What is a Dog? by Deb Jones

What is a Dog? This is an honest question! After 25 years of working with all sorts of dogs I am still mystified by them. They are so common and familiar, yet they are still so unexpected and amazing. I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot lately. My guess is that different people have vastly different answers to this question. Why does it matter? I think that’s what I’m even more interested in exploring! It matters because our vision of dogs shapes our treatment of them. And our treatment of them is vital to their mental and physical health.

Choose Wisely When Considering Shock, Prong or Choke Collars

Dog Owner Responsibilities by William E Campbell I think many professional dog trainers will appreciate what William Campbell said about using "shock collars" in 1999.  I too have referred to these individuals as "predators" taking advantage of dog owners, who either lack understanding what their dog/s are communicating or as Campbell suggests prioritizes needs of the individual, not the pet.

Defining dog behavior problems

Typically, there are several ways to approach and define a problem dog behavior. First, a behavior consultant should have a clear understanding of what normal behavior patterns are for any particular species and that normal behavior may be expressed inappropriately depending on the environment. Second, the behavior consultant should consider a clients “…cultural and personal preferences and normative judgments” since they may impact the client’s “attitudes and expectations, scientific understanding, societal mores [customs] about animal behavior, and costs…associated with the dog’s behavior” (Lindsay, 2001).

Be Careful When Reading Studies On Animal Behavior

  It is interesting to note in this study Wolves show scientists are barking up the wrong tree  that captive wolves performed the tests better or equal to that of dogs raised in human environments/homes. I agree with the suggestion that learning to cooperate with humans and/or in this instance, pay attention will be more successful when …

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Basics of Dog Adoption 101

According to the ASPCA, around 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year in the United States, about 60 percent of the dogs and 70 percent of the cats that end up in shelters. Often these were animals who were part of a family, and because of some kind of change in circumstances, such as moving or financial troubles, they were turned over to a shelter.