To the Editor:

I’m writing to applaud Silvia4Dogs’ article on dog communications and ask that all dog owners/fosters read it, think about it and watch your dog to learn what your dog is trying to communicate to you.

A few months ago I was bitten by a dog who gave every signal he could possibly think of to let the humans around him know that he was feeling very threatened and uncomfortable. He hid behind his master’s legs, panted, began to slaver, then bite his lead. The humans, on the other hand, didn’t know each other, so we were very focused on communicating on our level. I noticed the dog’s discomfort but was busy trying to be nice.

Luckily, I was wearing a couple layers of clothing, so only received a bruise on my chest (where he first lunged) and a small abrasion and lots of bruises on my arm when I tried to protect myself. His human was able to pull him off easily and the dog was calm after the attack. We were all shocked!!

So if you share your life with a dog -- be aware of your pet, know his/her signals and act on them regardless of the situation.

Name withheld