Dogs have morals too

A new breed of animal behaviour scientists are breaking down old belief systems; that humans alone have morals, ethics and emotions, with the discovery that canines and other animals have rich emotional lives.

Marc Bekoff, a professor and animal behaviourist at the University of Colorado says a dog’s code of ethics is displayed daily in parks, backyards and family rooms. Bekoff has discovered that these things can be measured and has spent thousands of hours in the field observing coyotes, wolves and dogs. After analysing videotapes of the footage, Bekoff is convinced that many animals can tell right from wrong and possess empathy and compassion.

Whilst some behaviour experts still believe emotions and morality are strictly human traits, Bekoff says he is witnessing a turning of the tide with the amount of scepticism dramatically dropping.

In humans, the specific brain structures in which emotions are centred are also present in the brains of other mammals. The similarities don’t end there; the chemicals (called neurotransmitters) which affect these structures are the same in both human and mammalian brains.

Bekoff says dog’s display a range of emotions including; fairness in play, love of company and friends, jealousy, resentment, anxiety, fear, embarrassment, remorse, affection, compassion, grief and loss. Dogs are also thought to have a sense of humour because the same brain structures are active in laughing humans and dogs who are enjoying themselves.

Despite critics citing evidence as often anecdotal, Bekoff argues that thousands of anecdotes equal data.

Obama’s Final Choice - The Portuguese Water Dog

On April 11 2009, Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese Water Dog, was given to U.S. President Barack Obama’s two daughters Sasha and Malia by American Senator, Edward M. Kennedy.

Obama promised his daughters a puppy if he won last year’s election and the gift from the senator was in response to the victory.

Dogs like Bo may look like Poodles, but are in fact water spaniel breeds of gun dogs originally bred to herd fish into nets, retrieve lost tackle and act as couriers from ship to ship or ship to shore. Such a hard working background makes them highly intelligent and loyal companions with great stamina.

However, the Obama’s would be well advised to recognise that such qualities also mean that regular time should be dedicated to vigorous exercise, thorough grooming and committed training routines. Taking these actions will help to address destructive tendencies that arise from boredom and loneliness.

Portuguese Water Dogs need a daily walk of 20 – 30 minutes at least with a regular swim at the local beach or Dog Lake. Importantly, their ears should be cleaned each week - especially after swimming - to prevent disease

And while we can assume that the Obama’s were seeking an energetic dog to complement their active lifestyles, another quality that gained much press was the importance of obtaining a dog that had a low shedding coat. No breed of dog is completely hypoallergenic, however, some – like the Portuguese Water Dog have a tendency to cause fewer problems. This quality has seen the Portuguese Water Dog gain in popularity in recent years although it is still a rare breed in Australia.

No-shed or low-shed breeds that are more commonly available include the Poodle, Bichon Frise, Maltese, Schnauzer, West Highland Terrier and Scottish Terrier breeds. Purposely bred crosses like Golden Doodles also have the no-shed coat.

Regular grooming of such dogs is essential as the coats do not shed and need to be brushed thoroughly several times a week to prevent matting and tangling.

Bo can expect to be skidding and prancing across the marbled floor of the Whitehouse for the next 12 – 14 years and grow to a medium height of 40-50 cm high and weigh between 16-25kg.

The puppy was originally named Charlie, but Malia and Sasha Obama rechristened him Bo in honour of their cousin's cat of the same name. Their parents are said to call the dog "Diddley" because Mrs Obama’s father was nicknamed Diddley, after the musician Bo Diddley.

Does your dog rule the roost?

Recently I had a behaviour consultation with a client who had an all too common problem – her dog ruled the roost! Rupert; a gorgeous little toy poodle, had been somewhat spoilt and allowed to get away with a little too much. The behaviour which concerned his owner the most was his constant barking at visitors, growling when he didn’t want to be picked up, urinating in the house and acute separation anxiety.

