It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Here’s what you need to know to keep yourself and your dog safe

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Dogs bite. They don’t have hands, but their teeth allow them to grasp objects, find and eat food, and protect themselves.

They bite in defense, out of fear, because they don’t feel well or are in pain, to protect items -- or people -- they value, and they bite in play. But for us to live safely with them, dogs need to learn never to put their teeth on humans.

Too often, owners excuse a bite: “It’s just a nip; he didn’t break the skin”; “She’s just a puppy; she’ll learn”; “He was just playing”; “She doesn’t feel good”; “He’s too small to do any damage”; “She was startled.”

But bites for any reason can be expensive for owners and, in the case of multiple bites, can be a death sentence for a dog. Dog bite laws vary by city, county and state (find yours here: findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/dog-bite-laws-by-state.html), but often if a person goes to the doctor or emergency room with a dog-bite injury, doctors are required to report it to animal control or local health officials. Then the dog has a record. A second or third bite could cause them to be deemed dangerous or even to be euthanized. Owners may lose renters insurance, face increased rates for homeowners insurance or be required to pay fines or restitution.

“Dog bites are a symptom of bigger issues going on,” says Amy Pike, DVM, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Fairfax, Virginia. “Whether it be something medical that needs to be treated or something like fear, anxiety and stress that needs to be addressed, blowing it off doesn’t do anybody any good.”

Here’s what to know about preventing bites.

Dogs don’t bite without warning, even if the bite seems to “come out of nowhere.” They signal fear, anxiety and stress through body language and vocalizations such as staring, standing stiffly, moving their tail slowly and stiffly, pushing their lips forward, raising the hair on their back (raised hackles), barking, growling and snapping. For new or inexperienced owners, some of these signs can be subtle and go unnoticed until the dog feels forced to escalate to a bite.

Let sleeping dogs lie. “A lot of people don’t like to be disturbed while they’re resting, and we should be mindful that many dogs also don’t like to be interacted with when they are resting or sleeping,” Dr. Pike says. “Keep a hands-off approach when they are in those comfortable positions.”

Some dogs are triggered by motion. On walks, be aware of approaching bicyclists, skateboarders and joggers. Avoid using long lines or extendable leashes, which can give dogs too much leeway to chase. Walk during quieter times of day or in less crowded areas. When you see a biker or jogger approaching, put some distance between you, and be prepared to distract and redirect your dog with high-value treats or toys.

When meeting someone else’s dog, don’t stick your hand out to let the dog sniff you. “You are thrusting a body part of yours directly into their face, which can be threatening to a dog,” Pike says. It also may involve leaning over the dog, which is also threatening. Instead, stand sideways and let the dog approach you. If he doesn’t want to, that’s OK. You don’t need to pet him.

Learning how to appropriately interact with a dog and recognize body language cues is an important life skill, whether you own the dog yourself or are interacting with someone else’s dog. Don’t hesitate to seek help from your veterinarian, a veterinary behaviorist or a qualified positive-reinforcement trainer if your dog bites or threatens to bite. You may find that he’s in pain or that you need to provide appropriate training, behavior modification and management.

Doing so can save yourself or another person from injury, and it can save your dog’s life.

Q&A

Your new cat’s

shopping list

Q: I’m getting a cat! What do I need to buy beforehand?

A: Congratulations! Here’s what you need before bringing your cat home.

-- Collar and tag. You want what’s called a “breakaway collar,” one that comes off easily if it gets caught on something. Have the tag engraved with your name, phone number (cell and landline if you have both) and address if there’s room. On the other side, you could add information such as “I’m microchipped” or “indoor cat; if I’m outside, I’m lost.” When you put the collar on, ideally before you leave the shelter or the breeder’s home, you should be able to fit two fingers comfortably between it and your cat’s neck. Check it regularly to make sure it’s not too loose or too tight.

-- Carrier. This can be soft- or hard-sided. Look for one with a top that can be unzipped or easily removed.

-- Litter box. Cats typically prefer open litter boxes so they can see any dangers that might be approaching, like another cat, or your dog. A good rule of paw is that it should be 1.5 times your cat’s length -- including tail.

-- Litter. Ask what litter the cat is used to using, and get some of that. You can change it later. Avoid strongly scented litter -- most cats don’t like it.

-- Food. Ask what the cat has been eating, and start with that. You can switch to a new food later, gradually mixing it with the former food over a period of seven to 10 days to avoid stomach upset. Get a couple of stainless steel or ceramic bowls for food and water.

-- Grooming tools. The basics include a comb, slicker or curry brush, and nail clippers.

