Dog Behavior: Does Your Pooch Act Like You?

We all know that yawning can be contagious, especially in late afternoon meetings. Same thing seems to happen to dogs, according to one study. In it, dogs were paired with a person they'd never met before and placed sitting face to face. Researchers found when people yawned, the majority of pups yawned back, which suggests a certain level of empathy in the dogs.


Another study found dogs actually may be more interested in doing what their owners do than in getting food rewards. In the study, dogs were trained by their owners to open a sliding glass door using either their head or paw. Half of the dogs received treats when they opened the door the same way their owners did. The other half were rewarded only when they opened it the opposite way their owners did. Researchers found that the dogs seemed to be more motivated to open the door exactly as their owners had than to open it differently and get a treat.

If you tune in to some of your dog's subtle behaviors, you'll probably notice other human-like qualities. Heck, he may even remind you of yourself!

What is Your Dog Saying

When you dog talks, is he really saying anything? A Pet Place.com article debates this issue.

Dogs understand growls, even if we don't

By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

One dog growl may sound like another to human ears, but a new study shows for the first time that dogs receive specific information in growls that conveys meanings like "get away from my bone" or "back off."

The study, accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior, presents the first experimental indication that domestic dogs rely on context-dependent signals when they growl at each other.

The findings add to the growing body of evidence that animal calls are far more complex than previously thought. For example, prior research suggests chimpanzees communicate information about food quality, while birds, prairie dogs, chickens, squirrels, primates and other animals likely share information about predator types.
Of all of these sounds, dog growls are particularly intense.

"A growl is a short-distance warning, not like a bark or howl, which you can hear over a large distance," co-author Peter Pongracz told Discovery News. "When a dog growls, the opponent is near, so he/she can hear clearly that the next few steps forward will not be greeted with a warm welcome."

"The other common usage of growls is during play," added Pongracz, a behavioral biologist at Eotvos Lorand University. "This can be explained by the fact that dogs very often play 'martially' — they wrestle, chase, play tug of war — so these actions and visual displays are accompanied with martial sounds too."

For the first part of the study, Pongracz and his colleagues recorded 20 adult dogs of various breeds growling during the following situations: when a threatening stranger approached, during a tug-of-war game and while guarding a large, meaty bone.

The scientists electronically analyzed the recorded sounds and found that play growls stand out from the other two types because they are, in part, shorter and higher pitched. The computer analysis didn't show any major differences between the other two growls, but dogs picked out the specific meanings immediately during the second part of the study.

For this experiment, 41 adult pet dogs of various breeds were recruited from the databases of the Clever Dog Lab in Vienna and the Family Dog Project in Budapest. The researchers placed a freshly cooked, meaty and juicy large calf bone in a bowl. All of the study dogs found the bone irresistible.

But as the test subject dogs approached the bone, the researchers played back the previously recorded growls through a hidden speaker. The hungry canines only jumped when the bone-guarding growl was played, even though the threatening stranger-associated growl sounded just as menacing to human ears.

While it remains unclear how dogs communicate such precise information, Pongracz said one possibility is that dogs are very sensitive to the emotions of other canines.

"One could argue that a dog faced with a threatening stranger is more 'afraid,' for example, while the dog that is defending his/her bone from another dog is more 'aggressive,'" Pongracz explained, but he hopes future analysis of dog growls will reveal more about how these sounds are structured.
Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at the University of Lincoln, said the study adds to a "growing recognition of the greater complexity of vocalization by dogs."

"I believe that some of the unanswered questions about assessing how vocalization relates to the inner emotional states of dogs will be addressed and, with this knowledge, we will gain much greater insight into the inner lives of dogs and other species," Mills added. "Hopefully this will also lead to a greater appreciation of, and respect for, non-human animals in general."

Poll - Pet Owners "Talk" To Pets

The Associated Press and Petside.com just released a poll taking a look at the relationship between pets and their owners. Topics range from lighter matters -- like whether or not people think they fully understand what their pet says -- to a serious investigation into the impact of the economy on pet care.

According to the Poll, 67% of those asked say they can comprehend their pet's own language. 62% say their pets understand what they are being told.

Dog owners were most likely to say that their pet understands them as compared to cat owners (though cats are sneaky!).

The Perfect Cat Match?

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has a unique adoption program designed to make the "perfect match" between people and cats up for adoption.

Cats are evaluated on their interest in play, communication, curiosity, and their desire to be noticed and attended to. From these evaluations, the nine possible feline-alities are categorized into one of three-color groups, designed to help an adopter easily find a good match.

The three-color groups include green, orange, and purple.

1. Green cats are considered "Party Animals", "MVPs", or "Leaders of the Band".
2. Orange cats are "Sidekicks", "Executives", or "Personal Assistants".
3. Purple cats are "Love Bugs", "Secret Admirers", and "Private Investigators".