When we discussed Rupert’s behavioural history and how he fits in with the household it came to light that Rupert was treated a bit like royalty. He slept in his owner’s bed, had access to food whenever he wanted, was allowed free range of the house and had no rules or boundaries set in place for him. This, together with his outgoing personality, resulted in Rupert assuming the position of “top dog”.

In order for his family to get some peace, Rupert needed to be brought down a peg or two. I recommended several strategies to Rupert’s owner which involved changing the way they interact with him to make him realise that he does not rule the proverbial roost. Among them was to introduce daily five minute training sessions, where Rupert is asked to perform simple tasks such as “sit”, “drop” and “stay” and is rewarded with treats for his efforts. Another was to feed him at specific times rather then allowing him control over his food intake. Additionally, Rupert was no longer allowed to sleep in his owners bed and was to be given his own bed on the floor. To relieve his separation anxiety Rupert’s owner was instructed to ignore Rupert 10 minutes prior to leaving for the day, and again for 10 minutes upon arriving home. This reinforces that her absence was no big deal and nothing to be anxious about rather than a terrible experience.

So far so good - It’s only been a week and Rupert’s owner has reported that they have already seen positive changes in his behaviour. Rupert is learning that being top dog isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Hero Hounds save owners’ lives during the Victorian Bushfires

Amongst all the sadness and tragedy of the Victorian bushfire disaster, stories of courage and remarkable survival have immerged. Amongst them is the story of Levi, a tenacious terrier and previously unwanted stray, who became a hero when he dragged his elderly owner away from their burning house to the safety of the farm dam.

According to the Herald Sun, 90 year old Gladys Cross had her dog Levi on lead, in preparation to evacuate as the fire approached her Steels Creek home, when all of a sudden her house was ablaze. That’s when Levi sprung into action and dragged Gladys 100 meters through smoke and burning grass to the dam where they sheltered for several hours while they watched their property burn. Gladys survived, receiving only minor burns thanks to her quick thinking K9.

Similarly, the miraculous story of Coco and Cody has become a local legend in the Taggerty region. Husband and wife Peter and Nina were away from their house when they heard about the fires and asked their neighbours to rescue their dogs. When Peter met with his neighbours in Alexandra he was distraught to learn that they had not had time to get Coco and Cody to safety. Nina was particularly affected by the news as she considered her dogs to be “her babies”. Struggling to come to terms with the news and refusing to believe her babies were gone Nina was distraught, so her husband took her to hospital.

Whilst in hospital rumours came in from Taggerty that there was a house still standing and that there were dogs inside barking. Residents went to the rescue of the dogs and as they did so they noticed a near-by shed on fire. They were able to extinguish the flames and save three more houses from destruction. Not only did the dogs’ barking save several properties but the news of their survival was the lifeline that saved Nina, their owner.

Is being licked by a dog unhygienic?

New research from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University in the USA found that dogs are likely to get germs from their owners.

The researchers also found that "dog owners are more likely to share germs with pets by not washing hands than by sleeping with their dog, or getting licks on the face."

The researchers did not look at the transmission of all types of bacteria - so sensible hygiene practices are always advisable.

Click HERE to read more.

It’s a dog’s life

Have you ever stopped to think; how good does my dog have it? As I sit here in my lounge room typing on my laptop, my two dogs; Archie a Boxer and Joseph a black Labrador Retriever lie on their beds sleeping, where they have remained for most of the day.

A typical day for my dogs begins with a hearty breakfast followed by a quick game of fetch or tug-o-war in the backyard. When we head off to work, they are kept entertained with the latest chew toys or a puzzle toy filled with treats. In the summer months they even have access to a mini swimming pool so they can cool off on hot days.

Upon our return from a hard days work the dogs are again fed. After dinner it’s time for a training session or another game followed by their evening walk down to the local dog park. Once home, they return to their favourite spot – their beds in the lounge room where they remain until the next morning.

Weekends entail other special things for Archie and Joseph; a trip to the local dog-friendly café, a visit to our family’s house or a treat to chew on.

