Scientific inquiry into dogs has grown exponentially since the 1950s. This research is vast and incorporates animal behavior (ethology), psychology, zoology, archaeology and genetics, among other fields.

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In this show, we’ll meet Julie Hecht, a canine behavioral researcher and science writer who manages the Alexandra Horowitz’s Dog Cognition Laboratory at Barnard College in New York City. Julie and her co-workers have investigated olfactory preferences, dog understanding of “fairness,” dog-human play behavior and common anthropomorphisms. A regular contributor to The Bark magazine, Julie blogs at Scientific American magazine under Dog Spies and at Do You Believe in Dog?, a joint, pen-pal blog with fellow researcher Mia Cobb.

The post The Dog Connection – The science behind dogs and the dog-human relationship appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

As canine cognition researchers have been scientifically proving how dogs think and perceive the world, cutting edge trainers and behaviorists are applying their findings to working with dogs in new ways that are based on mutual respect between the species, create a high quality of connection and avoid any force or pressure on the dog.

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Today’s guest is dog trainer and certified canine behavior consultant Shannon Fitzgerald who owns and operates Leading the Way Training and Doggie Day Care Center in Florence, MA. She is also the Off Leash Behavior Director of Camp Unleashed and has over 25 years experience of training and educating both dogs and their humans in a positive way.

Shannon shares with us how dog training has changed and why dominance theory is no longer valid and doesn’t work. Tune in to discover some simple ways we can incorporate the latest scientific findings for motivating, playing and living happily with our dogs.

The post The Dog Connection – New Ways to Train Your Dog that Build Your Relationship appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

For years the term “working dog” referred to dogs that helped humans do their daily work—herding sheep and cattle, guarding homesteads and property, pulling sleds for transportation in snow climates, perhaps even rescuing people in water. But in the post-9-11 world, dogs are being trained to detect bombs, perform search and rescue or recovery, assist disabled people, alert their guardians to the onset of seizures and even sniff out cancerous cells before they can be visibly detected by sophisticated medical technology.

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Listen to our conversation with Dr. Cindy Otto, Exec Director of the new Penn Vet Center for Working Dogs, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and learn about this brave new world of work for today’s brave new dogs. Discover how this pioneering program is researching genetics and analyzing physical and behavioral traits to optimize the success and well being of detection dogs. Hear about their puppy program of early training designed to develop optimal strategies for screening, rearing and training detection dogs.

Dr. Otto is a board-certified emergency and critical care veterinarian and has been involved in disaster medicine as an active member of the Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 from 1994 to 2010. She began monitoring the health and behavior of Urban Search and Rescue canines in October 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. This work inspired her to establish the Penn Vet Working Dog Center.

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Have you ever wanted to get inside of a dog’s mind, to know how he sees the world and what it really feels like to be a dog?

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Loving dogs and trying to understand them without projecting human qualities on them, has been a frustrating dilemma for dog people since the beginning of our co-evolution with canines. In her best selling book Inside of a Dog, cognitive scientist and dog lover Alexandra Horowitz evokes the dog’s perspective using findings from the emerging science of dog cognition and perception. Listen to our conversation and take an imaginative, yet scientifically accurate, leap into the inside of a dog. Become a “dogologist” by observing your dog like a field scientist would–and you will discover the amazing animal he is.

“The world is smell; it is close to the ground; it either fits in the mouth or it doesn’t; it is in the moment, it is full of details, fleeting and fast; it is written all over their faces. Moving things are more interesting that still ones. It is probably nothing like what is like to be us” —Inside of a Dog : What dogs see, smell,l and know by Alexandra Horowitz (Scribner, 2009). Director of the Horowitz Dog Cognition Laboratory.

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What is the single most effective way to “train” your dog? How can you get your dog to stop jumping up on people, pulling on his leash, or chewing up things not mean to be ingested? Learn to understand Doglish and communicate with your dog in HIS language.

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The post The Dog Connection – Doglish as a Second Language appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

Dog training has evolved dramatically over the last several decades from reliance on physical punishment to discourage unwanted behaviors, to rewarding dogs with treats or attention, to shaping dog behavior based on their biology and cognitive process. Yet too often, dog guardians may rely on “training” and “commands” without taking their dog’s perspective into account. While you may end up with a dog that will reliably follow your commands, what you forfeit is the opportunity to enhance and deepen your relationship with you canine pal.

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The post The Dog Connection – “Sit, Stay, Poop!” Is Not a Way to Build A Relationship appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

Most of us who love dogs and regard them as true members of our family can recall a time in our childhood when we had a distinct sensation of a special affinity with animals even though we knew they were “not people.” Embracing “other” while maintaining an appreciation and respect for their “otherness” actually made and continues to make the connection even more special.

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In today’s conversation with child psychiatrist, humane educator and dog lover Dr. Sujatha Ramakrishna, we look at the similariies and differences between child-centered learning and dog-centered relationship-building. As with children, by respecting and honoring the dog’s point of view, communicating clearly, and keeping our expectations in line with the dog’s individual nature, we can create a solid relationship built on trust and understanding as opposed to rote obedience. The outcome is the same—a well adusted, confident, emotionally balanced member of the family.

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The post The Dog Connection – Raising Kids, Raising Dogs: What’s love got to do with it? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

Any dog can learn to love the water and swim (although some may need the assistance of a life vest). Swimming safely alongside their human (or at a distance) is the foundation for Canine Water Work and a fun new sport called Canine Water Sports (CWS). Not only is this a great way to actively spend time with your canine pal –it also opens a whole new aquatic environment for your dog to utilize their magnificent senses as well as build their confidence and enhance your relationship. In fact, being in the water with your dog, you can be literally eye-to-eye or shoulder-to-shoulder, bringing a fresh awareness to your connection.

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Today’s interview is with Erica Etchason, an award-winning Canine Water Sports instructor who teaches at a number of indoor dog pools on the East Coast and trains with CWS Founder, Debora Lee Riley Miller. Find out how to introduce a dog to water in a safe way that invites their playfulness and joy and how you can get started in this all-breed, all-dog sport which can include learning a variety of skills of your choice: Team Swimming (think “AguaAgility”), Submersion-Work (diving for lost gear), Delivery-Work (distance retrieving), Tow-Work (to rescue a stranded boater), Nautical Nosework and Boatwork. Watersports training water cultivates teamwork based on trust, respect and cooperation in a completely leash-free environment. “Let the Splash be with you!”

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Dogs perceive the world through their senses. Their auditory sense- the ability to hear– ranks next to smell as most important to their survival from an evolutionary perspective. Modern science even suggests that sound can be thought of as a “sensory nutrient” for nervous system –an intake that can either charge or discharge the nervous system with negative or positive impact on health and behavior.

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The post The Dog Connection – How Music Can Improve Your Dog’s Life and Your Relationsh appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

We love our dogs and we want them to be as healthy and robust as possible so that can live out their natural lives. Yet when it comes to vaccines and nutrition, the two most important cornerstones to a dog’s health, there a wide range of opinions and often controversy among dog guardians and veterinarians. Who can we turn to for advice in making these critical decisions and navigating through the sea of confusing scientific information?

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The post The Dog Connection – Fact & Fallacies about Vaccinations & Nutrition from Integrative Veterinarian, Donna M. Raditic, DVM, VCA appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.