Wolf puppies, like domesticated dogs, love to play fetch

When you play a game of fetch with your dog, they're picking up on a human social cue to retrieve the ball. Now, researchers have observed the same behavior in wolf puppies, meaning they also have the ability to understand human communication cues, according to a new study.

A dog's ability to play fetch and other activities with humans is a learned behavior that likely occurred over time after humans domesticated dogs from gray wolves 15,000 years ago. Researchers believe dogs only began to interpret cues from humans after domestication happened.

Modern dogs differ greatly from wolves not only physically and genetically, but behaviorally as well.

Researchers decided to test 13 wolf puppies born in three different litters. Their goal was to determine if wolf puppies exhibit the same behaviors as domesticated puppies, which would help them pinpoint the origin of the behaviors. Their study published Thursday in iScience, a Cell Press journal.

Spontaneously, three of the 8-week-old wolf puppies were intrigued enough by a ball that was thrown to retrieve it to a person they didn't know. It was the last thing the researchers expected.

"When I saw the first wolf puppy retrieving the ball I literally got goose bumps," said Christina Hansen Wheat, study author at Stockholm University in Sweden. "It was so unexpected, and I immediately knew that this meant that if variation in human-directed play behavior exists in wolves, this behavior could have been a potential target for early selective pressures exerted during dog domestication."

Hansen Wheat studies the effects of domestication on behavior. She and her colleagues raised both wolf puppies and domesticated puppies from the time they were 10 days old.

Then, both types of puppies went through a series of tests. One of those included a stranger throwing a tennis ball while encouraging the puppy to fetch and return it. None of the puppies, wolf or domesticated puppy, had experienced "fetch" before this.

The first two litters of wolf puppies weren't interested in the ball, and the researchers didn't expect them to be. They included the test because it was used for domesticated puppies.

But the third litter of wolf puppies ran after the ball. Two wolf puppies each retrieved the ball twice. One ran after the ball and returned it to the person three times.

"It was very surprising that we had wolves actually retrieving the ball," Hansen Wheat said. "I did not expect that. I do not think any of us did. It was especially surprising that the wolves retrieved the ball for a person they had never met before."

Previous research has shown that domesticated and non-domesticated species will follow human gestures if a food reward is given, according to the study. But in those cases, the animals were previously trained to follow the cues or knew the person conducting the study.

The researchers acknowledge a limitation of their study is how small it is, but it causes them to reassess that interpreting human social cues came from domestication. Instead, it's possible that this behavior can be traced back before wolves were domesticated into dogs.

How to put on a dog harness for easy walk

Some dog owners choose to use a harness rather than a collar on their dog to make him more comfortable or to reduce the chance that he will slip off the leash. There are three different types of harnesses to choose from, and they can each be tricky to put on. This step-by-step guide will give you all the information you need.

Standard Dog Harness

Different types of harnesses need to be put on in different ways. Let’s start with the steps for putting on a standard harness. A standard harness has one loop around the ribs, one loop around the neck, and a D-ring on the dog’s back to clip the leash to.

1. Stand, sit, or squat behind your dog and put him in a standing or sitting position. It is best to do this when your dog is calm.

2. Slip the harness over your dog’s head. Make sure the harness is positioned so the D-ring is on your dog’s back. The wider loop (the one with the buckle) goes on first, and the narrower loop goes on second.

3. Slip your dog’s leg through the first leg hole of the harness. The leg should now be in between the loop that goes around the ribs and the loop that goes around the neck.

4. Buckle the harness, so that your dog’s other leg is in the proper leg hole. If the buckle does not reach to allow you to close it, you need to loosen the strap.

5. Once the harness is buckled, adjust it so it fits properly. You should be able to slip two fingers underneath any strap. Try to pull the harness over your dog’s head to make sure that it is secure.

Step-In Dog Harness

Now, let’s look at the steps for putting on a step-in harness. The difference between a standard harness and a step-in harness is that the former forms rectangles around your dog’s legs, while the latter forms triangles.

