At least that’s the implication of a new study from Kansas State University that indicates dog owners that kiss their pets are no more likely to be infected with dangerous strains of bacteria than those who don’t. The real risk, say the researches, is to the dog.

A close examination of dog and owner poop — the duty of a graduate student, no doubt — revealed that owners’ intestinal tracts contained far more antibiotic-resistant bacteria than did the dogs’. Don’t hold back the love though. Swapping slobber with your dog isn’t too dangerous for them. In fact, the article’s authors suggest bonding with pets through kisses and food sharing underlies many of the psychological benefits of pet ownership, for both of you. It turns out the greatest danger is in allowing your dog to lick your grubby paws.

“Halt! Wash your hands.” That’s a good human.

Photo: ktylerconk

“Dogs have evolved to see well in both bright and dim light, whereas humans do best in bright light. No one is quite sure how much better a dog sees in dim light, but I would suspect that dogs are not quite as good as cats,” which can see in light that’s six times dimmer than our lower limit. Dogs, he says, “can probably see in light five times dimmer than a human can see in.”

Dogs have many adaptations for low-light vision, Miller says. A larger pupil lets in more light. The center of the retina has more of the light-sensitive cells (rods), which work better in dim light than the color-detecting cones. The light-sensitive compounds in the retina respond to lower light levels. And the lens is located closer to the retina, making the image on the retina brighter.

But the canine’s biggest advantage is called the tapetum. This mirror-like structure in the back of the eye reflects light, giving the retina a second chance to register light that has entered the eye. “Although the tapetum improves vision in dim light, it also scatters some light, degrading the dog’s vision from the 20:20 that you and I normally see to about 20:80,” Miller says.

The tapetum also causes dog eyes to glow at night.

When confronting the natural tendency of our best friends to wake the dead whenever the doorbell rings, McConnell said it is essential to remember that “dogs do not come equipped to understand English” and yelling at a barking dog is perceived by the dog as … barking. To eliminate barking on cue, say, when the doorbell rings, McConnell suggests the following: Arm yourself with a dog treat and ring the doorbell yourself. When a barking Spike bounds to the door, move toward the dog and, in a firm tone, say “enough” just before bringing the treat to within an inch of the dog’s nose.

Using the treat as a lure, move the dog away from the door while praising the animal. Give Spike the treat while praising him. Repeat the exercise multiple times, said McConnell, and the odds are you can break the dog of its barking habit.

Barking, McConnell explained, is hitched to the emotional center of the dog brain. Offering the treat and praise while moving the animal away from the source of emotional conflict creates a situation where distraction stops the barking and the dog’s effort to remain quiet is rewarded.