Increase Fido’s Chances of Success During The Holidays Barking, anxiousness and excitability often occurs when we’re away from home visiting family and traveling with our furry best friends. “By the time they get to the hotel, their world has been turned upside down and they’re just trying to maintain as much of an…
Virtual Dog Training! Melinda adopted Reepo from a rescue group. The energetic German shepherd/blue heeler mix was high energy, demanding, playful and sometimes fearful. He struggled with behavioral issues and panicked every time the doorbell rang. At her wit’s end, Melinda enrolled Reepo in positive training classes, which helped ease his anxiety and…
Do Dogs Get Information From Their Owners Before Reacting Toward a Potentially Scary Object? Naci Berkoz and Contact Points Will share a moment together. Photo courtesy of ContactPointPhotography.com. Overview Social referencing is the seeking of information from another individual to form one’s own understanding and guide action. In a study, adult dogs were…
Studies show that dogs that have experienced stressful or traumatic events can show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) This Jack Russell Terrier doesn’t look stressed on course. Does your dog? Photo courtesy of ContactPointPhotography.com. Dogs that experience stressful or traumatic events can carry psychological trauma. Walk through any postmeltdown Fukushima dog shelter…
Have you noticed that your dog’s tail sometimes wags more to one side than the other? It might mean something! Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Although many of us may think that our dog’s wagging tail merely reflects his happiness, there is far more to the wagging than initially thought. Recent studies demonstrate that…
Dogs Can Eavesdrop From People’s Reactions in Third Party Interactions Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Have you wondered how our reactions towards other people may affect the way our dogs react to the very same people? Can our body language affect the way our dogs behave? Past research has demonstrated that the socio-cognitive abilities of dogs…
Do a Dog’s Personality Traits Stay Consistent over Time? A Look at a Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Study by Samuel D. Gosling, Jamie Fratkin, David Sinn, and Erika Patall. Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Recent studies demonstrate that predictability of canine personality cannot be taken for granted, and many canine experts today believe that…
Do You Train With a Mix of High and Low Value Treats? That Might Not Be as Rewarding as You Think! Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Have you ever wondered about your dogs food choices? Would he prefer a larger choice of varied treats, or a few favorite treats? In a new study at the University…
A recent study ranks dogs’ preference of petting over praise. Claudia Bensimoun Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Are we connecting with our dogs in the right way? In a recent study, Dr. Erica N. Feuerbacher from University of Florida and Dr. Clive Wynne from the Arizona State University, two canine cognition behaviorists and…
When Will Your Pup Be Most Attentive? Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun In this study Dr.Lisa Wallis at the Messerli Research Institute, Vetmeduni, Vienna and her colleagues investigated how dogs focused and concentrated. In order for dogs to learn successfully, they need to have a certain amount of concentration and attention. Nonetheless, Dr. Willis…
Dogs Learn to Associate Words with Objects Differently Than Humans Do! Your dog knows the names of his favorite toys and various agility obstacles. But just how does he associate the names with these items? Image Credit: Claudia Bensimoun Although many of us wonder at the way our dogs know which objects…