Other people and dogs too gather meaning from the tone of our voice when communicating. Dogs have a range of vocalization when attempting to us and other dogs what they are “saying.” Most of us can understand our dogs when they bark by the volume, pitch and length of sound. A growling dog uses a […]
Dog Behavior
Ever wonder why your dog does the things he does? Scientists have only recently begun studying dog behavior seriously. Dog owners all know that their dogs are intelligent and can understand them pretty well. Researchers are studying how much of the anecdotal stories can be proven scientifically and whether dogs’ behavior has been modified as a result of living closely with humans. They claim that humans may misinterpret dog behavior, seeing the dog’s actions through the prism of human behavior. Understanding a dog’s behavior opens up the possibilities of modifying it or simply reacting appropriately.
Why Dogs Chase Cars
Dogs chase cars mainly for two reasons. They are either playing a game or hunting. Dogs are prey animals and will chase other moving objects besides cars such as people riding bicycles or on skateboards, motorcycles, joggers, cats, other animals. Dogs take turns chasing each other when playing a game that looks much like tag. […]
Can Your Dog Imitate You
Scientists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest have conducted a study which shows that our dogs can imitate things we do. We already know that dogs have the uncanny ability to easily read our body language and facial expressions, so this comes as no surprise to us. The study does place a whole […]
Socializing Your Pup
Socializing your pup helps him/her to become comfortable with its environment and all its sights, smells and noises. Puppies do best when learning to socialize between 3-12 weeks old. After that dogs become more cautious about anything new or different in their surroundings. As your pup grows, s/he becomes more suspicious of new encounters. After […]
Choosing the Right Age Dog
When we adopt a dog there are certain characteristics we require in our pet. One of the most important factors to think about is the dog’s age and how s/he will fit into your lifestyle. Are you an outdoor person who likes to go hiking, camping and more? Then you will need a breed that […]
Stop An Off-Leash Dog Running At You
It’s a beautiful day and you are out walking your loose-leash trained dog when suddenly a rather large ball of fur comes barreling towards you. It’s a dog and it’s off-leash and if the owner is nearby, chances are s/he will tell you not to worry, the dog is friendly. That means absolutely nothing to […]
Controlling Excessive Barking
Barking is a normal activity for a dog and one that is not easy to control. All dogs bark to some degree. But some breeds are bred to bark. Guard and herding dogs particularly bark a lot because they are bred to sound an alarm if they sense danger. Barking is one of ways dogs […]
Canine Fly-Snapping Syndrome
Fly-snapping syndrome or as it is also known, fly-biting syndrome, is of special interest to me as one of my dogs appears to have the syndrome. Murphy, my pittie mix, will sometimes stare at one of her paws and then lick or bite it as though something is there annoying her. At first I assumed […]
Laid-Back Dogs
Not all of us have the time or energy to take our dogs for long walks. Some of us may have physical disabilities that prevent or inhibit us from giving our dogs their walking exercise. Elderly folks, although not all, may not have the stamina to go for long walks or engage in vigorous physical […]
Why is Your Dog Growling at You
When dogs growl, they are communicating their feelings. Growling means that something is upsetting them and they are trying to let you know what it is. Our first instinct is to punish the dog for this behavior. After all, how dare our best friend threaten the hand that feeds and pets him. But if we […]