1. Lay the harness flat on the ground, so that you can clearly see the two triangles. The buckles should be on top of the D-rings.

2. Hold your dog from behind and place his front feet in the two triangles.

3. Pick up the two ends of the harness and clip them together on your dog’s back.

4. Adjust the harness accordingly. Try to pull it over your dog’s head to make sure it is secure.

Front Clip Dog Harness

Last, let’s look at how to put on a front-clip harness. A front-clip harness has the leash clip in the front over the dog’s chest and is designed to discourage pulling. Some front-clip harnesses are shaped just like the standard or the step-in harness. If this is the case, follow the steps for those harnesses.

However, some front-clip harnesses have a different design, with one loop that goes around the ribs and a single strap that goes across the chest. There is no divider in between the dog’s legs. If this is the type of harness you have, follow the steps below.

1. Kneel to the right side of your dog while he is calmly sitting or standing.

2. Put the loop of the harness over your dog’s head. The harness label should sit on his left shoulder, and the metal ring for the leash should be at the center of his chest.

3. Reach underneath your dog’s belly and fasten the belly strap.

4. Adjust the harness to fit your dog. Make sure you cannot pull it over his head.

Some harnesses can be tricky to figure out, but they’re easy once you get the hang of them. The most important step is to make sure the harness is snug, but not too tight so that your furry friend is safe and secure.

The Science Behind Calming Dogs With Sound

Extensive research has been done on the effects of sound and music on the human brain, but what about the effect it has on dogs?


“A few studies have been done specifically in dogs and other companion animals that support the beneficial effects of certain music on these species,” explains Dr. Mark Verdino, DVM, senior vice president and chief of veterinary staff at North Shore Animal League America.

Research Shows That Classical Music Helps in Calming Shelter Dogs


The most notable study—which looked into the effects of relaxing music for dogs in stressful environments—was performed by Dr. Kogan from the Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine and published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.

 

“It evaluated the behavior of 117 shelter dogs exposed to classical music and heavy metal music,” says Dr. Verdino. “The study found a significant calming effect with classical music, while there was an agitating effect by the metal music; subsequent studies found similar calming effects with easy listening music.”

The Science Behind Calming Music for Dogs

Despite these promising results, Dr. Verdino points out that the effect of calming music for dogs is not fully understood. “Multiple areas of the brain are known to be involved in the process—the auditory cortex and multiple parts of the limbic system that regulates emotion,” says Dr. Verdino. “In human and animal studies, the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the blood drops as a result of hearing classical music.”



Although scientists aren't sure why and how music affects the brain, they do know one thing: Relaxing sounds and music affect physiological processes in the autonomic system, according to Dr. Christie Cornelius, DVM, president and founder of Lastwishes.com.



“The autonomic system controls both the fight-or-flight response and the rest-and-digest response,” says Dr. Cornelius. “Relaxed dogs, in general, have slower heart rates, rest more easily and are less vocal—similar to what the brain experiences during a rest-and-digest situation.”

Calming Dogs With the Right Tempo

A 2002 study conducted by animal behaviorist Dr. Deborah Wells shows that classical music helps dogs relax. The dogs rested more, spent more of their time being quiet, and spent less time standing than when exposed to stimulation such as heavy metal music, pop music and conversation.


Why classical music in particular? Because dogs seem to relax when exposed to music with a tempo of 50-60 beats per minute, says Dr. Cornelius. This usually includes classical music, reggae and some types of soft rock. “Classical music with a single instrument at a slower tempo has been especially shown to produced relaxed behaviors in dogs,” Dr. Cornelius adds.



On the other hand, Dr. Cornelius points out that faster-tempo hard rock and heavy metal music have been shown to cause an increase in restlessness, anxiety and agitation.


“Short, choppy tones tend to be more excitatory than long, continuous tones,” says Dr. Verdino. “Logic would say to avoid deep base tones and loud percussion as these are the types of tones that typically have an adverse effect of dogs—similar to the sound of fireworks, thunder, etc.”


