Thumbs and Empathy
By Bob McMillan I spotted it driving down a rural road in Tennessee just before dawn one morning on my way to work. At the edge of my headlights, strolling nonchalantly down a driveway, was a coyote, unperturbed by my passing car. My first thought was, “You lucky dog. You go where you want to go, do what you want to do when you want to do it. You’re free, the master of your own domain.” I was a little sleep-addled, obviously, because my three dogs were back home doing exactly… Continued
How to Talk Dog
Dogs and humans have been friends for thousands of years. In fact based on some of the latest studies, it is estimated that dogs evolved from wolves almost 40,000 years ago. But what is most incredible is that science, until the last decade, hadn’t been interested in studying dogs; after all why bother with a common domesticated animal when there are so many exotic species to study? But they couldn’t have been more wrong, as it is domestication that sets these amazing creatures apart from other animals and as such… Continued
Reality Check for Carers/Owners of Dogs with ‘Issues’
LOSING HEART Why do so many clients with fearful or reactive dogs, who often have started off so well, lose heart? The reason is because they just don’t fully accept the time and work that changing fear-based or guarding behaviors in particular can take. Teaching people is the easy bit. A large part of my job is about keeping people on track. REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS We live in an age of devices and gimmicks which make things work quickly or instantly; extra fast broadband, instant online ordering of goods, instant communication… Continued
If They Could March
re blogged from Your Pit Bull and You If They Could March by Jean Donaldson If dogs could march on Washington, what would they march about? Adequate food, shelter, veterinary care? Big ticket stuff, but I doubt it. When people march, it’s never for something everybody already agrees on and for which there are laws on the books. Everybody gets it that it’s Wrong and Bad and Illegal to starve dogs. It’d be like people marching on Washington against burglary. What about dog fighting? It’s a hellish scourge, which the… Continued