the minute, water that's developing a skin of slime and a bathroom where the toilet's backed up? That's pretty much what you're dealing with if you leave your cat unattended for more than a day.

Even worse, what if the water is spilled, or your cat eats all the food on Day One? And what if he gets seriously sick or injured and no one's around to help?

Or what if your home is broken into or a window left open and your cat escapes? In some areas, if your cat ends up in the local animal-control shelter, he could be killed as a stray before you even knew he was missing. (This is why collar and ID tags -- and a microchip -- are a must even for indoor-only cats.)

Although there are some time-release food dispensers that can keep a cat covered for a weekend in a pinch, your pet really should have someone check in at least once a day.

If you don't have friends, relatives or neighbors who can help, hire a pet sitter to come to your home. PetSitUSA.com, Petsitters.org and Petsit.com all offer searchable listings, or ask friends and co-workers for recommendations. (And check references!)

There are some really great pet sitters out there, and once you find the right one, you'll find that your trips will be easier with the peace of mind that comes from skipping the added worry of wondering about the pet you left behind. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Canine cancer cure?

Prevention is best

-- The best treatment for canine cancer is prevention. Restrict your dog's daily intake of food to maintain a fit body weight, and feed him a balanced, delicious high-quality diet with limited amounts of carbohydrates (sugars), moderate amounts of good-quality proteins and higher levels of n-3 fatty acids such as DHA. Consider supplementing omega-3 fatty acids to potentially reduce the risk of developing cancer. Add regular exercise to complete the list of preventive recommendations, and see your veterinarian if you suspect a problem, since early detection improves survival rates.

-- More than a third of lizard species in the world will be extinct by 2080, according to journal Science. The reason behind mass extinction is that the climate is changing too quickly for many species, especially the lizards who give live birth. These species have lower body temperatures that leave them more vulnerable to kill-offs. Almost 4 percent of lizard species are already extinct.

-- For the first time in modern England, a horse is being used to provide ambulance service. Chase, a 7-year-old horse, and his owner are replacing the traditional ambulance as the first responder at the Cannock Chase Country Park in Staffordshire. The team can get anywhere in the 3,000 acres of parkland within 15 minutes and are able to maneuver easier and more quickly than a vehicle can, officials say. In addition to his human partner, Chase carries many of the materials found on a regular ambulance, including a defibrillator, oxygen, blanket, splints and bandages, according to TheHorse.com -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

Every time I drive the 16 miles from our ranch to my hometown in northern Idaho, I pass dogs who are chained to a tree, a doghouse or just to a stake driven into the ground.

Make no mistake: These aren't the pets of loving, responsible owners who want to make sure they're safe when unsupervised, so they secure them temporarily. These dogs are imprisoned within the chain's radius for their entire lives.

In fact, in the years I've lived here, I've never seen these chained-up dogs run free. Sadly, millions of other pets across this country share their fate.

I seldom catch their gaze -- they tend to seem resigned to their sad fate -- but I always feel sadness for the dogs and frustration at their owners. If these folks knew that chaining a dog all the time can have serious consequences, would they change how they confine their animals? I like to think so.

Experts agree that chaining increases aggression in some dogs. It can also be the primary cause of severe or lethal dog attacks on people.

"Rather than protecting the owner or property, a chained dog is often fearful for itself, particularly poorly socialized dogs, or those with a previous negative experience," says Dr. Rolan Tripp, a PetConnection contributing editor and owner of AnimalBehavior.net. "When tethered and exposed to a potentially threatening stimulus, one thing the dog definitely knows is 'I can't get away.' In that circumstance, a reasonable response might be, 'Therefore I'm going to try to scare you away by growling,' or worse yet, biting."

"I specifically see increased aggression when a dog feels responsible for protecting the owner and that person's belongings," agrees Dr. Myrna Milani, author of several books on animal behavior. "Under those circumstances, restraint of any kind makes it impossible for the dog to freely explore any perceived threat to determine whether it poses any danger or get away from it if it does."

Finally adding to this chorus is Dr. Elizabeth Shull, a board-certified veterinary neurologist.

"In addition to frustration, the constant physical restraint promotes excessive territoriality, which may be manifested as aggression," she says. "These attacks are unnecessary as they are easily preventable by using a secure fence for containment."

The person on the other end of the teeth is often a young child who wandered into the dog's territory, or a delivery person who didn't notice a chained dog until it was too late. A bite is always a tragedy for the victim, but it's often a death sentence for the dog. An avoidable catastrophe for all, in so many cases.

