Things we do that really confuse our dogs | E-Neighborhood Advisor

 

Dog behavior is extraordinarily flexible – this is why we can keep them in our homes and take them to cafes with us at the weekend. Nevertheless, there are ways in which evolution has not equipped dogs for the challenges of living in our world, and puppies must learn how to cope. Animal researchers tell us in The Conversation that these are some of the things we do they struggle to understand. 1. We Leave Them Alone As born socialites, dogs make friends easily. Puppies are intensely interested in spending time with other dogs, people, and any species willing to interact with them socially. They usually play, rest, explore and travel with company. Yet we often leave dogs alone: at home, in kennels, or the vet clinic. In these situations, naïve dogs can’t be sure we’ll ever return to collect them. Only after experience are they likely to expect a reunion, and even then, their experience depends on the context. 2. We Are Visually Driven Dogs live in an olfactory world, while ours is chiefly visual. So, while TVs may offer a visual feast for humans, parks and beaches are an olfactory banquet for dogs. An additional challenge is dogs move while investigating the world, whereas we often sit still. They may not relish the inertia we enjoy in front of a noisy, flashing light-box. 3. We Change Our Shape and Smell Shoes, coats, wallets, briefcases, bags, and suitcases: countless smells cling to these items after we take them into shops and workplaces, then back to our dogs. Cleaning products, soaps, deodorants, and shampoos also change the scents our dogs are used to. In their olfactory world, it must be puzzling for dogs to encounter our constantly changing smells, especially for a species that uses scent to identify familiar individuals and intruders. 4. We Like to Hug How humans use their forelimbs contrasts sharply with how dogs do. We may use them to carry large objects a dog would have to drag, but also to grasp each other and express affection. Dogs grasp each other loosely when play-wrestling, and also when mating and fighting. Being pinned by another dog hinders a quick escape. How are puppies to know what a hug from a human means, when that behavior from a dog might be threatening? 5. We Don’t Like to Be Bitten Play-fighting is fun for many puppies and helps them bond with other dogs. Humans are much more susceptible to pain from playful puppy jaws than other dogs are, and so we can react negatively to their attempts to play-fight with us. Dogs also “mouth” other dogs when playing, expressing affection, and communicating everything from “more” to “please don’t” to “Back off!”. So, naturally, they try to use their mouths when communicating with us and must be puzzled by how often we take offense. 6. We Don’t Eat Food from the Bin Dogs are opportunists who naturally acquire food anywhere they find it. In contrast, we present them with food in dishes of their own. Puppies must be puzzled by our reaction when we find them snacking from benches and tables, in lunchboxes and kitchen bins. We should not be surprised when dogs unearth food we left somewhere accessible to them. 7. We Share Territories We visit the territories of other dogs, bringing back their odors, and allow unfamiliar human and canine visitors to enter our dogs’ homes. Dogs have not evolved to accept such intrusions and threats to their safety and resources. We shouldn’t be surprised when our dogs treat visitors with suspicion, or when our dogs are treated with hostility when we bring them to the homes of others. 8. We Use Our Hands a Lot Sometimes our hands deliver food, scratches, massages, and toys. Other times, they restrain dogs, trim nails, administer ointments or tablets, and groom with brushes and combs that may pull hair. No wonder some dogs grow to fear the human hand as it moves about them. We can make it easier for dogs to accept many types of hand-related activities if we train them to cooperate with rewards. On the whole, dogs show a remarkable ability to adapt to the puzzles we throw at them. Their behavioral flexibility offers us lessons in resilience and how to live simply and socially. Our challenge is to understand the absence of guile and malice in everything they do. Your Flooring Consultant, Matt Capell Email: sales@capellinteriors.com Phone (208) 288-0151 P.S. Here's a joke for you! What happened when the dog went to the flea circus? He stole the show!