The circle of life….

So what is a human supposed to do?  

Anyway,  another new dog study just came out at Emory University.  They wanted to see just how we dogs understand language.  Sure – we respond to words like “sit, stay and down” – when we want to – but what is really happening in our brains when we hear those words.  Do we really understand them?

What they did was train dogs to retrieve two objects when they would hear the name of the object.  Lots of dogs can do that – remember that Border Collie who could discriminate the names of hundreds of objects?  Anyway, they trained the dogs to differentiate the two objects by name.  Then they put the dogs in a brain scanning machine – and did what is called an fMRI.  While in the scanner, the humans would hold up the two trained objects, one at a time and would then say the name to the dog.  They would also hold up the name of an unfamiliar, non-trained object and call it something weird – like a bobo. 

Now what they expected to see was that the areas of the brain that are known to interpret auditory information, would basically light up or show more activation for the familiar trained objects.  They found the opposite – there was more activation for the unfamiliar words.   The researchers hypothesized that (in basic terms) the dogs were working hard to please their owners – so were trying harder, therefore there was more activation for the unfamiliar words.  This is actually opposite to what one would see in humans – who show greater activation in their brains for known words.

The researchers also found that a variety of different areas of the brain were activated in dogs as well.  Unlike humans – where you can GENERALLY predict where the activation will be seen.  However, they noted that part of the problem with showing the exact area of activation has to do with the fact that they were using a variety of dogs so the sizes of the brains varied – and it is a bit more difficult to map the areas and make comparisons. 

So what is the bottom line takeaway message? Well we dogs DO understand words.  But in terms of training us to do new tricks, another study pointed to the fact that we dogs may respond more quickly to visual and scent cues than to verbal cues alone.  Which for me makes some sense- I can hear the word “treat” and I’ll respond- but let me see it or smell it – and boy oh boy my responses are much quicker!!

For example, my human was surfing the net and saw this article about why we dogs curl up in a ball before we go to sleep.  They say that it’s a behavior that goes back to our wild roots – when canines in the wild would create a “nest-like” spot to stay warm in the cold and also, so they say, to protect our vital organs from possible predators.  Interesting.  Makes sense to me.  All of us do tend to roll up in a ball at times, but it’s Einstein who REALLY gets into the nesting behavior.  And sometimes it drives my human WILD.  He will scratch at the tile floor – as IF he can make a hole in it.  It’s one of the rare times when I question his brilliance.  And we are not talking few futile scratches – we are talking a continual DIGGING until my human shouts “ENOUGH FRODO!”   And his latest behavior is even more fun – he goes into the FG’s pony sized crate – which I should point out might as well have the door taken off – because it is never even used as a crate any more.  Anyway, Einstein goes in and he begins his dig-athon IN the crate.  Einstein and the FG take turns sleeping in the crate.  I occasionally go in – but I prefer the comfort of my human’s bed.  When Einstein goes in the crate, he starts digging like he is trying to create an escape route.  He digs until he is almost out of breath.  And he usually starts it JUST as my human turns out the lights and is beginning to doze off.  Is it any wonder the woman is sleep deprived?

If she shouts at him to stop, he does.   But it annoys him that he hasn’t completed his nesting project.  So then what he will do is begin licking.  I think he does it out of spite.  And then, to show solidarity, I will join in – monkey see, monkey do.  Actually, it’s usually dark so it’s more like monkey hear, monkey do.   The other night, we got the FG to join in too.  When my human threatened that we were all about to be evicted from the bedroom, we all stopped.  We do know just how far we can push the licking button.

My human also saw an article about the 5 best breeds of dogs that get along with cats.  They listed them as Japanese Chins, Goldens, Labs,  Papillons and Beagles.  I have NO idea who did this research.  Ever see a Beagle chase a rabbit?  I actually think the bottom line is that almost ANY breed of dog COULD be good with cats – if they are introduced to them early.  Now there certainly ARE breeds who would be much more likely to chase cats – but I do think it boils down to exposure.  I think we should get a kitten.  Let’s see what happens.  We would be good.  I promise….

Could you imagine that…..you have to admit, it would make for some really good blogs….if my human was still living with us….

Have a good one.

Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 35

Yesterday was one of those days that drove my human that much closer to retirement.  And it had nothing to do with work.  But everything to do with the weather…

She should have known it was going to be a bad morning when none of us was in a hurry to go out.   We heard the rain.  And the wind.  So in typical PON fashion, when the front door was opened, we stood there like we were statues. My human had to PUSH us out the door.

It was dark.  It was raining.  And all the pretty colored leaves were being whipped around us.  My human begged “If you just poop quickly, we will go right back in.”  Einstein listened.  Me?  Not so much.  We walked down the road part way and Einstein did his thing.  We headed for home and we walking-wet-potato-sacks started moving more quickly.  HOWEVER, when we got to our driveway, my human walked right past it.  She looked at me and said “VIKTOR – you NEED to hurry up.” Hurry up is the polite way of saying GO POOP!  I trudged along as if I had been told I wouldn’t be fed for 24 hours.   I FINALLY did my thing about 50 yards down the road.  You should have then seen us racing home.  The FG went out next.  Luckily, the FG is a power pooper at the best of times – so he did not disappoint in the inclement weather.  Thank goodness.

And speaking of morning walks in the dark – we made sure to wake up the entire neighborhood last week as well.  Remember Max?  The new puppy on the road who now towers over me and Einstein?  The incredibly joyful, energetic, bouncy dog who is doing an excellent job of training his humans?   Well it seems that Max is starting to do morning dark walks just like us.  My human can spot their human and the telltale headlamp, and she often heads the opposite direction.  Not because Max is bad.  But we are.  Well – Einstein is.  Because after all, he OWNS the road.  So he barks out his “greetings” if ANYONE dares to walk on his road.  After years, he no longer does it when he sees Pig Pen or Pig Pen’s humans.  But anyone else on the road?  They MUST hear his proclamation of ownership. 

Anyway, the other morning we were headed home and much to my human’s surprise, out of another neighbor’s yard there appeared a light.  AND a dog.  It was Max.  And as predicted, Einstein went Cujo crazy.   Not that he would do anything to Max – in fact he approached him and just smelled him all over, while barking the whole time.  Poor Max didn’t know what hit him when we crazy PONs appeared out of the dark.  Now, I’m generally quiet during these interludes.  But on that morning, I started in on the chorus as well.  My human did the apologetic “they really are friendly” speech as she dragged us home.  Einstein stayed puffed up and grumbling all the way home.

I think my human should just retire.  Then there would be no rushing around in the morning – and we could go for our morning walks at any time.  We could wait for rain to stop.  We could wait for daylight….

I vote RETIRE.  What do you think?

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 34

What do you say….

October 14.  The anniversary of the release of A.A. Milne’s book – Winnie the Pooh. It was published in 1926.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up!

October 13.  And according to the crazy calendar, it is International Music Day.  If one does a quick search on the net for dogs and music, you can find ALL kinds of sites that have music that we dogs supposedly like to listen to.  Like this one which includes 12 hours of music that we supposedly love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dau2XY1Yq2U&vl=en

Now before you shake your head and say that’s crazy – there have been researchers who have actually studied what kind of music we dogs prefer.  I am NOT kidding.   Wonder where they got the grant money?  Through a record company? Hey Kanye – there’s another business idea for you. Anyway, I digress. 

One study looked at shelter dogs and they tested the effects of five kinds of auditory sources: conversation, heavy metal music, classical music, pop and a control.  Not sure what the control was.  Anyway, the shelter dogs were quieter and more relaxed when listening to classical music.  Another study found the same results – with dogs spending more timing “shaking and vocalizing” to heavy metal music”.

Interesting stuff.   My human leaves the radio on for us – and it is mostly pop music.  Must get her to change it up.  Hello Bach.  Good-bye Kanye.  Sorry I just couldn’t resist.  I just want to make my blog great again. 

OK.  I need to stop.   Time to download some Chopin.  He was Polish after all.  It’s either that.  Or polka music. 

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 30!

Thanks to one of my loyal readers, I learned a new word the other day.  It has to do with the picky Picard’s eating behaviors.  Who knew that there could be a reason for it (besides intestinal issues- which I learned could also be a reason).  The reason is called contrafreeloading.  And it is real.