DEAR HARRIETTE: Over Memorial Day weekend, I hosted a small get-together at my home with my extended family.

My cousin brought her 1-year-old son, who’s just starting to walk and explore the world around him. He’s a sweet little boy and was especially fascinated by my dog.

The problem is that my dog has never been great around small children. He’s anxious by nature and tends to get overstimulated easily. I usually keep him away from kids for that reason, but in the chaos of the day, I let my guard down.

At one point, before anyone could intervene, the baby startled my dog, and my dog reacted by biting him. It wasn’t just a nip, either. It was a hard bite, and it left a mark.

Thankfully, the injury wasn’t severe, but it was enough to cause a lot of distress, especially for my cousin and her husband. My cousin was understandably upset, and while she tried to be civil about it, I could tell she was angry and hurt.

I feel so much guilt about the bite, but I’m also worried about what this means for our relationship moving forward and for my dog. I don’t know how to make things right.

Should I have done more to prevent the situation? How do I approach my cousin now and express how sorry I am without making things worse?

— Dog Bite

DEAR DOG BITE: Follow up with your cousin to make sure her son is OK. Apologize again for what happened. Assure her that in the future, you will put your dog on a leash or otherwise ensure that your dog is nowhere near the child when they visit.

Chances are, they won’t be visiting anytime soon. In time, they might if you can guarantee that their child will be out of harm’s way. Some people cage their dogs or shut them in another room when they have visitors.

DEAR HARRIETTE: A friend keeps self-sabotaging her future, but I can’t quite figure out why or how to help.

At one point, she was doing really well in school. She was a stellar student and had a sharp mind. We were both supposed to graduate two years ago, but halfway through our senior year, she decided to switch her major completely, which set her back about three years. Since then, she changed her major once more and then decided school just wasn’t for her.

Since leaving school, my friend has had long periods of unemployment or short periods working here, there and everywhere.

This is someone who used to have her whole life planned out. Do you think it is pressure that caused her to change so drastically? Did I miss something major that happened to her?

— Complete 180

DEAR COMPLETE 180: Your friend might be suffering from depression or another mental illness that has derailed her. Perhaps a traumatic experience occurred that she is not dealing with directly.

If you think she will talk to you, ask her what’s going on. Gently try to get her to talk to you about her choices and her desires for the future.

Do your best to be there for her without judgment as she weathers this period of uncertainty, but don’t beat yourself up. Your friend is living her life. You must live yours.

Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

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