|
c02425b
|
Humankind is drawn to dogs because they are so like ourselves--bumbling, affectionate, confused, easily disappointed, eager to be amused, grateful for kindness and the least attention.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
a265162
|
When people visit my farm they often envision their dog, finally off-leash in acres of safely fenced countryside, running like Lassie in a television show, leaping over fallen tree trunks, shiny-eyed with joy at the change to run free in the country. While they're imagining that heartwarming scene, their dog is most likely gobbling up sheep poop as fast as he can. Dog aren't people, and if they have their own image of heaven, it most likely..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
3990701
|
So I invite all of you to show our own species the same patience and compassion that we show dogs. After all, dogs seem to like us a lot, and I have the utmost respect for their opinion.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
cafcadf
|
That the mental experiences of dogs aren't as complex as ours is no reason to dismiss those experiences altogether.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
ad33dfc
|
Don't feel like a failure if you can't make a social butterfly out of the dog you rescued from a nightmarish beginning. Giving him a kind, loving home and helping him to relax enough to nap in your lap are achievements in their own right. If you can manage them, you deserve much more than a blue ribbon and a silver chalice. However,
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
11af7ff
|
If barking correlates with a juvenile and submissive condition, then it's doubtful that dogs read our loud vocal displays as dominant or impressive. Rather, they might see them as a sign of fear or as a sign that we don't have a lot of control. Many people to whom dogs are drawn are laconic and soft-spoken. I think their lack of "barking" is perceived as a sign of leadership, and dogs are drawn to their sense of self-confidence."
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
bd2aebd
|
The next time you see a dog you'd like to greet, stop a few feet away, stand sideways rather than straight on, and avoid looking directly into her eyes. Wait for the dog to come all the way to you. If she doesn't, she doesn't want to be petted. So don't pet her. It's not really that much to ask.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
65eedc5
|
Don't wait to give her a cookie when you're heading back inside together-- that's reinforcing her for leaving the yard, not going potty in it. You're better off casually following her around, saying "good!" as soon as she finishes,"
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
cb72508
|
her start to go in the house, distract her with hand claps or "Uh Oh!" and immediately take her outside, giving lots of praise and treats for going outside. If you find a puddle or pile after the fact, say nothing to her,"
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
63d3cdc
|
Subordinates may initiate contact more often, but the one with the higher rank gets to decide when and if to interact.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
a5d8414
|
I drove my Border Collies crazy for a few weeks trying to teach them to wait at the door as a group and then go outside one at a time. Each dog could go out the door after I said his or her name, followed by the word OK. As soon as I said "OK," not surprisingly, all the dogs would get up and move forward, no matter whose name preceded it. I knew it would be hard for them, since they had all learned as individuals that "OK" meant "Go ahead a..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
5579d1a
|
If "OK" meant that "it's all right to get up now," it makes sense that Pip would respond when she heard it. So if your dog Chief can pick the word sit out of the middle of a sentence, what is he to make of "Good sit" after he already sat? With Pip I got caught up in using words as if I were talking to a human, and I think other owners replicate that mistake often.1"
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
2c4efa3
|
electrical cords, dangerous cleaning supplies, household chemicals, sugar free gum with xylitol (which can be fatal to dogs) and potentially toxic plants, like lilies and philodendrons. Put irreplaceable items, such as photo albums or a toy that a child uses as a security blanket out of reach.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
1b24592
|
Generally dogs do best if their crates are in rooms that you frequently use, but that aren't in high traffic areas or in front of windows.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
76bc29a
|
Please take this caution about keeping a new dog on leash seriously; an escaped dog is one of the most common problems that people experience with adopted dogs.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
331a82e
|
Ideally play is joyful and childlike, a physically and psychologically healthy exercise for both people and dogs. Psychologists and spiritual counselors advise us all to put more childlike play into our lives. I think it's great advice: play is good for our spirits, our bodies, and our minds. It teaches us, both dogs and humans, to coordinate our efforts with others, to learn to inhibit ourselves even when excited, and to share the ball eve..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
e9d7015
|
Ideally play is joyful and childlike, a physically and psychologically healthy exercise for both people and dogs. Psychologists and spiritual counselors advise us all to put more childlike play into our lives. I think it's great advice: play is good for our spirits, our bodies, and our minds. It teaches us, both dogs and humans, to coordinate our efforts with others, to learn to inhibit ourselves even when excited, and to share the ball eve..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
0f53ea4
|
up and down like
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
5869be3
|
This tendency to continue exuberant play into adulthood is one of the factors that leads most scientists to consider dogs and humans as "paedomorphic,"
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
73abd92
|
This tendency has led to the suggestion that humans are paedomorphic primates. It's not necessarily a new hypothesis--a man named John Fiske made the argument as early as 1884--but it continues to be a reasonable one. There's more than just our playful nature that suggests eternal youth has played a role in our evolution. One of the defining characteristics of humans is our creativity, our willingness to try new things and new ways of inter..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
9e43628
|
DO THIS, INSTEAD!) SPECIAL TOPICS HOW TO STOP UNWANTED BEHAVIOR Inevitably, at some point
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
7ef3028
|
We humans are in such a strange position--we are still animals whose behavior reflects that of our ancestors, yet we are unique--unlike any other animal on earth. Our distinctiveness separates us and makes it easy to forget where we came from. Perhaps dogs help us remember the depth of our roots, reminding us--the animals at the other end of the leash--that we may be special, but we are not alone. No wonder we call them our best friends.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
ab55987
|
We are hardwired to remember negative events over positive ones, so we ruminate on our mistakes and the slights of others. Our ability to use language means that we can spend hours mentally criticizing what we did in the past or worrying about what we'll do in the future. No wonder we love dogs, who don't need meditation retreats to get over the shame of getting into the garbage last Thursday.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
9d35dbc
|
Even in the best of times, when we're not stressed or needy, many of us enjoy petting our dogs as much as any other aspect of dog ownership. This is not a trivial need. Quiet stroking can significantly change your body's physiology, lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. It releases endogenous opiates, or internal chemicals that calm and soothe us and play a significant role in good health. Lucky for us, most of our dogs adore being t..
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
16ab305
|
As a matter of fact, the universal tendency of adult domestic dogs to bark is one of the many behavioral markers that suggests that adult dogs are actually a juvenilized version of adult wolves.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
aadb7f4
|
Always consider the level of competing distractions before you call your dog to come when he's still in training. We find it useful to think of come training like levels of mathematical ability.
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |
|
b2e19eb
|
The next time you see a dog you'd like to greet, stop a few feet away, stand sideways rather than straight on, and avoid looking directly into her eyes. Wait for the dog to come all the
|
|
|
Patricia B. McConnell |