If you are looking to help calm your dog with sounds, a good place to start is with the Pet Acoustics Pet Tunes calming music dog speaker. This speaker features 90 minutes of calming sounds for dogs.

Going Beyond Music

For dogs who are particularly anxious about being left alone, the Ruff Dawg Om Dawg Stress Reduction System could help. First, use the ball to tire your pup out, then play the soothing CD before you step out of the house.

The Calmz Anxiety Relief System for dogs might also be a good option. “The music portion of this product would certainly have a calming effect,” says Dr. Verdino. “Generalized pressure, as found with this product and other products like the Thundershirt, have also been found to have a calming effect too—similar to the swaddling of a baby.”

Why Millennials Are So Obsessed With Dogs

I've been with Lily the whippet for under a minute and she's quivering like she's shitting blades. It smells like Wotsits and rotting meat. The turd is so pungent that, despite being eight to ten metres away, it smells like Lily has defecated over my shoes. "She's on the lamb," says owner Ali, by way of explanation. This isn't a euphemism for something else, like dog periods; Lily is literally just being fed a lot of proper meat.

Ali and her girlfriend are both in their early thirties and currently live in north London – a move they planned around Lily, the dog they were going to buy together. It was only there they'd have the necessary space for her: Hampstead Heath, where I've joined them on their morning walk. Everything about their life revolves around the dog: nights out (or lack of), freelance working schedules, exercise. Ali tells me: "I was looking at Instagram the other day and noticed I barely posted in 2017, and was like, 'What were we doing in 2017?' It's because we had a puppy: we literally didn't go out. You just end up talking about dogs all the time."
A bit like having a baby! I offer. "I don't want to be the one to say that," she says, "but I did have a friend who said, 'You've had it harder with your puppy than we had with our baby.'"

A recent study found that 44 percent of millennials see their pets as "practice" for babies, given the fact this generation is getting married and having children later in life than the generations before them. Increasingly, they're not just practice, but an alternative to children. This is perhaps a city-centric observation, but none of my friends in their late twenties talk openly about hopes of having a baby; rather, we flinch when we see a child walking around, out in public, on its hind legs. It's a fluffy friend we want. One that'll love us, not drain our minimum finances and not get in the way too much.

As Bob, 35, and Molly, 29, who own Billie, the chihuahua pug, put it: "She costs nothing, sleeps through the night, and our single friends still want to hang out with us." For someone single, sociable, career-minded and renting who can't imagine their life five years ahead, let alone owning a house and having a baby, it's an achievable dream. Something to grow up for.

"In your twenties and thirties, you want to feel responsible for something, but you don't want to have a family. We still feel very, very young," says Julian Victoria, editor of DOG, a chic lifestyle magazine for dog owners. DOG's readership are of millennial age and mostly independent artists, creatives or freelancers. "When you see a bunch of mothers sitting around having coffees with babies in prams, that's the same as with dog-owners," Julian continues. "You end up going to the same places, to the park, you meet others walking dogs. It's a community that a lot of young people are realising they want to be a part of."

That was the motivation of Ali, who says, "It was more about the lifestyle, if that doesn't sound too tacky; of being outside more and having companionship during the day."


It's obviously relevant, too, that millennials are the freelance generation. Businesses get it; WeWork-type office spaces allow dogs to sit alongside humans where they can, and some offices even offer a dog-walker. A poll recently went around the VICE UK office about allowing employees to bring dogs to work, and when a rumour spread that one member of staff had been seen clicking "no", many publicly seethed with rage.

It's during this new age of loneliness in which we've learnt that the love and bonding hormone, oxytocin, is sparked in both dog and owner when they look at each other. A generation reporting high rates of anxiety and depression is well aware that caring for animals contributes to a lower blood pressure and rates of stress. "It's a boost to have someone run around the house shouting with excitement just because you came home after work. Unconditional love feels great," say Bob and Molly of Billie. "She's hilarious and brings you out of yourself when you're down in the dumps, just by sneezing and looking confused, or something like that. She's a real serotonin boost, I've no doubt."