When I think about it, my dogs don’t have much to worry about. They are given everything their little hearts desire and don’t have to work a day in their lives, except of course to provide unconditional love to us!

Dog vs no-dog - which is the happier household?

An opinion piece in Melbourne's The Age newspaper last week gave a very personal account of Helen and her dog Chloe.  As she recalls the final days in Chloe's life, it is obvious that having a dog in the house is important to Helen.  

But she finds that without a dog, she has a sense of freedom in her life.

This is a lovely article describing the conflict between living a "dog-free life" and having "the champagne factor" that comes with having a dog in the home. 

Summer heat and your pets

We all long for summer weather, but for your pet sizzling summer days can be distressing. During summer pet owners must take special precautions to ensure that their pets are adequately catered for when temperatures soar. Now is the time to be prepared for the hot weather.

All domestic pets should always have access to cool, shady areas. For dogs and cats this can be large, thick foliaged trees or wide verandas. In the case of other pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs or birds, the cage in which they are housed must never be in direct sunlight. Be particularly careful with bird cages and aquariums that are near windows where the sun may stream in at certain times of the day, as even on a moderately sunny day the sun shining through the glass may be hot enough to be dangerous to the pet’s well-being. Take care that a cage which is in the shade during the morning isn’t exposed to the hot afternoon sun as the shade moves.

All animals must have an adequate supply of cool, clean water. During the summer your pets will drink more water than in winter. If pets are alone during the day it is best to leave them with more than one container of water in case the container is knocked over.
If pets are locked in a house or shed during the day it is essential that the area is well ventilated. A steel garden shed or garage can become a death trap on a hot day.

Never leave pets in a car as even in the shade temperatures within cars can cause death from heat exhaustion in a very short time. Leaving windows down does not prevent the temperature from rising to dangerous levels and may allow the pet to escape on to a busy road or become lost.

Animals suffering from heat exhaustion will pant, lie on their side, be listless and disoriented. In severe cases they may become unconscious. If you think your pet is suffering from heat exhaustion it must be cooled promptly.

Put the animal in a cool and shady area. Damp it down with tepid water (never ice) and fan the animal. Contact your nearest veterinarian urgently but do not transport the animal in a hot car. Only place it in a vehicle which has air conditioning or is cool and airy. Keep the animal damp with cool air playing over its body during the car trip. If the animal is conscious, offer cool, not cold, drinking water. Do not allow the animal to gulp large amounts of water.

Old animals, and the very young, are more susceptible to heat and should be provided with special care during hot weather.

Although many dogs look forward to their regular walk late in the afternoon they should not be walked until the sun goes down during hot weather. Also be aware that concrete and footpaths may be hot enough to burn the dog’s feet.

With a little preparation and consideration for your pet’s well-being, summer will be an enjoyable time for you and your pet.

Hero Hounds

Recently there have been several stories in the media in which dogs were labelled heroes. “Hero dog saves boy from snake” is the story of Diesel the cattle dog-dingo cross who was hailed a hero after he leapt between a three year old boy and a brown snake, saving the boys life. Diesel received a near fatal bite and was declared the winner of the RSPCA’a animal achievement award.

“Dog rescuing dog a hero in Chile” was the title of another recent story in which a surveillance camera on a freeway in Chile captured a dog running on the freeway and being fatally struck by a truck. Then, another dog came trotting up to the injured dog and dragged it off the road and onto the medium strip, away from the traffic. The video was posted on Youtube and has over three hundred thousand views.

“Clever blind dog a rising TV star” is the story of Myron. Born blind he lost one eye at three months of age to glaucoma and the other eye two months later. Myron was adopted from a local shelter by his caring owners and his zest for life is infectious. Myron’s inspirational story has been told in magazine articles, during visits to libraries and retirement villages and on a recent television appearance on Talk to the Animals.

These stories and many others throughout the ages go to show that the term “hero” is not just for humans - hounds can be heroes too!