Today we traveled to Wildwood to attend a dog show. We saw lots of different types of dogs!
The takeaway for our week of studying canine social intelligence is summed up in the following question, to which we asked students to respond:
Canines are unique among non-human animals in establishing strong social ties with humans. How can humans help canines to establish and maintain these social ties?
We can help canines by learning to understand their behavior and using their signals to treat them properly.
Teaching humans how to properly interact with the dogs and understand how they communicate in order to improve the relationship.
Because dogs are the only species that was made to interact and be social with humans, it is important for dog owners and people in general to understand dog behaviors and properly socialize these animals
Socialize dogs by takings them for walks and experience new environments.
Humans can learn to recognize what a dog is communicating to them and use that information to properly care for the dog.
By helping to socialize dogs as puppies, humans can strengthen dogs’ social ties with both humans and other dogs.
Canines are actually the “boss” of their human owners. To make good communication there must be respect between the two species and learn language that the dogs understand.
Canines are unique among non-human animals because they have learned and adapted to make us their companion for food as well as socialization. Humans can maintain these social ties by being there for the dogs, training them so they do not become aggressive and end up in shelters, feed the dogs, love the dogs, take the dogs to the veterinarian, take the dog for walks and socialize with other dogs.
Humans can maintain these social ties by constantly and only using positive reinforcement to create a positive relationship between the dog and people.