Q: A couple of years ago, I adopted a 7-week-old dachshund mix. One night while lying beside him on a rug in our den, he attacked my face. Our veterinarian suggested he be put to sleep, which is what we did. I still love and miss him all the time. What could have made him turn on me? He was absolutely crazy about me. Any insight? -- J.H., via e-mail

A: It is natural for you to grieve your loss.

You adopted a puppy in the middle of a critical socialization period. We don't know if your puppy attended socialization classes, puppy day care, or went through any other deliberate "schooling" in those early weeks. We do know that, one way or the other, he learned how to get your attention and what response to expect when he communicated what he wanted in canine language. Our guess is that he expected to get most everything he asked of you.

We love these little guys so much that we tend to cater to their cute ways. When our dogs look at us in a certain way or nudge us, we respond by giving what we think they want -- petting, food, play, a walk or even backing off. It's normal for a dog to believe under these circumstances that he controls the people who serve him.

The problem comes when the owner inadvertently does not follow a "canine command." Dogs may or may not growl before they bite. Instead, they may warn us by using body language such as freezing or tensing up -- a sign that people often miss.

You did not mention whether or not your dog had food, a toy or some kind of chew at the time he lunged at your face. Without seeing his body language and yours, and without knowing many more details about your everyday interactions, it is impossible to say exactly why he attacked you. (Medical problems or even mental health issues can also be at the root of canine aggression.)

If a dog feels control over his environment and his people, he is more likely to respond aggressively to enforce that control. So if your dog thought it was possible you were going to take away an object or even pet him without his permission, and if he tried to warn you by tensing up and you didn't understand his body language, then escalating to a lunge would be normal canine behavior.

If you decide to get another puppy, ask your veterinarian to refer you to puppy classes to help you learn how to raise a dog in ways to help prevent the development of canine aggression.

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.