Hecht, an assistant professor in Harvard’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, spearheads “The Canine Brains Project” to help us to better understand why dogs are the way they are. Understanding an individual dog’s profile is important for management and treatment.”Hecht said in addition to knowing what triggers a dog may have, most dogs also show physical warning signs before biting. To prevent incidents, she said, dog owners should learn the signs to keep themselves and others safe. “Depending on the dog, that plan might include medical treatment, training strategies, adjusting the dog’s environment, adjusting the behavior of the people in the environment, or choosing to move the dog to a different environment,” she said. The study looks at dogs with and without traumatic early life experiences, and with and without current fear and aggression issues.
