Very upset - my dog accused of biting an elderly man

[Dogmama]

Back in ancient times when we were doing obedience work, we were taught to knee a dog in the chest or face to discourage jumping. Not as the dog handler, but as someone being approached by a jumper. What's the thinking nowadays when you see it coming?

The handler/owner tells the dog to sit.

Obviously, I wasn't there and I'm not making excuses for anybody BUT - if the man had a stoop, it's possible the dog misinterpreted it as a gesture to interact. We've all seen how people interact with a small dog - they stoop over.

[PamNY]

Obviously, I wasn't there and I'm not making excuses for anybody BUT - if the man had a stoop, it's possible the dog misinterpreted it as a gesture to interact. We've all seen how people interact with a small dog - they stoop over.

That's a very good observation. As you said, not to make excuses, but to better understand how our dogs view the world.

One of my rescues was afraid of drunk people, and he was very alarmed by elderly people with a shuffling gait. At first I when I saw that reaction I though "What now?" On reflection, it made a lot of sense. Drunks walk funny, and there is a similarity with alcohol-impaired gait.