Posts in Canine Science
3 Reasons Why Dominance-based Dog Training Still Exists
3 Reasons Why Dominance-based Dog Training Still Exists

Because science got it wrong at first.

In the 1930s into the 40s, Rudoph Schenkel, a Swiss Animal Behaviorist, studies a pack of captive wolves, and concludes that wolves in a pack fight to gain dominance, with the winner becoming the alpha. Other studies confirmed his findings: unrelated wolves in captive environments do fight for social hierarchy. However, Schenkel's theory was incorrectly applied to wolf packs in the wild for years and years, and was spread far and wide to the public as “fact.”

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Canine Behavior, Canine Science, Canine TheoryTasha Ericksondominance, dominant dog, dog training, force free, force free dog trainingComment
Canine Fur: What is it?
Canine Fur: What is it?

In the most blunt terms possible, the fur, or hair, of all mammals is made up of both the protein keratin and dead skin cells. Growing from the dermis, or inner layer of the skin, dogs depend on their fur (sometimes hair) often much more than humans to regulate body temperature. Most dogs have three types of fur, called their undercoat, guard hair and whiskers. The undercoat lies closest to the dog’s skin, growing in clusters from a single follicle. This usually has a soft appearance, and helps protect the dog from cold weather.

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Canine ScienceTasha Ericksondog fur, canine biology, scienceComment
Spay & Neuter! Your Dog's Health Depends On It
Spay & Neuter! Your Dog's Health Depends On It

Unless you plan on breeding your pets responsibly, consider having them spayed or neutered.Are you prepared to add to the ever growing problem already in existence? Do you really want to bring more animals into a world that can’t even come close to caring for the ones that are here now? Are you Absolutely Positive you can find responsible homes if your dog does have puppies?

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Canine ScienceTasha Ericksonspay & neuter, dog healthComment
Why do dogs sniff?
Why do dogs sniff?

Dogs ‘see’ the world through their nose much like we humans ‘see’ the world through our eyes. No, not literally, but think of it this way- blindness (minus the danger roads present) wouldn’t present much of a handicap at all to today’s domesticated dog; they could continue to live out their lives in the perfect happiness they always have! Take away a dog’s sense of smell, however, and you’ve crippled him far worse than blindness would cripple a person.

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Canine ScienceTasha Ericksonsniffing, dogsComment