"They're so, so much work, but I can see why people want dogs," Ali had said when I explained the premise of our meeting. "You have to stick to your little routine. There's something really steadying about having a dog. It's lovely, actually."

And as I near the end of my walk with Ali and Lily at Hampstead Heath, I do feel a sense of calm and stabilisation. It could be the shades of green, the dappled light, the slight exertion on my pathetic body. It could also be the dog.

Becoming a Dog Breeder

There is more to becoming a good #dog breeder than getting a male and female dog together and letting them "hook-up"!

Anyone ever tells you that all you need to do is get a #male and #female dog and let them breed and you can sell the puppies and make money?

Well, that may be true somewhat. Then you will be known as a "backyard breeder". Backyard breeders do not get the respect of other breeders or the buying public. They are usually not the expert on the breed.

There are some basic rules or guidelines that people look for when buying a puppy.

The breeder knows and loves the breed they are selling. The breeder is an expert on the breed they raise and sell, or at the very least, a very dedicated student. He/she will be able to answer any question you might have about the breed, or be able to find the answer for you. They will know the history of the breed and for what purpose they were bred. They know about any particular health problem that might be common with the breed, temperament, breed behavior, etc.

The breeder will focus on their breed. If the breeder is truly dedicated to this breed, then you will know when you talk with them. You will hear the excitement and enthusiasm in their voice. You will not see this breeder selling several different breeds of dogs. You might see this breeder selling a large dog for one market and a smaller dog (or lap dog) for a completely different market. For example; if you see a breeder selling Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers, does this person truly believe in one breed? They are both large dogs and pretty much serve the same market. But, if a breeder is selling a Rottweiler and a Yorkie, then they are selling a large guard type dog and a lap dog. There is no real conflict of opinion there.

They put their dog’s health first. These people do not use cheap dog food, you will find that they are using premium dog food. Dogs get all their nutrition from only one source and that food needs to provide everything the dogs needs to promote good health. They will usually give their dogs a vitamin supplement as well.

They care about good homes for the puppies. Responsible breeders know that they have only one chance to find that perfect home for their puppy. They don’t rush to get the puppies out of their house when they are 6 weeks old or right after they are weaned. We have found that the puppies will better adjust to their new homes if they are 8-9 weeks old before being placed. They seem to develop mentally after 7 weeks and are ready to bond to their new family.

Good Dog Breeders will have a Contract or Purchase Agreement.It is always better to have everything in writing when making a purchase. This will clearly state what is expected from the breeder (seller) and of the buyer. This protects everyone involved in the transaction. Included in the agreement will be any health guarantee.

Registration papers. Professional dog breeders will sell dogs with AKC (American Kennel Club) or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) registration papers. I would not buy a dog without these registration papers and do not suggest that you do this either. This includes you; if you become a breeder then sell quality, sell a puppy with AKC or CKC registration papers.
Good breeders will be there after the sale. But in order for the good breeders to be there after the sale, they must make a profit on the dogs they sell.

Making a profit is not a crime! Don't feel guilty or intimidated by other breeders or the "inner circle" for making a profit breeding dogs. Breeders should not be expected to do a good job and not make any money for their efforts. The feeding, shots, worming, imprinting and socializing of a puppy cost money and takes time. You are providing a service to the people that want to have a beautiful, quality puppy and companion. A superior breeder does not have a day job, this is their job. Be responsible and be professional.

Puppy Bath Time: When and How to Bathe A Puppy

Puppy first bath age

Puppy bath time needn’t be a daily occurrence. Small puppies don’t need daily baths in the way that human babies do.

And you may be surprised to know that some folks with clean healthy dogs never bathe their puppies at all

Unless the puppy gets poop on themselves or steps in something equally unpleasant.