-- Last but not least: toys, treats and a bed. You’re set! -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Giant rabbit joins

SFO Wag Brigade

-- Anxious travelers at San Francisco International Airport can seek out cuddles from the newest member of SFO’s Wag Brigade: a 28-pound Flemish giant rabbit named Alex. Flemish giants are the largest of the rabbit breeds and have a reputation as gentle giants. Other members of the Wag Brigade include a pig named Lilou and 14 dogs, among them Bombay, a chocolate Lab; Brody, a cavalier King Charles spaniel; Lia, a corgi; and Tzigan, a Bolognese (no, he’s not an Italian sauce). All the members of the Wag Brigade are graduates of San Francisco SPCA’s animal assisted therapy program.

-- What should chickens eat? They need a balanced commercial food supplemented with tasty worms, insects, vegetables and leafy greens. Chicken diets typically come in such formulations as starter, grower, maintenance and layer, so you can choose the one that’s right for your chickens’ life stage. For chicks, feed in the form of mashes or crumbles can be easiest to eat. Avoid giving chickens large amounts of spinach or chard: Those greens are high in oxalic acid and can bind available calcium in the gut. Chickens will love some kale, arugula or lettuce, though; just don’t give greens with salad dressing!

-- April has a lot going on. It’s Pet First Aid Awareness Month, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month, National Heartworm Awareness Month and National Frog Month. National Pet Day is April 11, and World Hamster Day is April 12. Also on the calendar are National Lost Dog Awareness Day on April 23, National Pet Parents Day on April 24, National Kids and Pets Day on April 28, Hairball Awareness Day on April 29, and National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, National Therapy Animal Day and World Veterinary Day on April 30. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Meet the dogs, cats and birds who have led us to greater knowledge about learning, language, prosthetics, archaeology and genetics

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

You’ve probably heard of Pavlov’s dogs, but are you familiar with some of the other animals who have contributed to scientific knowledge?

Alex the African grey, whose name was formed from the words “avian learning experiment,” had a vocabulary of more than 100 words, could identify 50 different objects, and was able to distinguish multiple colors and shapes and understand the concepts “bigger,” “smaller,” “same” and “different.” He showed that it didn’t take a large primate brain to demonstrate cognitive and communicative abilities, including answering -- and asking -- questions. Alex died in 2005, but Griffin, another African grey, is continuing to teach us more about intelligence in birds and humans.

The cave paintings at Lascaux in France reflect Paleolithic human use of images to tell a story. But we might not know about them if a dog named Robot, exploring with his owner Marcel Ravidat, hadn’t disappeared down a shaft that opened into a cave with walls covered in stunning depictions of animals, including horses and large wildcats. From it, archaeologists have gleaned new information about the technological and artistic skills of Paleolithic humans as well as new perspectives on hunting practices and implements and the changing environment of the time.

Chaser was a border collie with a big vocabulary, thanks to owner John W. Pilley, a retired psychology professor, who taught her to identify and retrieve more than 1,000 toys by name. She recognized words such as “house,” “tree” and “ball,” and she could use her skills to understand and respond to sentences containing multiple grammatical elements. An example of her intelligence was the ability to infer the name of a new object by excluding objects with names she already knew.

Bionic cat Oscar earned his scientific bona fides in 2010, when he became the first feline to receive prosthetic legs attached directly to his anklebones after his hind paws were severed in an accident with a combine harvester. The technique, called intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthesis, is now used in humans and works by fusing flesh and metal together, sealing out dirt and bacteria. Other animals have benefited from the prosthetic technology as well.

Mr. Green Genes, born in 2008, was the first fluorescent cat in the United States. Certain cats have been genetically modified to glow green -- not to serve as nightlights, but to aid in research to prevent HIV in humans and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) in cats. In 2011, five kittens modified to glow received a gene that may make them resistant to FIV. The fluorescent green color results from a separate gene that was added to indicate whether the anti-FIV gene was incorporated into the genome. The genetic modification doesn’t harm the cats and may one day help cats with FIV and humans with HIV.

CC, which stands for CopyCat or Carbon Copy, was the first feline clone, created in 2001 from Rainbow, a calico domestic shorthair, and carried to term by an unnamed tabby. CC herself was a tabby-and-white domestic shorthair, not a carbon copy of Rainbow at all, thanks to X-chromosome inactivation, which occurs normally and randomly in female cats. The random nature of X-inactivation meant that CC developed without any cells that specified orange coat color. In 2006, CC gave birth to four kittens, fathered naturally, three of whom survived. She lived to be 18 years old, dying in 2020.

Snuppy, the first canine clone, was developed from a single cell taken from the ear of Tai, an adult Afghan hound. He was born in 2005 at South Korea’s Seoul National University, hence his name. Snuppy lived to be 10 years old, dying of cancer. Tai, his cell donor, lived to be 12 years old and also died of cancer. Snuppy “fathered” four more clones, and three survived puppyhood. Their health and longevity are being studied in comparison to that of Snuppy and Tai.

