Well, not actually you, but rather your dog. Before food purists get up in arms over this topic, consider that numerous human cultures have historically viewed insects as acceptable and even highly desirable food items. And today, our ever-expanding human population and the increasing need for sustainable sources of food have led to increased consideration of insects as food in almost all human cultures. … Continue reading Want Flies with that Shake?
science
How Reactive is Your…….Lysine?
I imagine that the word "reactive" caused most readers to think of this: However, what we will actually be talking about is this: Yeah, not quite so dramatic, I admit. However, the reality is that the amount of reactive lysine present in your dog's food is much more likely to have an impact on his health … Continue reading How Reactive is Your…….Lysine?
Do You Know What I Can See?
Chippy, our Toller, is a terrible food thief. (Of course, the use of the word terrible is one of perspective. Given his impressive success rate, Chippy would argue that he is actually a very good food thief). Chip has become so proficient at his food thievery that our dog friends all know to "keep eyes … Continue reading Do You Know What I Can See?
Dogs are Carnivores, Right?
The Article: "Dogs are Carnivores, Right?" plus a webinar on this topic are now available as a Science Dog Nutrition Topics Course. Visit The Science Dog Courses to Learn More!
Talking Turkey
I grew up with a story-book grandmother. She was my mother’s mom, “Nana” to my sister and me. As required of all perfect grandmothers, Nana was a great cook and regularly expressed her love through sumptuous meals and comfort foods. Although she did not actually reside “over the valley and through the woods”, her home … Continue reading Talking Turkey
Lend a Helping Paw
Dogs are highly social beings who express their social nature in a variety of ways. They desire companionship with others and readily integrate into our human families and lives. Most of our dogs love to play and to learn new things and enjoy spending time together going for walks, a ride in the car or simply hanging out for a cuddle on the couch. Given the choice, most dogs … Continue reading Lend a Helping Paw
I Yawn for Your Love
Vinny, my Brittany, yawns a lot. He yawns first thing in the morning when he rises, in the evening when he is tired, and many times in between. We notice this because Vinny emits an adorable little squeaky sound whenever he launches a particularly wide and emotive yawn. We also know that Vinny seems to be highly susceptible … Continue reading I Yawn for Your Love
Hey, Teacher! Leave Those Dogs Alone!
It is a fairly common practice among dog trainers who teach group classes to "borrow" one of their student's dogs to demonstrate a training technique or learning concept. Opinions of this practice vary. Proponents say that it helps owners to observe their own dog being handled by an instructor or responding to someone else, while opponents argue … Continue reading Hey, Teacher! Leave Those Dogs Alone!
Fear Factor
Experiencing fear is not pleasant. Any human will tell you this. As one of our most basic emotions, fear functions as a rapid-fire means of communicating to our bodies "DANGER, DANGER - GET AWAY NOW!!" As a physiological state, fear is associated with a set of bodily changes that are decidedly uncomfortable. Respiration and pulse increase, we become … Continue reading Fear Factor
Mr. Licks-A-Lot
Do you live with a Mr. Licks-A-Lot? You know what I mean - a dog who, for reasons that he is not readily sharing, will suddenly and obsessively begin to lick the floor, the couch, the wall? Note that I am not referring to the dog who licks you, a behavior that usually communicates appeasement, affection, or in some cases, … Continue reading Mr. Licks-A-Lot
What the Dog’s Nose Knows
In "Thyroid on Trial" we used an evidence pyramid to examine the various types of scientific studies that have been used to examine the hypothesis that there is a connection between hypothyroidism and aggressive behavior in dogs. We followed this example up through most of the levels of the pyramid, finishing at the penultimate level, the randomized, controlled trial. At the tippy … Continue reading What the Dog’s Nose Knows
Thyroid on Trial
Every day, we are bombarded with new information about dogs that arises from a variety of sources - via the internet, through our smart (or not so smart) phones, from our colleagues, friends and family, and of course from our neighbor Joe next door (who happens to know a lot about dogs). In this day and age of information overload, it should … Continue reading Thyroid on Trial
The Ben Franklin Effect
Benjamin Franklin was a pretty amazing guy. The quintessential Renaissance Man, he was a scientist, inventor, author, musician, scholar, business man and politician. There are many popular stories and quotes from Franklin's life, but one in particular demonstrates his astute understanding of human behavior. In fact, this story became so well-known that it eventually led to what is now … Continue reading The Ben Franklin Effect
Love me, love my dog……New twist on an old belief
Everyone is familiar with that old saw about dogs looking like their owners......certainly, there are plenty of photos in this genre floating around the internet......... However, appearances aside, this common belief leads one to ask - Do dogs often behave similarly to their owners? Or more precisely, do dogs and their owners share personality traits? Recently, a group of collaborating … Continue reading Love me, love my dog……New twist on an old belief
Smell This!
Dogs smell things. A lot of things. A lot of the time. Their noses are very important to them. And, most dog folks would agree that the dog's nose is a pretty amazing sense organ. Indeed, we capitalize on our dogs' olfactory (smellin') acuity when we train them to select scent articles in Utility training, … Continue reading Smell This!
The Science Dog 