Dogs make for great news, especially dogs that perform unusual acts that benefit their humans. Unfortunately, the media are not subject matter experts on dog behavior and can be guilty of misinterpreting or oversimplifying the dog stories they’re reporting.
In the following news article, a family dog exhibits reactive and possibly aggressive behavior toward the family’s babysitter. The article details abusive behavior perpetrated against the child and witnessed by the dog. The family discovered the abuse when their dog’s unusual behavior toward the babysitter prompted them to set a voice recorder.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/hero-dog-saves-boy-from-abusive-babysitter/
As professional dog trainers, we know that most reactive and aggressive behavior exhibited by dogs is not in response to witnessing the bad acts of an individual or an indication of that individual’s bad character. It’s important to educate your clients as to the causes and treatment of aggression and reactivity. People-friendly dogs may respond adversely to a “different” person, including people of an ethnicity, mobility, or state of health that they have not routinely encountered. Some dogs have more generalized reactivity to people unknown to them.
Be aware that you will routinely encounter misconceptions, whether influenced by the media or otherwise, and that part of your job as a certified dog trainer is to help your clients make training decisions based upon accurate information, not misconceptions.