I was interviewed this morning for "The Woman's Show" on KFRU. The program will air this Saturday at 6:00 am and again on Sunday. They told me 7:00 pm, but the website says 6:00 pm, so I'm not quite sure.
Either way, check it out this weekend on KFRU, AM 1400
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Choosing a breed
I had my Brittany in the store the other day and someone asked if I thought they should get a Brittany. I told her that a Brittany was not for everyone and it was important that you find out about a breed in comparison with your lifestyle and needs.
The Animal Planet website has a great survey that recommends a breed or breeds after you answer 10 questions. I would not run out and buy or adopt what this survey recommends right off the bat, but it's a good place to start your research.
Personally, according to the survey, I should have a Curly-Coated Retriever or a Spinone Italiano. Brittanies have a low 90% compatibility for me, but I can't imagine having another breed.
Visit Animal Planet and try it out.
The Animal Planet website has a great survey that recommends a breed or breeds after you answer 10 questions. I would not run out and buy or adopt what this survey recommends right off the bat, but it's a good place to start your research.
Personally, according to the survey, I should have a Curly-Coated Retriever or a Spinone Italiano. Brittanies have a low 90% compatibility for me, but I can't imagine having another breed.
Visit Animal Planet and try it out.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Dog Postures
This is something I wrote for my personal site several years ago and I think it is probably the most important information I have to share. This information was based on information in "The Intelligence of Dogs" by Stanley Coren. Re-reading it now, I notice that some of the terminology is inaccurate and flawed. However, I'll leave it for now and hopefully get it re-written in the near future.
As a general rule there are 7 postures that can tell a person how a dog is feeling:
1. The Play Posture.
This is characterized by the dogs front end being down and his back side being up. The tail is erect and most likely waging. The ears will likewise be erect and the dogs mouth may be open with his tongue exposed.
2. Relaxed Posture
This is indicated by the ears up and relaxed (not forward) and the tail down and relaxed. The mouth may again be slightly opened with the tongue exposed.
3. Alert Posture
This is seen in the ears being up and forward, the mouth being closed and the tail being held straight out but not bristled. The legs are tense and the dog leans slightly forward. You may also observe the dog raising and lowering his head. This indicates an unsure submissiveness with the lowering of the head and curious alertness trying to catch sight and/or scent of the intruder. Be sensitive to this dog's posture and approach slowly if you must approach at all.
4. Dominant Posture
The most obvious trait in this posture is the bristling hair most noticable in the shoulder area and the tail which will be raised. On closer inspection (take my word for it and don't approach this dog) the hair is raised all over the body. The dog's nose is wrinkled in this posture and the teeth are bared. The dog's ears are raised and forward and his stance will be slightly forward. The dog will probably be barking or growling but may not be.
DO NOT APPROACH THIS DOG! TURN SLIGHTLY SIDEWAYS TO THE DOG AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY WITHOUT LOOKING THE DOG IN THE EYES. EYE CONTACT IS CONSIDERED A THREAT OR CHALLENGE.
5. Defensive Posture
Just like people, no matter who you are or how you act there will be someone who doesn't like you.
This is seen in the dog's body being lowered, the ears back and the tail between the legs. The most obvious trait in this dog is also the hair being raised. When a dogs hair is on end he should be avoided at all cost. This dog can turn to dominance or aggression in an instant in an effort to protect itself.
6. Scared Posture
Looking at this dog you will notice the dog may not look directly at you for very long if at all, the body is lowered, the ears are back and the tail is down, again in an effort to make himself look as small and unopposing as possible. The dog make lick you and the corners of the mouth are back. The dog may also raise a paw. This is not always a trick the dog has learned, I believe it is a submissive gesture that makes it easier for the "antagonist" to turn the dog over into a totally submissive posture.
7. Submissive Posture
This is the most obvious because the dog will be on his back or side with the top legs raised exposing his belly and throat. This dog too will avoid eye contact, the tail will be between the legs, the corners of the mouth pulled back and ears and hair will be down and back. Dogs identify themselves by scent and to identify himself there may be an expulsion of urine. If you have a dog that does this, don't scold him because it reenforces your dominance and is actually encourageing the behavior. You should have a well behaved dog and maintain your authority, but the dog should feel confident and relaxed around you.