More of that in a moment

What that means in practical terms is that there is no specific date on which you should give your puppy his first bath.

Can you bathe a puppy at 8 weeks old

You can certainly bathe a puppy at 8 weeks old if he needs a bath.

And most puppies will at some point as they are prone to falling and stepping in poops and puddles.

However, a small puppy’s fur doesn’t need washing with shampoo on a daily basis. And little marks, a bit of spilled food, for example, can be simply wiped off a short-coated puppy with a damp sponge.

When can you bathe a puppy regularly

You can bathe a puppy regularly from the day he arrives home. Whether you should or not is another question.

There are a couple of downsides to bathing dogs regularly, especially once they are out and about in the world.

There are some benefits too, so we’ll look at those too

The disadvantages of regular baths are that even the gentlest of shampoo is likely to disrupt the natural balance of your puppy’s skin and fur to some extent.

And that it disrupts the natural waterproofing that fur develops as the puppy matures.

Under your puppy’s fur is a little environment or microworld of friendly bacteria that help to maintain your puppy’s skin at exactly the right level of acidity. Altering that balance with shampoo may reduce your puppy’s natural resistance to skin problems and infections

Your puppy’s soft baby coat is replaced by a typical adult coat during the first few months of life.

Between six and twelve months old, most puppies will have grown their adult fur.
One of the characteristics of adult fur in many dogs is that it is fairly waterproof.

This waterproofing is created by oils from the skin. It helps keep your dog warm and comfortable when he swims or goes out in the rain. And makes the smears you’ll see on a white wall if your dog regularly sleeps up against it!

Shampoo strips out those natural oils allowing water to penetrate your dog’s coat right through to the skin.

For those reasons, regular baths are neither essential nor even a particularly good thing. But surely your pup needs a wash from time to time or he’ll get smelly? So just how often can you bathe a puppy?

How often can you bathe a puppy

Here’s a puppy bathing schedule for you to use as a guide.

• Once a week until three months old
• Once a month until six months old
• Twice a year thereafter or as necessary

Bear in mind that it probably won’t hurt your puppy if you never bathe them at all, but let’s explain the reasons for the schedule above

I mentioned that there were some benefits to regular bathing, let’s look at those now.

One of the benefits is to enable the puppy to get used to being bathed. Let’s face it. He’s almost certainly going to need a bath at some point in his life.

Your puppy may need a bath

• For medical reasons (infections, parasites, allergies)
• To remove nasty substances from fur
• To reduce odor

If a puppy has never experienced one before, a bath on his third birthday because he meets a skunk or steps in some engine oil, is going to be a pretty traumatic experience.

The other benefit is really for you.

Some breeds of dog, especially some of the sporting breeds have a naturally strong body odor.

Labradors and other gun dogs can be particularly smelly. With some individual dogs being affected more than others.

My yellow Lab, for example, smells very strong if not bathed occasionally, while my chocolate Lab has only the mildest body odor.

Many dogs smell stronger as they get older, and elderly dogs can get very smelly if not bathed occasionally

Sharing your home with a Lab that hasn’t had a bath for a couple of months can be a pretty intense experience.

So, to avoid upsetting your older dog if you need to start giving them baths from time to time, it’s a good idea to get a puppy used to baths right now.

This means it’s a good thing for all puppies to be accustomed to happy bath times from an early age.

If you bathe your puppy once a week for the first three or four weeks, then once a month until they are six months old, then at least twice a year thereafter, bath-time should be a peaceful non-event for your dog.

He won’t be scared when he sees the shampoo come out. The whole experience will be no big deal.

What to wash a puppy with

Don’t be tempted to use human shampoo on a puppy. If you get it in his eyes they will sting and he won’t want to have another bath, ever again.

Where to bath a puppy

Some puppies may panic if plunged into a giant white bathtub.

Which if you think about it, is hardly surprising.

You can help accustom your puppy to the big bath by standing him in it for a few seconds, a few times a day, and giving him some treats to eat while he’s in there.