This program assesses the behavior patterns and personality of shelter animals and the character, lifestyle, and pet expectations of potential adopters. That information is used to connect life-long friends.

Dog Humping!

I know, it can be an embarrassing issue, especially when your dog is getting his groove on when the company is over!

According to an article on the The Pet Place Web Site, humping is not only considered a sexual action, it can also mean other things. In fact, it can be a signal of power and rank.

Essentially, some dogs hump as a way of asserting themselves. Whatever the motivation, when humping is directed toward peoples' legs, or objects in the environment, the result is the same: embarrassment for the dog owner and any guests who happen to be present.

Check out the article...

Dogs Can Learn Words

According to a post from DogAge.com the average dog can learn about 165 spoken words. Recently, German scientists reported that a 9-year-old border collie named Rico actually knew the names of more than 200 objects -- similar to the vocabulary of a 3 1/2-year-old child. A dog's understanding of our language and inflection can enable responses ranging from singular to more elaborate.

So how do you expand your dog's vocabulary? According to Dr. Stanley Coren, author of The Intelligence of Dogs, you simply need to talk to your pet. "You should always use the same words for the same things and whenever you're doing any action which the dog is involved in, you tell the dog," he says. Dr. Coren also recommends using the dog's name before any command, and using the same commands every time.

A smarter dog is a happier dog. Learning can actually make your dog more
confident -- about himself and about his relationship with you. So helping your dog expand his mind will make you both feel better.

Do You Talk To Your Pet?

All About Pets is pet website from the UK and they recently posted a survey asking if you talk to your pet. Not surprisingly, 97% of those taking the survey said yes.

Do animals know you're having a conversation with them? In some ways they do. They get to know certain phrases and certain actions that go with those phrases. Like it or not, humans are creatures of habit, and our furry pets, especially dogs, learn based on repetition, so it's no surprise that they know our habits.

I have conversations with my pets all the time. That doesn't mean they know what the heck I'm talking about, and they aren't going to solve the price of gas problem, but they do become a way for us as humans to vent, and provide therapy in so many ways.

What kind of conversations do you have with your pets?

Lost Parrot Recites Address

Read Full Article

"When Yosuke the parrot flew out of his cage and got lost, he did exactly what he had been taught — recite his name and address to a stranger willing to help.

Police rescued the African grey parrot two weeks ago from a neighbor's roof in the city of Nagareyama, near Tokyo. After spending a night at the station, he was transferred to a nearby veterinary hospital while police searched for clues, local policeman Shinjiro Uemura said.
He kept mum with the cops, but began chatting after a few days with the vet.
"I'm Mr. Yosuke Nakamura," the bird told the veterinarian, according to Uemura. The parrot also provided his full home address, down to the street number, and even entertained the hospital staff by singing songs."

I'm not sure who's smarter - The parrot for learning it and saying it, or the owner for teaching him how!

A Cat Personality Test

We've all seen the ads for those dating services which match people based on their personality profiles. But what if you could pick your cat, based on their personalities? According to a recent article, many animal shelters are starting to do just that.

The program is aimed at ending human-animal mismatches, a common reason cats are returned to a shelter after they're adopted.

The article, which can be found http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080514/ap_on_re_us/cat_personality,
talks about how the program rates the animals on confidence and sociability. It then tallies those assessments to place the cat into nine personality categories, which can be matched with a family's situation and desires.

My Dog's Talk To Each Other

I don't know what they are saying, or for that matter how they say it, but my dogs talk to each other.

Last night, Kelso (the barker), started whining and barking to "go do his business." Since he had just gone, we wondered, what the heck is going on? But as soon as I opened the door to the doggie litter box (yes, they do make litter boxes for dogs), he turned away.

So I figured he was just messing with me, until my other dog, Rocco (the quiet one) all of sudden ran in to do his business. Rocco hardly ever barks or whines, and somehow Kelso knew that his brother needed to go to the bathroom. But he also knew that the quiet one wouldn't make much of a fuss about it.

To me, this type of communication is quite extraordinary. But then, I wondered, what are they saying to each other about me? Are they playing favorites with me and my wife? Which one likes me best? Are they talking trash about us when we're not there?

What do you think your dogs are saying about you?

Doggie Dude Ranch

City dogs escape their leash-and-lounge existence and learn get in touch with their inner herder. And it happens on a controlled ranch designed especially for the dogs.

These type of ranches are part of a trend that mixes training techniques, a back-to-basics ethos and a hint of dog (and human) therapy.

The American Kennel Club says new herding clubs are popping up across the country, although it does not track exact numbers. Nearly 200 clubs held herding trials last year. More than 10,000 dogs competed, a roughly 10 percent increase over 2006.

To read more about it, check out:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24113243/

Out Sick

It's been a few days since I've been on the computer, as we've been fighting off colds all week. People always say that our pets can tell when things are bothering us. It seems as though the puppies have been keeping an eye on things more then usual.

