Can You Trust a Dog?

"I don't like one of your ownership rules," writes an offended website visitor. "'Never leave a dog alone with a child'? That's ridiculous. My dog is totally trustworthy around my kids!"

The first step in any debate is to pin down definitions of words, so as to eliminate any misunderstandings. Trust can be difficult to define. But, in essence, if you trust a dog, you have a feeling of certainty that the dog will not fail your expectations.

The key phrase in this definition is "your expectations." What you expect from a dog may be very different from what I expect from a dog. I think this explains why some owners get a bit hot under the collar when presented with responsible management rules.

The problem is that some owners trust their dog to think and behave like a human, not like a dog. However, responsible canine management requires the owner to acknowledge that dogs behave like dogs, not humans.

Can you trust a dog? Yes—you can trust that a dog will behave like a dog. You can also trust that a dog will not behave like a person.

You can trust a dog to:

• Jump up on people
• Bark
• Bite
• Chase moving objects
• Fight
• Lick
• Whine
• Scratch and paw
• Run around
• And so on

If you own a dog, he will not let you down if you expect these behaviors.

You cannot trust a dog to:

• Distinguish "good guys" from "bad guys"
• Suppress predatory instinct when faced with shrill noises and small, fast-moving objects
• Lie down and accept a painful or frightening situation
• Stay in the yard when the gate is wide open and adventure is calling
• Do something just because you said so
• Pop out of the womb fully trained
• Be a "good dog" without any guidance
• Understand human morals, virtues, and expectations

So, what is it that you expect from your dog? Are your expectations realistic?

If you...	Then you...	Because
leave your dog alone with your children or your other pets	are trusting your dog to behave like a human	you assume the dog won't be upset by loud noises, painful events (child jamming pencil into dog's ear), or fast-moving objects (cat running around)
take your dog on off-leash walks in your neighborhood	are trusting your dog to behave like a human	you assume the dog will "know better" than to chase after the neighbor's cat or a squirrel, or run in front of a car, or run up to another dog walker's dog (which could cause a fight)
let your dog "guard" the yard	are trusting your dog to behave like a human	you expect your dog to know the difference between a mail carrier, a Girl Scout, a meter reader, the garbage collector, and an actual thief

But

If you...	Then you...	Because
always watch your dog when he interacts with children or other pets	are trusting your dog to behave like a dog	you know the dog might be upset or overstimulated by rough play, and you are prepared to act as a referee to be sure no one gets hurt
keep your dog on leash whenever you take the dog off your property	are trusting your dog to behave like a dog	you acknowledge your dog's predatory instincts, and you want to keep your dog out of all kinds of trouble (traffic, other dogs, etc)
keep your dog as an indoor companion and family member	are trusting your dog to behave like a dog	dogs crave companionship, affection, attention, and inclusion; the human is the decision-maker and leader, not the dog

In order to be a responsible dog owner, you can and should trust your dog—by expecting your dog to behave like a dog in all circumstances.

The problem is that most dog owners extend that trust too far; they believe their dog will act and think like a human being. When it comes to dogs, that is neither the appropriate expectation to have, nor the correct definition of trust.

It is inevitably these owners—the ones who "trust" their dogs to act like people—who get riled up about ownership management rules. Like the unhappy website visitor who emailed me, these owners are actually offended by the suggestion that their dog is not really trustworthy by itself around children. In part, this is because they cling to the wrong definition of trust.

The perception of common-sense canine management rules as necessary only for "bad" dogs is completely off-base, but it has troublesome side effects. When responsible owners follow such rules, people who do not understand dog behavior ultimately fall into the same trap that novice dog owners do; they feel that an owner who follows management rules has no faith in his or her dog—the dog is a "bad" dog. And since the dog is a "bad" dog, that makes the owner seem like a "bad" owner.

Although I understand that some dog owners may find it difficult to follow all of the management rules, in part because they don't want their dog to seem like a "bad" dog, because they want their dog to look "trustworthy" to everyone else, I do not consider it a good excuse to disregard such rules. The rules exist to ensure the safety of the dog, the dog's family, and the public. They apply equally to all dogs, regardless of breed or type, and all owners, no matter how experienced or inexperienced. Management rules are based on the assumption that dogs can be trusted to act like dogs.

Once, at a park, a woman came up to me and asked, "Why don't you let your dog off-leash so he can have some fun? Don't you trust him?"

Yes, I do trust him. I trust him to behave like a dog. And that's why he's staying on the leash.