Q&A

Beware of plastic

bag hazards

Q: My dog got his head stuck in a potato chip bag, and if we hadn’t noticed quickly, he could have suffocated. Can you warn people about that, please?

A: Absolutely. That’s such an important reminder as we’re heading into warmer weather and spring and summer barbecue season. And, of course, most of us keep bags of chips and other snacks in our homes year-round. For tips, I turned to my colleague Jason Nicholas, DVM, at preventivevet.com, because I know he sees sad stories of this type on a regular basis.

Plastic snack bags filled with chips, pretzels and other goodies (or even empty bags) can be serious risks for curious or hungry pets. They don’t have hands, so their method of exploration is to stick their head inside to get at those tasty, salty crumbs. And if they can’t get their heads back out, pets can suffocate in just a few minutes if their people are out of the room or unaware of their predicament, he says. Be sure all family members, including kids, are aware of the risks and don’t leave bags -- empty or otherwise -- lying around.

The best thing to do with empty snack bags -- especially if your dog has a habit of raiding the trash -- is to open them at the bottom and then tear along the side of the bag so that what you end up with is a flat sheet. Get in the habit of doing that with every bag: pet food bags, pet treat bags, chip bags, cereal box liners. That’s a great preventive step not only for pets, but it can also protect wildlife and stray animals who may get into your garbage.

You can find more safety tips at preventivevet.com/pet-suffocation and at preventpetsuffocation.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Maine shelter

finds cats jobs

-- Is your office hiring? If you’re in Waterville, Maine, the local animal shelter may be able to help. Because every workplace needs an office cat, right? The Humane Society Waterville Area has a “hiring” program to suit any cat-seeking business, from warehouses to daycares to nursing homes and more. Cats are paid with food, water and shelter, and businesses benefit from the presence of a furry stress reliever and mouse deterrent. For more information, go to hswa.org, or contact your local shelter about starting a similar program.

-- A bird’s posture can tell you a lot about how they’re feeling. Here are some clues: A bird who’s crouching, head downward, wants a nice head or neck scratch. But the same bird who’s crouching, head downward, with eyes flashing, is not so happy. The message: “Make my day!” Save yourself from a bite and back off until he’s more relaxed. A bird who is crouching, head down, with a relaxed body and raised or fluttering wings, desires your attention, in a come-hither kind of way. Body and head up, both relaxed, signal a bird who’s being friendly, especially if she’s moving toward you.

-- Many Victorian-era artists made their living painting the prize-winning dogs and family pets of the aristocracy. One of the best known was Sir Edwin Landseer, whose work even today is highly sought after by dog-loving art collectors. Landseer’s canine portraits of the Newfoundland were so popular that the black-and-white variety bear his name; they’re known as Landseer Newfoundlands. Landseer is also responsible for the idea that Saint Bernards carried small casks of brandy hanging from their collars to revive lost travelers. That image came solely from Landseer’s imagination, but after he painted it, people with Saint Bernards began attaching casks to their dogs’ collars. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Whether you’re an art lover or a cat lover, you’ll find that your interests collide in the capital city of The Netherlands

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Just around the corner and across the canal from our hotel, we saw it: De Poezenboot. While the name looks as if it might be a riff on Puss in Boots, it’s actually the name of a unique shelter for cats -- the Cat Boat.

While Amsterdam doesn’t have a large population of free-roaming cats -- at least not in the center of the city -- there are always some cats who need a temporary or permanent home. The Poezenboot (pronounced POOH-sen boat) was founded for them 54 years ago by cat lover Henriette van Weelde, who found herself caring for more cats than her home could comfortably hold. Her solution was to buy a barge where they could live safely and comfortably.

Today, the Poezenboot can house up to 50 cats, although at the time of our visit a few weeks ago, there were about 25. Some, like Beyaz, a blind white cat who was making the most of a lap provided by a visitor from Alabama, have a home for life, but others are available for adoption. Cats coming in make a two-week stay in a quarantine room before being integrated into the larger cat area, which is amply stocked with cat toys, beds and other feline paraphernalia.

A fleet of volunteers cares for the cats, who have the run of a large room, including a door to the outside, also fitted out with beds and ledges for sunbathing cats. A high fence ensures that they don’t take an accidental dip in the canal.

The Poezenboot welcomes visitors three days a week who must make an appointment online and use hand sanitizer before entering the cat room. Entry is free, but the Poezenboot is supported entirely by donations, so don’t forget to drop some euros in the contribution box as you leave. And if you yearn to bring a cat home but can’t, you can choose one to sponsor instead. See the website -- depoezenboot.nl/en -- to make a reservation or donation.

