Dogs & Human Health is user-friendly book about the "New Science of Dog Therapy" that nonetheless contains a plethora of references to good, solid science. (There are 50 pages of references at the end of the book. Be still my heart.) Dr. Milena Penkowa, a neuroscientist and medical doctor in Denmark, has produced something of interest to all dog lovers, not just those of us who have therapy dogs. She briefly discusses early interactions between people and dogs, has a short section on the history of therapy dogs, but most of the book is about the positive effects that interacting with a dog has on us--for at little as twelve minutes. We all (at least most of the readers of this blog) know that in a general sense, dogs are "good for us." I've talked at length about the power of Read More
Archives for August 2015
Repeating Cues: Information or Affect? (Repeated)
I can't resist repeating a post from 2012 on repeating ourselves. (I know, the irony!) It's such an important and interesting issue, given how often our communication must confuse our dogs, and how tiring it must be for them to try to figure us out. From March, 2012: A blog reader asked a great question recently, in response to my comment that I couldn't help myself and repeated "Stay, Stay, Stay" to Willie when in a dangerous situation at the side of a busy highway. We all know that repeated cues, like the ever popular "Sit, Sit, Sit" are not exactly "best practice" in dog training. And yet, they are commonly used, especially by beginners; just go to any beginning family dog training class and you'll hear repeated cues thrown around like confetti at a homecoming parade. It was that Read More
Accepting That Your Dog Might Be In Pain
Years ago I saw a client whose dog, let's call him Charlie, entered the room with a neck twisted slightly to the side. It wasn't extreme, but it was obvious, if you paid attention to the way the dog moved. The owners had brought the dog in because after six years of being a docile and loving dog, he had become aggressive in a variety of contexts. Except after we talked it became clear that there was always a consistent trigger--any time someone, anyone, reached toward Charlie's collar he growled or lunged forward, teeth flashing. The week before he had finally connected, biting a friend who had reached toward his collar to attach the leash. Charlie had been left in the car while we talked, and predictably, when the owners began to attach the leash to his collar he lunged forward, ears Read More
The Puppy Culture DVD & Early Development in Puppies
You gotta love a woman who names one of her Bull Terrier puppies "Betty Pork and Beans." But there's a lot more to love about Jane Killion's latest work, Puppy Culture DVD. I've watched every minute of it, and highly recommend it. I'd get it and watch it whether you will ever raise, or even get, a puppy yourself. You'll learn a lot about dogs by doing so. The focus of the DVD is the effect the first twelve weeks of a dog's life on its emotions and behavior as an adult. In the introduction, Ms. Killion correctly argues that many of a dog's genes can switch on or off, depending on the environment in which its raised (including in utero). The video (all 3.75 hours of it, not counting the hour-long 'recap'), follows Jane and her Bull Terrier bitch, Daphne, as they together raise seven Read More
Meanwhile…
It's all "MEANWHILE, back on the farm (and the office) today: For one thing, the weekend is crammed full of preparation for next week's launch of "The Walnut Grove Tent Camp." As I've mentioned, Jim has worked all summer building a platform for a permanent tent that will be erected next weekend. It situated on the highest point of the farm, under a shady grove of mature walnut trees. If there's a breeze, that's where you'll find it, and we've already spent one lovely evening grilling out and enjoying the view. We have guests coming in a few weeks who will be our first tent camp visitors, but we'll no doubt stay up there ourselves before they come. Basically, we're creating a way to go camping in our backyard. It's also up a very long and steep hill, so I assure you there will be nights Read More