My "guard" dog Kelso, who is all bark but no bite, has been barking more often the last couple of days, alerting us to every little thing that is going on around us. I think he wants us to know that he's looking out for us. I appreciate the gesture, but it sure makes it harder to take a nap. And Rocco, the one that doesn't bark, has been a bit more vocal, letting us know that he's here if we need him for anything.

Hopefully the colds/flu/whatever we have will go away soon. Some more rest (and medication!) should hopefully do the trick.

Creating Bad Habits?

I might be guilt! I think I'm creating bad habits in my dogs. I'm an enabler. You see, when my oldest dog, Rocco, doesn't particularly like his dinner (he has allergies, so I have to be careful what I feed), he usually goes to bed hungry. Until 3am, when he wakes me up and whines.

Rocco isn't the type that usually goes to the bathroom at that hour, so I knew something else was bothering him a couple of weeks ago the first time he woke me up whining. I got up, gave him a treat, and he begged for more. Then a I realized that he didn't really eat his dinner, so he must be hungry. I got him some dry food, and he eat it up.

A few days later, the same thing happens. He doesn't eat dinner (which was a nice mix of a high quality canned food and a dry food), and then gets hungry at 3am. He wakes me, I feed him. We both go to bed happy. But, as Mrs. Pet Haven points out, now Rocco knows that he can wake me up whenever he wants and I'll feed him....not something I want to have happen every night.

So, now I must analyze what's going on here. Am I creating a bad habit? Am I basically saying that it's ok not to eat your dinner, because I'll be at your beck and call to feed you? Or am I just over-analyzing the whole thing? Obviously if he doesn't like a particular kind of food, I should try another (that he hopefully won't be allergic to!).

Has anyone else created an annoying habbit with their dogs? Would love to hear other stories. In the meantime, I have to pay extra attention to Rocco to make sure he finishes his meal and doesn't get distracted so that he'll sleep through the night.

Why Dogs Burrow

Does your dog like to burrow under the covers? There is actually an explanation of why according to an MSN.com article in their dog central section.

Dogs are denning animals, they love small spaces. In the same way that humans like to fluff up their pillows before settling in for the night, some dogs like to create comfy beds and hide under clothes and sheets to make themselves feel safe, warm and comfortable. All breeds may do this, but terriers, hounds and huskies are more predisposed to burrowing than others.

There’s no downside or risk to letting your dog burrow, unless you don’t want dog hair under the covers. A separate dog bed might be handy to keep the hair out of yours. An additional bonus of your dog having the instinct to burrow is that it can make crate training easier, since being in a crate can mimic that denlike environment.

So the next the time your dog wants to get under your covers, just know that she's just trying to find a safe place to sleep.

Cat Body Language

Cats are funny. They just are! But what does their body language tell us? Here are some assumptions:

Cats will twitch the tips of their tails when hunting or angry, while larger twitching indicates displeasure. They may also twitch their tails when playing. A tail held high is a sign of happiness, or can be used as a greeting towards humans or other cats (usually close relatives) while half-raised shows less pleasure, and unhappiness is indicated with a tail held low. A scared or surprised cat may puff up its tail and the hair along its back may stand straight up and turn its body sideways to a threat in order to increase its apparent size.

Tailless cats who possess only a small stub of a tail move the stub around as though they possessed a full tail, though it is not nearly as communicative as that of a fully tailed cat. Touching noses is a friendly greeting for cats, while a lowered head is a sign of submission. Some cats will rub their faces along their guardian's cheek or ankles as a friendly greeting or sign of affection. This action is also sometimes a way of "marking their territory," leaving a scent from the scent glands located in the cat's cheek.

Cats also lick both each other and people (e.g. their owners). Cats lick each other to groom each other and to bond together (this grooming is usually done between cats that know each other very well). They will also sometimes lick people for similar reasons, that is, to "groom" them and to show them caring and affection.
When cats are happy, they are known to paw their guardian with a kneading motion. Cats often use this action alongside purring to show contentment and affection for their guardians or other times it can be when the cat is in pain or dying it is said to be a way of comforting itself. It is instinctive to cats, which use it when they are young to stimulate the mother cat's breast to release milk during nursing. As a result, cats hand-raised by humans may lack this reflex.

Pawing is also a way for cats to mark their territory. The scent glands on the underside of their paws release small amounts of scent onto the person or object being pawed, marking it as "theirs" in the same way they would urinate to mark their territory.

Yawning in front of their owner and blinking behavior is common in cats and may be a sign of trust or affection. Cats will respond to a human who dramatically closes and opens their eyes by reciprocating the action. This perhaps illustrates a remarkable aspect of cat intelligence; that they are able to identify and relate part of their own anatomy to the same structure on another species.