This is something I wrote for my personal site several years ago and I think it is probably the most important information I have to share. This information was based on information in "The Intelligence of Dogs" by Stanley Coren. Re-reading it now, I notice that some of the terminology is inaccurate and flawed. However, I'll leave it for now and hopefully get it re-written in the near future.
As a general rule there are 7 postures that can tell a person how a dog is feeling:
1. The Play Posture.
This is characterized by the dogs front end being down and his back side being up. The tail is erect and most likely waging. The ears will likewise be erect and the dogs mouth may be open with his tongue exposed.
2. Relaxed Posture
This is indicated by the ears up and relaxed (not forward) and the tail down and relaxed. The mouth may again be slightly opened with the tongue exposed.
3. Alert Posture
This is seen in the ears being up and forward, the mouth being closed and the tail being held straight out but not bristled. The legs are tense and the dog leans slightly forward. You may also observe the dog raising and lowering his head. This indicates an unsure submissiveness with the lowering of the head and curious alertness trying to catch sight and/or scent of the intruder. Be sensitive to this dog's posture and approach slowly if you must approach at all.
4. Dominant Posture
The most obvious trait in this posture is the bristling hair most noticable in the shoulder area and the tail which will be raised. On closer inspection (take my word for it and don't approach this dog) the hair is raised all over the body. The dog's nose is wrinkled in this posture and the teeth are bared. The dog's ears are raised and forward and his stance will be slightly forward. The dog will probably be barking or growling but may not be.
DO NOT APPROACH THIS DOG! TURN SLIGHTLY SIDEWAYS TO THE DOG AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY WITHOUT LOOKING THE DOG IN THE EYES. EYE CONTACT IS CONSIDERED A THREAT OR CHALLENGE.
5. Defensive Posture
Just like people, no matter who you are or how you act there will be someone who doesn't like you.
This is seen in the dog's body being lowered, the ears back and the tail between the legs. The most obvious trait in this dog is also the hair being raised. When a dogs hair is on end he should be avoided at all cost. This dog can turn to dominance or aggression in an instant in an effort to protect itself.
6. Scared Posture
Looking at this dog you will notice the dog may not look directly at you for very long if at all, the body is lowered, the ears are back and the tail is down, again in an effort to make himself look as small and unopposing as possible. The dog make lick you and the corners of the mouth are back. The dog may also raise a paw. This is not always a trick the dog has learned, I believe it is a submissive gesture that makes it easier for the "antagonist" to turn the dog over into a totally submissive posture.
7. Submissive Posture
This is the most obvious because the dog will be on his back or side with the top legs raised exposing his belly and throat. This dog too will avoid eye contact, the tail will be between the legs, the corners of the mouth pulled back and ears and hair will be down and back. Dogs identify themselves by scent and to identify himself there may be an expulsion of urine. If you have a dog that does this, don't scold him because it reenforces your dominance and is actually encourageing the behavior. You should have a well behaved dog and maintain your authority, but the dog should feel confident and relaxed around you.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Just a pet?
This article is taken from the Calling All Pets website. When it comes to dogs, Dr. McConnell is one of my favorite resources. Be sure to visit her websites.
by Patricia B. McConnell, PhD
I don't know how many times I've heard that line: "just a pet." Breeders use it: "Well, I don't like his coat color, so I guess he'll just be a pet." Writers use it: "It's remarkable how much money the American public spends on 'just their pets.'" And most amazing to me, pet owners use it: "We just adore our cat, she's the greatest joy of our lives, but we can't afford to spay her because she's 'just a pet.'"
I like to think of myself as a reasonably patient person, but I'm losing patience with those three words: "just a pet." I suppose it's because of what I do. I have spent the majority of my life working with people whose pets either bring them joy, relaxation, and love, or anxiety, frustration, and sometimes pure terror. One client's new dog carefully makes sure that her children don't go across a busy highway. Another mutilated her daughter's face. "Just a pet?" I don't think so.
In spite of our embarrassment about the importance of non-human animals in our lives, the stakes are very high here. Dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and birds have tremendous power over us and our lives, and "just pets" should be considered the most valuable and important animals that we raise.