Art lovers can get their cat fix in an unusual way: a visit to the Kattenkabinet, a museum devoted to the feline persuasion (kattenkabinet.nl/en). Located in a grand old home on the Herengracht, the canal where 17th-century movers and shakers built their abodes, the museum was founded in 1990 by Bob Meijer in memory of his cat John Pierpont Morgan. Meijer and his family still live above the museum.

The Kattenkabinet contains paintings, posters, photographs, lithographs, drawings, sculptures and more of, yes, cats. Among the artists whose works are represented are art nouveau painter Theophile Steinlen; Henriette Ronner-Knip, a 19th-century portrait artist who specialized in cats, dogs and landscapes; early impressionist Edouard Manet; cubism pioneer Pablo Picasso; and Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt van Rijn. Morgan himself can be seen in some of the more modern works, such as Dutch painter and cartoonist Aart Clerkx’s depiction of him on a $1 bill, with the motto “We Trust No Dog.”

As befits a museum devoted to them, several cats wander the five rooms of the floor where the art is displayed, rubbing up against a corner or sprawling on a sunlit chair or table, awaiting the attentions of visitors.

Visitors to two of Amsterdam’s art heavyweights -- the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum -- can also see depictions of cats in art. Cats in paintings represent themes ranging from deceit to danger to domesticity. Some works featuring cats to look for at these museums include Gabriel Metsu’s “The Cat’s Breakfast” and Henriette Ronner’s “The Cat at Play” (Rijksmuseum) and Vincent van Gogh’s sketch “Hand with Bowl and a Cat” at the Van Gogh Museum.

Q&A

Buy bird from

educated retailer

Q: I’m ready to buy a pet bird. What should I look for in a pet store?

A: It’s always a good idea to make sure sellers are knowledgeable and ethical. Here’s what to consider.

Employees at pet or specialty bird stores should be well-informed about the species they sell, able to tell you the care, personality and health differences between, say, a yellow-naped Amazon and an African grey.

Store employees should know about proper nutrition, cage size, toys and other paraphernalia birds need. Run from retailers or breeders who promote an all-seed diet for birds; they’re not up on the latest avian nutritional knowledge.

Avoid purchasing from stores where employees proffer medical advice and promote over-the-counter products instead of advising you to take a sick bird to a qualified avian specialist.

Welcome staff who ask you about your personality, your home environment and what you’re looking for in a bird so they can help match you with the perfect parrot or other feathered friend. Don’t think of their questions as an intrusion, but as their concern for ensuring that you and your bird will suit each other and become best friends.

Look for a store that is clean, bright and odor-free. There’s nothing wrong with temporary untidiness -- it takes a lot of work to clean up after birds! -- but be concerned if you see evidence of long-term unsanitary practices, such as a deep pile of feces beneath perches.

Good stores carry a variety of appropriate cages, playpens, toys, perches, formulated diets, and reference books and magazines. They offer grooming and boarding services in an area separate from birds for sale, reducing the risk of exposure to disease for their own birds and client birds.

Go with the retailer who shows evidence of current knowledge and a willingness to share information. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Donations for

Ukraine pets

-- The American Veterinary Medical Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, is directing a $100,000 donation from Merck Animal Health -- plus its own $100,000 match -- to support veterinary and animal welfare groups providing relief to Ukrainian refugees and their pets. Donations will be used to provide food, medical care, disaster relief and emergency support. People who wish to support these efforts can do so through AVMF at avmf.org/donate.

-- When people go to the emergency room, it’s usually because they are in pain. Therapy dogs to the rescue! A study published earlier this month in the journal PLOS One by University of Saskatchewan researchers found that visits from therapy dogs bring more than smiles. In the controlled study, which had more than 200 participants, patients at an emergency room were asked to rate their pain levels before and after a visit from a therapy dog team. Patients who received a 10-minute visit from a therapy dog team experienced significant improvements in pain, anxiety, depression and well-being, compared to those in the control group, who did not interact with therapy dogs.

-- People who are immunocompromised can have concerns about keeping pets, but taking precautions can help them stay safe. North Carolina veterinarian Lee Pickett, VMD, makes the following suggestions for cat lovers: Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to animals that could carry disease and parasites; deworm cats monthly, and have their veterinarian conduct fecal testing twice yearly to reduce risk of exposure to intestinal parasites; have another family member scoop the litter box, or wear gloves and a mask and wash hands afterward; keep cats on a flea preventive year-round; keep cat claws trimmed; immediately wash any scratches with soap and water and call your physician for advice; and wash hands after handling cats and before meals. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.