Dogs are social animals. They need to have company to live normal, healthy lives. Most dogs live in a human family, which fills their biological need for companionship.

The worst punishment for people in prison is solitary confinement, while the military uses the silent treatment as a nonviolent but highly effective means of reprimand. But these are only temporary measures, while a dog may be committed to the same punishment for most of its life.

These punishments are only evoked on humans for terrible crimes, but what crimes did these poor dogs commit to deserve such a fate? Think about what happens to a dog's physical being and spirit if he never knows freedom, companionship, play, joy?

If you need to secure your dog, get a big fence. If you need a security system, then install an electronic one. If you want a dog, but aren't willing to love it and consider its needs, get a stuffed one.

Chaining a dog up all the time is no way to treat a thinking, breathing, trusting, loving creature.

Q&A

Little budgies big

on personality

Q: I am thinking about adding a bird to my family and was thinking specifically about a parakeet. What kind of investment will that entail? Are they messy? What kind of cage will I need? -- K.P., via e-mail

A: What we in the United States call a "parakeet" is really a "budgerigar," or budgie. (There are other varieties of parakeets besides budgies, which is why the distinction matters.) Budgies come in many colors and patterns, and two basic body types. The American style of budgie is slender and long compared to the husky, almost bulldog look of the English budgie. The personalities are the same, though.

Budgies are quite common and inexpensive compared to other parrots. Prices will vary, and birds typically can be found for less than $20, with rare colors on the higher side. It's worth paying more for a hand-raised bird, if you can find one, because taming an aviary-bred pet who has never been handled can be difficult.

All birds are messy, but a little budgie needs less cleaning up afterward than will a larger parrot.

Because they're so common, budgies are often dismissed as "just" a children's pet. But a friendly budgie can be a loving and entertaining pet for anyone, regardless of age or bird-care experience.

As for housing, the best guideline for choosing a cage is to look at the one specified for your bird -- and then go at least one or even two sizes bigger. For pets who spend a lot of their lives in confinement, it's only fair that they have as much room as possible. When you're looking at cages, though, check bar spacing to ensure the gaps are too narrow to allow escape.

Budgies are parrots, and so should be fed like them. Choose a high-quality pelleted diet and complement it with a wide variety of healthy "people food." Give seeds sparingly. Their best use is as a treat in training. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pet insurance slow

to grow in the U.S.

-- The pet health insurance business started in 1924, when a Swedish company issued a policy to cover a dog. It wasn't until 1982 that such coverage became available in the U.S., when the celebrity collie Lassie became the first to be granted a policy. While the industry is growing in the United States with more companies and a greater variety of coverage options, there are still plenty of pet lovers who have not been sold on the concept. In Sweden, half of pet owners carry coverage, while about a quarter do in the United Kingdom. In the U.S., fewer than 3 percent of owners have health insurance coverage on their pets.

-- The Guinness Book of World Records has stopped listing animals in the "fattest" category, concerned that record-seeking owners will put their pets' health at risk to be a record-holder. Surveys of veterinarians report that about 60 percent of all cats and half of all dogs are overweight or obese.

-- For those who have thought ahead and made a disaster-preparedness plan, almost four of five say their pets are included, according to a report by the American Veterinary Medical Association. With hurricane season again threatening millions in the Southeast, now is a great time to develop a plan if you don't have one, or to review plans if you do have them. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

Pets don't try to hold it, move to a more discrete area or blame it on their human family. It's usually no secret when a pet passes gas and commits a four-pawed faux pas. They don't giggle with embarrassment or blush.

Intestinal gas is just a natural part of digestion, after all, however funny we humans may find it.

While dogs seem to be the main offenders, cats are also prone to flatulence, although they produce less gas, and their tendency to keep their distance makes their gassiness less noticeable. Plus, there's a big auditory and olfactory difference between a flatulent 10-pound feline and a gassy 120-pound Great Dane.

But if you are like most people, you'd like to find ways to wind down the passing of wind. Here are a few tips:

A wind walker: Exercise helps move everything along the digestive tract and out the back door. Just remember to stay upwind and pick up after your pet.

Watch what you feed: Consider a change of diet. While gas is a normal byproduct of digestion, if your pet is gassy as a blimp, his diet may need some adjustments. Talk to your veterinarian not only about your pet's regular meals, but also about any between-meal snacks he is enjoying, whether you're handing them out or he's finding them himself. For cats, especially, realize that while they may enjoy milk, many don't digest it well. To see if your cat is among these, stop the dairy for a bit and see if it helps.