It is constructive, I think, to ponder why we are so ambivalent about our companion animals -- both attracted to and embarrassed by our love for them. Yes, of course, some of us look pretty foolish treating our dogs like human infants, but the majority of pet owners love their animals for themselves. I don't agree (as some argue) that most of us "use" pets to make up for a gap in our interactions with humans. Rather, our relationship with our pets is unique: they give us things that no human can provide. Close connections between different species are not at all uncommon in the wild and in spite of our obvious differences with other animals, we are not that far apart from the rest of biology (thank heavens). I consider our close relationship with dogs, for example, to be a miracle of evolution and natural selection.
So, I don't apologize anymore for crying in the vet's office over a sick animal. I no longer feel embarrassed at the intensity of emotion I still feel when I grieve over Bo Peep, my beloved sheep guarding dog. And I proudly sell "pet" puppies for the same price and with the same guarantee as working livestock dogs. Just a pet? Not to me, and not to literally millions of people worldwide, whose companion animals can enrich their lives and bring them a form of love, joy, and biological affiliation not available in any other form. So the next time you go to buy a companion animal, explain that it's not to be "just" a show dog, mousing cat, or work horse, but an integral part of your family, and thus, more valuable than money can buy.
by Patricia B. McConnell, PhD
I don't know how many times I've heard that line: "just a pet." Breeders use it: "Well, I don't like his coat color, so I guess he'll just be a pet." Writers use it: "It's remarkable how much money the American public spends on 'just their pets.'" And most amazing to me, pet owners use it: "We just adore our cat, she's the greatest joy of our lives, but we can't afford to spay her because she's 'just a pet.'"
I like to think of myself as a reasonably patient person, but I'm losing patience with those three words: "just a pet." I suppose it's because of what I do. I have spent the majority of my life working with people whose pets either bring them joy, relaxation, and love, or anxiety, frustration, and sometimes pure terror. One client's new dog carefully makes sure that her children don't go across a busy highway. Another mutilated her daughter's face. "Just a pet?" I don't think so.
In spite of our embarrassment about the importance of non-human animals in our lives, the stakes are very high here. Dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and birds have tremendous power over us and our lives, and "just pets" should be considered the most valuable and important animals that we raise.
It is constructive, I think, to ponder why we are so ambivalent about our companion animals -- both attracted to and embarrassed by our love for them. Yes, of course, some of us look pretty foolish treating our dogs like human infants, but the majority of pet owners love their animals for themselves. I don't agree (as some argue) that most of us "use" pets to make up for a gap in our interactions with humans. Rather, our relationship with our pets is unique: they give us things that no human can provide. Close connections between different species are not at all uncommon in the wild and in spite of our obvious differences with other animals, we are not that far apart from the rest of biology (thank heavens). I consider our close relationship with dogs, for example, to be a miracle of evolution and natural selection.
So, I don't apologize anymore for crying in the vet's office over a sick animal. I no longer feel embarrassed at the intensity of emotion I still feel when I grieve over Bo Peep, my beloved sheep guarding dog. And I proudly sell "pet" puppies for the same price and with the same guarantee as working livestock dogs. Just a pet? Not to me, and not to literally millions of people worldwide, whose companion animals can enrich their lives and bring them a form of love, joy, and biological affiliation not available in any other form. So the next time you go to buy a companion animal, explain that it's not to be "just" a show dog, mousing cat, or work horse, but an integral part of your family, and thus, more valuable than money can buy.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Color and Acuity Differences between Dogs and Humans
by Jennifer Davis
Copyright © 1998
Most humans have the ability to see all the different colors of the electromagnetic spectrum, and consequently perceive all its' colors. [The color that is perceived is a result of the visual system, and not the spectrum itself.] Animals, such as the dog, are often thought of as being at a disadvantage by not being able to see all the hues of the spectrum. Evolutionarily however, the dog and the human each developed the visual system that worked best for them. Humans have depended on their diurnal ability and a sense of color throughout time to help them find food. Dogs on the other hand, were not originally diurnal animals, until humans domesticated them. Consequently, the ability to see at night was originally more important to the dog than color. After all, their prey is often camouflaged with the surroundings, so they are unable to rely on color vision cues as heavily as humans do to find food.