A popular alternative for bathing a puppy is the kitchen sink. But be careful as wet puppies are slippery and if he wriggles out he may fall and hurt himself

A safer place is in a plastic washing up bowl on the kitchen floor!

If the weather is fine you can do the whole thing outside, using a portable shower.

The Best Grooming Tools for Dogs, According to Experts

Booster Bath Elevated Dog Bathing and Grooming Center

“If you want to give your pet the ultimate bathing experience without stepping foot inside a groomer’s, then the Booster Bath grooming center is your best bet,” says Schwab. The portable tub takes all the stress and anxiety out of bathing. It comes with a safety harness that gently holds your pet in place, while you get 360-degree access to wash every inch of them quickly and painlessly — which you certainly can’t do in your kitchen sink. The tub also comes in three sizes to fit a variety of breeds.

 BUY HERE

HandsOn All-In-One Bathing & Grooming Gloves

These gloves because they “allow you to give your pet a massage with an added benefit of cleaning and de-shedding with its fur-nabbing rubber nodules.” The gloves can be used to de-shed your pet both in the bath and out.

BUY HERE

Aquapaw Pet Bathing Too

Unlike traditional shower heads and hoses, the Aquapaw gives you “direct control over your pet and the water flow for a clean and quick wash,” says Schwab. Plus, since the water flows from a scrubber in the palm of your hand, you can lather, scrub, and rinse at the same time, giving your pet a much deeper clean.

BUY HERE

FURminator Deshedding Tool for Dogs

The Bark Shoppe recommends using the Furminator Deshedding tool “to help remove the undercoat and additional shedding hair.” [Editor’s Note: We’ve written about the FURminator before.] Particularly when shedding gets worse during the change of seasons. The Furminator has a metal comb with teeth that are long enough to reach under your dog’s topcoat.

BUY HERE

Safari Professional Nail Trimmer

It is essential to “use a nail trimmer that has a safety guard” and “to feel confident when clipping your pet’s nails” otherwise “your pet will sense that energy and will give you a hard time,” cautions The Bark Shoppe. Schwab recommends this nail trimmer from Safari that “allows you to cut the nail with just one clip, making the process quick and easy.” Plus, the non-slip grip and safety guard helps prevent painful accidents. This trimmer is best for medium to large dogs.

BUY HERE

Birds of Prey - Eagle

Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle, which is comparable in size to a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) or red-tailed hawk have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. The smallest species of eagle is the South Nicobar serpent eagle, at 450 g (0.99 lb) and 40 cm (16 in). The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large, hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the martial eagle, whose eye is more than twice as long as a human eye, has a visual acuity 3.0 to 3.6 times that of humans. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male.

Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be a female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing.

VIEW THE VIDEO NOW

Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. The type of prey varies by genus. The Haliaeetus and Ichthyophaga eagles prefer to capture fish, though the species in the former often capture various animals, especially other water birds, and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera Circaetus, Terathopius, and Spilornis predominantly prey on the great diversity of snakes found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The eagles of the genus Aquila are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized vertebrate they can catch. Where Aquila eagles are absent, other eagles, such as the buteonine black-chested buzzard-eagle of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus Spizaetus, live predominantly in woodlands and forest. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. Hunting techniques differ among the species and genera, with some individual eagles having engaged in quite varied techniques based on their environment and prey at any given time. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart.

The bald eagle is noted for having flown with the heaviest load verified to be carried by any flying bird since one eagle flew with a 6.8 kg (15 lb) mule deer fawn. However, a few eagles may target prey considerably heavier than themselves; such prey is too heavy to fly with, thus it is either eaten at the site of the kill or taken in pieces back to a perch or nest. Golden and crowned eagles have killed ungulates weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb) and a martial eagle even killed a 37 kg (82 lb) duiker, 7–8 times heavier than the preying eagle.

Josefh Strean - For https://animalix9.blogspot.com/