One reason why celebrity dog trainers and other self-appointed “experts” are so quick to tell you what your dog is thinking or feeling is this: it’s difficult to prove them wrong. As you may have noticed, dogs can’t communicate verbally. So they’re never going to explicitly tell us what’s going on inside their heads. Instead, […]
Perhaps you’ve heard a little Mexican-American fella with a meticulously coiffed goatee and rollerblades tell you that the three fundaments of successfully managing unwanted canine behaviors are “exercise, discipline, and affection — in that order.” Well, if you’re reading this blog, chances are that you’re a bit more skeptical than the average bear. If you’re […]
For a doggie-centric lesson on why you shouldn’t always trust advice given by “experts” (be they of the self-appointed or certified variety), try this easy three-step exercise: 1. Google “canine personality types”; 2. Record the number of different (and inconsistent) canine personality-type paradigms that are discussed in just the top-three search results; and 3. Record […]
You want to make your dog “happy,” right? Of course you do. Maybe you buy my argument that, due to the emotional bonds that you’ve developed to your dog, it’s in your self-interest to do so. Or maybe you’ve got another justification. And maybe you agree with me that most humans know precious little about […]
Your dog does not understand the concept of holidays. She doesn’t have any idea what all the seasonal decorations collected in your house are meant to represent (although she probably enjoys smelling all the fragrant trimmings). She doesn’t know that a bunch of humans she rarely sees have gathered together for the purpose of celebrating […]
When it comes to relationships, its hard to overstate the importance of communication. Whether you’re talking about friends, lovers, family members, or co-workers, it may be possible to imagine a relationship in which one party never intentionally communicates with the other, but to actually participate in such a relationship would be absurd.
Over a charming photograph of a squat English bulldog, the cover of the New York Times Magazine recently asked its readers “Can the Bulldog be Saved?” The accompanying article was written by the immensely talented Benoit Denizet-Lewis and it reflects both the warmth and thoroughness which ordinarily characterize his journalism. The article was an exposé […]
As dog lovers, we make decisions all the time that we believe will make our dogs “happy.” What we buy for their use or consumption, what we choose to do (or not do) with them, how we touch them–indeed, I’d bet that there are very few actions which you take for the purpose of having […]
Working dogs serve modern society in a variety of diverse ways — as search and rescue operatives, as guards and protectors, as trackers, and as drovers, just to name a few. We rely on them in these capacities and we have every interest in ensuring that they perform their duties to their full potential. It should […]