Monthly Archives: August 2014

Brain Damage – It’s not me, it’s a problem with my dog’s brain.

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Theo Stewart

The problem with your reactive dog may actually be not only behavioural but a problem with his brain. You think you must have done something wrong, because why else would your dog have so many problems? Sometimes this is simply … Continue reading →

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Reverse Sneezing – Is your dog having an asthma attack?

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Theo Stewart

It can look like your dog may die at any moment and if you’ve never seen this before it can be a frightening experience. My own Lurcher, Pip, does it from time to time and I did find it alarming … Continue reading →

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Negative Events – more harmful than positive events are beneficial.

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Theo Stewart

As a Russian saying goes: ‘a spoonful of tar can spoil a barrel of honey, but a spoonful of honey does nothing to a barrel of tar’ (Rozin & Royzman, 2001). Why are unpleasant experiences so much more lasting than … Continue reading →

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Is your dog a Copycat?

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Virginia Morell writes in sciencemag.org: The next time your dog digs a hole in the backyard after watching you garden, don’t punish him. He’s just imitating you. A study reveals that our canine pals are capable of copying our behavior … Continue reading →

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Tail Talk

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Deborah Bird in EarthSky writes: A dog wagging his tail to the right is happy, but a dog wagging to the left is stressed. To see the science behind this, a report is in ‘Current Biology’. Not only does the … Continue reading →

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Dental Chews – Are we bad dog owners if we don’t buy Dentastix?

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Theo Stewart

In volume, a small dog consuming a daily Dentastix  is like you or me eating several doughnuts for breakfast and just about as nourishing. Take a look at the ingredients of Pedigree Dentastix. We want to keep our dogs’ teeth … Continue reading →

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Littermates – Let’s get TWO puppies!

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Getting two puppies at the same time seems like a great idea says Sara Reusche in a blog about littermate syndrome. Dogs are social animals, and a dog who will be alone all day can easily turn to destructive behavior … Continue reading →

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Sense of Smell – You Might Be Embarrassed at What he Can Detect!

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Theo Stewart

In an article by in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren poses the question: Why do dogs like to sniff crotches? You may be embarrassed if you knew how much information a dog can get! There was a case in the US … Continue reading →

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Barking – Wild dogs, feral dogs and mature wolves seldom bark.

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Although they howl, mature wolves don’t bark like our dogs do, only cubs and juveniles bark . Wild dogs may make sounds but they seldom bark. If there is an enemy about, a wild animal instinctively knows the safest option … Continue reading →

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Asleep – Why is it that some dogs snap when touched?

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Theo Stewart

To quote http://www.doggies.com: ‘When your dog is lying quietly and breathing deeply and rhythmically during sleep, he or she is likely experiencing slow wave sleep, called the SWS phase. During this phase, blood pressure and body temperature drop, as does … Continue reading →

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