IAABC’s Position on Dominance

Written by The IAABC Editing Team (effective July 13, 2021) Dominance is a concept we frequently encounter in discussions of companion animal behavior. Many pet owners believe that the most important thing they can do to ensure their animal behaves appropriately is to establish themselves as “dominant,” “the alpha mare,” or “the flock leader.” When …

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Diversity and Breed Distinction of Canis familiaris

The domestic dog, Canis familiaris is said to be the most morphologically variable of the mammalian species. According to scientist, artificial selection contributed heavily to the rapid development and variation in color, shape and behavior we see in dogs today. The difference among dog species rivals that of any other species in the family Canidae.

Lack of play behavior in dogs may be indicator for lack of well-being!

It’s not unusual for dog trainers to use a dog’s willingness to take treats, during training, as an indicator for lack of anxiety and/or fear. Given in the context of behavior modification, it’s often necessary to move reactive, fear and/or anxiety related dogs away from stimuli (targets) to reduce the reactivity cycle and facilitate the eating of treats. The premise is, when dogs actively take treats, during behavior modification, they are building new brain connections, using classical conditioning, that are more adaptive in those contexts, because dogs are learning (operant conditioning) to perform alternative behavior/s that are more desirable.

The Evolution and Domestication of Dogs

The Evolution and Domestication of the Dog It is not hard to understand how many ways dog’s companionship serves human needs today. Dogs, resulting from domestication enjoy a truly unique status as companion animals. No other domestic animal enjoys the comfort and companionship given the dog. However, understanding how dogs achieved such unique status one …

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What does an aggressive dog look like, some examples? What do we look for when evaluating an aggressive dog?

What does an aggressive dog look like, some examples? What do we look for when evaluating an aggressive dog? The origins of ethology are deeply rooted in the works of Charles Darwin.  In his book, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872/1965), he “described and catalogued” the most common social displays exhibited …

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