Is Your Dog’s Walk a Tug Game in Disguise?
D
Arf: The Art of Speaking ‘Dog’
Have you ever asked your dog to do something only to receive a perplexed head-tilt? …or worse yet, a sideways glance that appears defiant based on what you actually requested? What is it that our canine companions truly understand? A study published last year in Current Biology provided the first neural evidence that dogs understand …
Do You Hear What I Hear?
As we neared the end of the holiday season in the United States, I found myself in a bustling store alongside other shoppers, inundated by the familiar sounds of the season, including the omnipresent holiday music. As the song referenced in the title of this blog played through the overhead speakers, I paused to reflect …
Breaking Free from Labels
As a young child, I recall the joy of pushing a yellow triangle through the blue half of a Shape-O ball, twisting it until the three sides aligned with the corresponding hole. My parents smiled and enthusiastically said, “Good job!” This first success with a shape sorter began developing my brain’s ability to categorize, sort, …
Pace, Patience, and Pup Parenting
The world seems to have regained its pre-pandemic pace—or at least the people in it have. Driving from place to place, I notice cars speeding past as if I’m standing still—even when I’m going 5 miles over the posted speed limit. In the grocery store, people rush through the checkout line as if aiming for …
Does He Miss Me, or Do I Miss Him?
This summer, I’ve been helping out at a dog camp for children. The other day, we were discussing the ways that dogs are similar to humans. Typically, the campers, ages 8-13, start generating ideas like they eat and sleep, and they have eyes and ears, etc. As our camp director and coaches press further, we …