The retina of the eye is lined with both rods and cones in humans and dogs. The rods are much more prevalent in both species, but even more so in the dog than the human. The rods are adapted to work best in low light and are used for motion detection. The central retina of the canine eye contains about 20% cones, while humans have an area of 100% cones called the fovea. The cones work best in mid to high levels of light and have the ability to detect color.
Humans are believed to have three different cone types, a trichromat, while dogs have two, a dichromat. Each cone contains a photopigment that is maximally sensitive to a separate wavelength of light. These photopigments are what makes color vision possible. A human's three cone types are maximally sensitive at 445 nm, 535 nm, and 570 nm respectively. The canine cones are maximally sensitive at 429 nm and 555 nm.
The fact that dogs have two different types of cones does not mean that their brains have the ability to interpret the information that the rods and cones send. To determine what colors a dog can see, behavioral studies can be done. One such study conducted by Neitz, Geist and Jacobs involves three colored squares being placed in front of a dog. By training the dog to pick the odd colored square of the three, the researcher is able to guess what colors the dog can see. The question that then arose was if the dog was choosing the panel for it's color or due to it's brightness. It was found by use of different brightnesses for the squares that the dog was indeed choosing the square for the color and not brightness cues. Through these studies it has been suggested that an average dog sees similar to a human deuteranope, a person that is red-green colorblind. Consequently, the dog's world consists of yellows, blues, and grays. When a human perceives a red object it appears as yellow to the dog, while a green object appears as white, a shade of gray. This white region, also called the neutral point, occurs around 480 nm in visual spectrum. According to the electromagnetic spectrum, 480 nm would appear as a greenish-blue hue. All wavelengths longer than the neutral point are indistinguishable from one another to the dog and would all appear as yellow.
Visit http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/davis2.htm for the rest of the article.
Copyright © 1998
Most humans have the ability to see all the different colors of the electromagnetic spectrum, and consequently perceive all its' colors. [The color that is perceived is a result of the visual system, and not the spectrum itself.] Animals, such as the dog, are often thought of as being at a disadvantage by not being able to see all the hues of the spectrum. Evolutionarily however, the dog and the human each developed the visual system that worked best for them. Humans have depended on their diurnal ability and a sense of color throughout time to help them find food. Dogs on the other hand, were not originally diurnal animals, until humans domesticated them. Consequently, the ability to see at night was originally more important to the dog than color. After all, their prey is often camouflaged with the surroundings, so they are unable to rely on color vision cues as heavily as humans do to find food.
The retina of the eye is lined with both rods and cones in humans and dogs. The rods are much more prevalent in both species, but even more so in the dog than the human. The rods are adapted to work best in low light and are used for motion detection. The central retina of the canine eye contains about 20% cones, while humans have an area of 100% cones called the fovea. The cones work best in mid to high levels of light and have the ability to detect color.
Humans are believed to have three different cone types, a trichromat, while dogs have two, a dichromat. Each cone contains a photopigment that is maximally sensitive to a separate wavelength of light. These photopigments are what makes color vision possible. A human's three cone types are maximally sensitive at 445 nm, 535 nm, and 570 nm respectively. The canine cones are maximally sensitive at 429 nm and 555 nm.
The fact that dogs have two different types of cones does not mean that their brains have the ability to interpret the information that the rods and cones send. To determine what colors a dog can see, behavioral studies can be done. One such study conducted by Neitz, Geist and Jacobs involves three colored squares being placed in front of a dog. By training the dog to pick the odd colored square of the three, the researcher is able to guess what colors the dog can see. The question that then arose was if the dog was choosing the panel for it's color or due to it's brightness. It was found by use of different brightnesses for the squares that the dog was indeed choosing the square for the color and not brightness cues. Through these studies it has been suggested that an average dog sees similar to a human deuteranope, a person that is red-green colorblind. Consequently, the dog's world consists of yellows, blues, and grays. When a human perceives a red object it appears as yellow to the dog, while a green object appears as white, a shade of gray. This white region, also called the neutral point, occurs around 480 nm in visual spectrum. According to the electromagnetic spectrum, 480 nm would appear as a greenish-blue hue. All wavelengths longer than the neutral point are indistinguishable from one another to the dog and would all appear as yellow.
Visit http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/davis2.htm for the rest of the article.
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