A very common tendency among humans, be they dog fanciers or not, is to anthropomorphize. That means we ascribe human intelligence, motives, and morals to animals. Now, this is perfectly understandable, because there ARE a few things that both people and animals do for the same “reasons” (an odd choice of words, but you know …
…continued from part one I believe that reading dogs is one of the most important parts of dog training. In part one of this article I tried to address general qualities in dogs that we hear often when dogs and their training are discussed. I deliberately limited myself to traits that deal with perception and …
Dogs are amazingly social animals that have evolved a pattern of behaviors that are meant to communicate their feelings and emotions to the living things around them. While humans rely mostly on vocalizations and the tone, cadence and volume of their speech to communicate their mood, dogs use several parts of their body. Of course …
By noticing your dog’s tail in different types of settings, activities and environments you can quickly learn to distinguish what your dog is signaling just by the position and movement of the tail. Keep in mind that dogs with docked tails or very short tails, or breeds that carry their tails curled up tightly on …
As humans we all know that everyone learns differently and there are many different types of intelligence. While most people would agree that dogs are not the same type of “smart” as humans, they are intelligent in their own way. A standardized test for dog intelligence really doesn’t make much sense, since different breeds and …
There are many reasons for teaching proper dog behavior, and teaching such behavior has many benefits for both the human and canine partners. Dog behavior training is vital to such life and death issues as preventing aggression, controlling dog on dog aggression problems and teaching dogs to interact properly with both their handlers and with …
When a pet dog refuses to eat, the problem is either physical or psychological. When a pet dog refuses to eat, his owner pleads with him and tries to tempt him with food fed by hand. If the dog is sufficiently neglected and bored he may try this to get attention. An intelligent owner will …
Physically, this is the full weaning period. At the beginning, the puppy is being nourished half by nursing and half by feeding. At 2 months the process is completed, and he can leave his mother. Between 6 and 8 weeks is a good time for ear-cropping, if necessary by the vet. He is growing rapidly …
Physically, he is in his prime, and will continue to develop heavier bone, a deeper chest, a fuller coat, as well as greater strength and endurance. Large breeds attain their full physical maturity and definitive proportions between the ages of 18 months and 2 years, while smaller breeds reach their maturity a little sooner. An …
Is barking a form of language among dogs with precise significance, or just playful noise? Dogs exchange information among themselves less by voice than by a wide range of facial expressions, body postures and gestures, as well as by various scents. Dogs, who bark at night, are probably working off excess energy or announcing their …