What do dogs need most from us? What does a roaming dog have to do with a baby picking a dirty lollipop from the floor and licking it? Dog trainer Kristi Benson tells the story of a client who has a roaming dog with characteristic humor and clarity (and clever analogies!). And in telling the tale, Kristi has an important message for all dog owners about what our dogs need most from us—something that is both free and also intensive. TIME.
Corrections, Dog behaviour, Dog owner expectations, dog training, Dogs need our time, Force-free training, human-dog bond, Roaming dogs
Veterinarians need to do more to discourage people from breeding dogs with extremely flat faces. Jessica Perry Hekman, DVM, PhD, compares the recent British Veterinary Association (BVA) position statement on flat-faced dogs, which is quite forward thinking, to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) position, which is weak, at best. “U.S. veterinarians are lacking strong leadership bringing us forward. How can we help to fix these breeds? One step is a new policy from the AVMA, providing real guidance to the veterinarians on the front lines about how to talk to the owners and breeders of brachycephalic dogs.”
Boston terrier, boxer, Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), Brachycephaly, bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, English bulldog, Flat-faced dogs, French bulldog, Pekingese, pug, Shi Tzu, Veterinary medicine
Our newest blogger, Tanya Hawkes, from Machynlleth, Wales, UK, examines the human tendency to project ourselves onto dogs when interpreting their behaviors, and how this anthropomorphizing is a reflection of the human observer’s worldview at any given time in history. For instance, whereas dogs urinating in the same spot was once viewed as their colonial flag—a mark to claim their territory—more recent research finds that urination is a much more social affair, perhaps like a dog version of Facebook or Tinder! Tanya’s insights into our limitations of comprehending dog behavior are thought-provoking; she helps us to understand that we can improve our dogs’ lives by trying to better understand ‘dog being.’
anthropomorphism, dog behavior, Dog body language