Say "know" to supplements: Supplements are a mixed bag: Some may increase gas, while others may aid digestion. Again, your veterinarian can help you sort out the choices and their pros and cons. One supplement that may well help is the introduction of beneficial bacteria -- probiotics -- that help with digestion.

Fast eaters and short faces mean more gas: Not only do wolfers swallow air when they inhale their food, but they often overeat as well, backing up the digestive system. Pets with short noses -- pugs and bulldogs, for example -- are also not designed for an optimal intake situation. The result of swallowed air and excess fermentation is belches, flatulence or both. Several companies make bowls designed to slow down gulpers. You can also toss the bowl and feed from food puzzles -- toys that make a pet work to get food a little bit at a time.

Some veterinarians and grateful pet owners also swear by a product called CurTail. The same as Beano for people, this anti-gas product contains an enzyme that helps break down food, so that it can be digested more fully with more internal combustion and less, shall we say, external combustion.

While we sometimes laugh when the dog passes gas, some top veterinarians caution that sometimes peculiar, persistent smells are more than meets the nose. In fact, sometimes underlying medical problems can generate those nasty gasses that are more like tear gas than laughing gas.

That means that if the situation is beyond the occasional toot session, the odors are especially noxious -- yes, I realize it's relative -- and the strategies I've shared seem not to help at all, you need to get your pet in for a veterinary checkup. There may be something more serious going on.

In other words: If you really want to clear the air, see your veterinarian.

Q&A

Cat spraying is not

a litter-box problem

Q: Our cat has suddenly started spraying urine on the furniture. We've squirted him, spanked him and yelled at him, but it doesn't help. He's still using the litter box, just not all the time. My husband says if it doesn't stop, the cat goes out. Can you help?

A: The application of urine to mark territory is different from the release of urine to eliminate waste from the body. The strategies for addressing spraying are different from those that you use in getting a cat to use a litter box.

That said, the first step is exactly the same: Take your cat in to see his veterinarian to make sure there isn't a health issue triggering this change in behavior. Your veterinarian's office is the place to start with behavior problems of any kind, especially when they come on suddenly in previously well-mannered pets.

Although both male and female cats may spray, unneutered males are the biggest offenders. Neutering takes care of the problem in the majority of cases if done before sexual maturity is attained. While neutering isn't quite as effective on adult cats, it's worthwhile to alter older spraying cats.

For those cats who don't respond to neutering, environmental stresses -- such as a new person or pet in the house or a neighbor's cat in the yard -- may be triggering the spraying. Anti-anxiety medication may help (talk to your veterinarian), as can cleaning sprayed areas thoroughly and covering them with foil to discourage fresh marking. The pheromone-based aerosol products made by Feliway may also help calm your cat and reduce the urge to spray.

Don't punish your cat for spraying, even if you catch him in the act. Doing so makes him even more anxious and more likely to mark. Punishment is never a good strategy when trying to solve behavior problems in cats. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pet industry expands

as population grows

-- Looking for a new career? The demand for pet-related services continues to increase along with the number of pets and the need many people have for help with their care. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 20 percent increase in the number of animal trainers in the next decade, with nearly 60,000 working as trainers by 2018. The Bureau's observations match those of pet-industry experts who have long noted a steady increase in services such as canine day-care providers, dog exercisers and yard-cleanup companies.

-- Property owners in California will no longer be allowed to demand that dogs be debarked and cats be declawed as a condition for renting if a bill in the state legislature becomes law. The bill would also forbid landlords from giving preferential treatment to tenants with declawed or devocalized animals and from advertising in a way designed to discourage applicants whose animals have not been surgically altered in such a way.

-- As the pet health insurance industry continues to grow with more companies entering the market, the kinds of pets being insured is expanding as well. Veterinary Pet Insurance reports that more than 5,000 animals besides dogs and cats have been insured with the company. The number is still small -- VPI insures nearly half a million animals overall -- but continues to grow. The company reports issuing policies to 334 guinea pigs, 38 hedgehogs, seven ducks, 10 doves, 19 pot-bellied pigs, 18 sugar gliders, one goose, one hawk and one pigeon, 60 iguanas, four boa constrictors, 18 pythons and 1,437 rabbits. (Note: VPI is a sponsor of PetConnection.com.) -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon