dogs

Teach “Incompatible” Behaviors for a Well-Mannered Pup

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New puppy parents are often advised to keep a supply of puppy chew toys handy in every room. If the puppy starts to chew on something inappropriate, such as the sofa leg or a shoe, the humans can easily reach for a puppy toy and offer a trade. This is good advice and a good introduction to teaching an “incompatible behavior” to replace an undesired behavior: If the puppy is chewing on her own teething bone, she’s not destroying the furniture.

In my last blog post, The Best Alarm Clocks Ever, I mentioned procedural memory in a description of how and why dogs remind us that it is time to get up, feed them, or even take our medication. Procedural memory is even more significant in the way it affects other routines and behaviors.

Some psychologists say that procedural memories form aspects of character or habits. That means that a behavioral or emotional response to a particular situation could become an automatic or ingrained response. This is a valuable piece of knowledge in educating dogs (or humans). Old habits are hard to break, but understanding where a behavior comes from might mean that you can work to change it — replacing the “bad”  habit with an incompatible good habit. An incompatible behavior is simply any different behavior that cannot be done at the same time as the undesired behavior. Learning the new “routine” will replace the old, undesired one.

A common example is doggy greetings. Jumping up to greet people (or adult dogs) is a very common puppy behavior. This probably hearkens back to dogs’ wolf ancestors. When young wolf pups jump up and lick adults’ muzzles, it stimulates regurgitation feeding. Ick. (It’s also a submissive behavior.) When our cute puppies jump on us to greet us, we might not feed them in the style of wolves, but we do tend to reach down and pet and cuddle them. We might laugh and tell them how wonderful they are. This is fun and rewarding for puppies, and it encourages puppies to continue to jump on returning human family members and guests. Many small puppies grow, though, and become large, gangly adolescents, then 60- or 100-pound adult dogs. Jumping is not cute anymore, but the puppy has never learned not to do it; in fact, the puppy has been rewarded for jumping.

Some old-fashioned trainers might suggest stepping on the dog’s toes or kneeing the dog in the chest to stop the jumping behavior. This is cruel and does not teach the dog anything other than that his human can’t be trusted. From the dog’s perspective, his human has suddenly started hurting him for no reason. After all, the human allowed and even encouraged the jumping when the puppy was small.

A more fair and humane approach is to teach an incompatible behavior, for example teaching the puppy or dog to sit to greet people. If the puppy is sitting, she can’t jump, right? (Another option for overly enthusiastic canine greeters is to teach the puppy to fetch a toy and bring it to the visitor.)

Not exactly cocktails, but it’s a start (photo by Sae Hokoyama)

When Jana was a puppy, I wanted to teach her to sit to greet visitors. I put the “incompatible behaviors” principle to work successfully — both on puppy Jana and on our guests. First, I taught Jana to sit when I crossed my arms over my chest. Then I asked entering guests to cross their arms. This action was “incompatible” with petting the jumping puppy. It also gave Jana the cue to sit (incompatible with jumping). Viola! Jana sat and was rewarded with praise, petting, and, often, treats; I could happily greet visitors without fretting that they were teaching Jana bad habits.

In The Best Alarm Clocks Ever, I also mentioned Jana’s propensity to remind me of mealtimes — well ahead of time. Doggy dinner is at 6 p.m., but Jana often starts hinting, nudging, trying to lead me to the kitchen, pointing out her empty bowl, etc. long before 5 p.m. Do you suppose that, if I taught Jana to make cocktails at 5 p.m., she would stop bugging me for her dinner? It’s worth a try …

 

 

The Best Alarm Clocks Ever

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I’d always heard that dogs have no sense of time; that the concepts of present, past, and future were unique to human beings; and that our canine friends lived only in the present. I accepted that as “common knowledge” until I really began to pay attention to dogs.

When I was in service dog trainer school ten years ago at Bergin U (then called the Assistance Dog Institute), I learned that we could train dogs to remind their human partners to take medication at a particular time each day. That really got me thinking. Most dogs know when dinnertime arrives. In fact, punctual critters that they are, they tend to remind us humans of approaching mealtimes, well in advance, lest we delay. (Goldens and Labs tend to remind us hours and hours in advance …)

Dogs get to know what time the family wakes up, even adjusting to weekends. Our dogs are the best alarm clocks ever. I get good morning kisses from Wylie (whether I want them or not) at 5:30 each morning, well before my radio alarm comes on. Any visitor to our house can request a “wake-up dog,” similar to a wake-up call but warmer, fuzzier, and sometimes wetter. Wylie loves this job.

Jana even knows the concept of “weekends.” While Jana, like Wylie, stirs a little before the alarm clock on weekday mornings, she, like her humans, enjoys a couple of extra hours of sleep on Saturday and Sunday. She’s made that distinction for years. Never failed. Nothing fazes her, not power failures or holiday weekends (darn!).

Neither dog takes more than a day or so to adjust to Daylight Saving Time changes, and Wylie, who commuted cross-country on a regular basis, was quickly able to adjust his “internal” clock to local time and update his expectations for when meals and exercise might happen.

It’s not always perfect; Jana might suggest that it is dinnertime a little early, in reasonable golden retriever fashion, and Wylie is sure to remind us if we run late when he believes that it is time for afternoon exercise.

Wylie’s human, Deni, teaches college classes. Sometimes, she teaches a 3-hour evening class that includes a break after about an hour and a quarter. If Deni starts a new section or says something like, “Before we take our break, I just want to …” Wylie quickly lets her know that that is not acceptable by groaning, sighing, and moaning. That gets the students laughing, which quickly convinces Deni that, no, she won’t “just do” anything else before the break.

Our dogs are not unique in learning our routines and schedules. Dogs are attuned to when their people usually return home in the afternoon, pacing or looking out the window in anticipation. Research by Rupert Sheldrake and others hints that some dogs seem to be tuning in to something more than the clock as they anticipate a family member’s return even when unexpected, but that is more correctly termed “pack awareness” than time sense.

But, overall, dogs’ capabilities are far greater than what most traditional dog behaviorists and trainers claim. This is important because learning and remembering routines, time-bound or not, is a function of procedural memory — a type of long-term memory that is an essential component of learning motor skills and cognitive activities. It’s the reason you never forget how to ride a bike, for example.

People use procedural memory to teach dogs some tricks and service dog skills, such as turning on a light or getting something out of the refrigerator; dogs also use procedural memory to train us to do what they want and when. Humans and canines would not be so close if it weren’t for that shared training and learning ability.

 

Doggy Enforcers and Tattle-tails

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Gracie, left, and Willow (Photo by James Cramer)

Some time ago, in a post published on the Creative Loafing website, I described an incident where Jana “told on” Wylie and Oriel when they broke the house rules. A brief recap: The dogs, wet and sandy following a swim in the bay, had been gated into our office, which is at the back of the house. A few minutes later, Jana started barking. I told her to stop, then yelled at her, then, finally, went back to see what was up. She was alone. Wylie had knocked over a barrier, gone out the dog door, and walked around the house to open a French door that leads into the master bedroom. He let himself (and Oriel, who had followed) into the main part of the house.

The funny part, so revealing of their different personalities, was that, just as I was chastising Jana, Wylie marched triumphantly out of the bedroom to proclaim his jail-breaking prowess to the world. Oriel had quietly curled up on a dog bed in the bedroom, wisely not advertising her rule-breaking to anyone.

So. Is Jana the only rule-bound dog I know? Not by a long shot!

Not long ago, Willow, a family friend (also a golden retriever), was visiting a favorite plant nursery with her newly adopted sister, Gracie. Willow is an exuberant dog who has never met a stranger. The entire world is her stage and all of us, her admirers. This particular nursery is a favorite because the staff adore her — and because whenever she’s there, she gets a treat if she greets the cashier and sits nicely.

This visit progressed much like all others, Willow’s dad reports, until the nice cashier asked the dogs to sit. Willow sat. Gracie, new to this routine and a little nervous about new things, did not sit. Willow wanted her cookie. The nice lady asked Gracie to sit. Willow grew impatient. When Gracie did not sit, Willow stood up, lifted a paw, and whacked Gracie on the head. Gracie sat. When the humans stopped laughing, both dogs got treats.

Was Willow really enforcing the rules? Was Jana? Can dogs tell “right” from “wrong”? If so, to what extent can we hold them accountable for their actions?

These are big questions that dog world is increasingly willing to discuss — though dog lovers and researchers are nowhere near reaching agreement. Whole Dog Journal editor Nancy Kerns discussed this very question in a recent blog post, and I plan to teach a course that centers around this very issue next spring at the Bergin University of Canine Studies.

As we examine dog behavior more deeply and consider interpretations beyond categorizing every action as a mechanical or instinctive response, and as biologists and ethologists explore the behavior of an enormous range of non-human animals, we see growing evidence that many animals besides humans think about their actions and weigh potential consequences. The TED talks website has a fascinating presentation on animals and morality by Frans de Waal that shows empathy and cooperation in the animal world.

For now, I am considering these questions about dog behavior — and collecting stories. Has your dog ever tried to get another dog to do something? “Told on” a sibling dog who broke the rules? Or done anything that suggests that he or she thought about rules or consequences before acting? Please share your stories here or by email to: thinkingdogblog@gmail.com

 

Dog Days of Summer

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Most of the country has experienced record heat this summer. A common response among dog owners is to get the dog shaved, thinking the dog will be cooler. Is giving your dog a buzz cut really the best choice? How can you help your dog cope with the heat?

Regular grooming, especially for non-shedding breeds such as poodles, is a good idea for any dog. However, a close shave is not recommended. Some dogs dislike short haircuts, even going into hiding after a too-close shave. But your dog’s self-image isn’t the only concern when going for extreme summer grooming. The dog’s coat provides protection against sun and heat — and against sunburn.

Regular bathing with a moisturizing shampoo and frequent brushing to remove mats, debris, and loose fur will keep your dog’s coat clean and beautiful. A shampoo with aloe and oatmeal is a good choice in hot or dry weather or for itchy dogs. A trim might be in order for long-haired or thick-coated dogs, but many groomers advise clipping the top coat and leaving the undercoat for protection. The fur provides natural protection from the sun. Dogs can not only get sunburned, they can get melanomas, just like we humans can.

Canine melanoma usually appears in dogs’ mouths and on their skin and toes — areas that might be exposed to the sun. Skin melanomas occur more on dogs with dark skin, and they look like large, flat, wrinkled masses or small, dark lumps. These tend not to spread or be malignant.

However, melanomas occurring in the mouth, behind the eyes, or on dogs’ toes can be malignant. Despite the similarity in name, these melanomas are not connected with sun exposure and are thought to have a genetic link. Early signs of an oral melanoma include bad breath, bleeding around the mouth, coughing, excessive drooling, trouble swallowing, and excessive weight loss.

Other forms of skin cancer, such as squamous cell carcinomas, are often caused by sun exposure. These can be aggressive cancers. Short-haired (or shaved) dogs are at greater risk for squamous cell carcinomas, and they often occur on the feet, abdomen, and around the genitals — areas with thin or no hair. Squamous cell tumors look like warts and are firm and raised from the skin surface.

Finally, mast cell tumors, the most common form of canine skin cancer, are usually slow-growing but can also be aggressive and can cause inflamed ulcers on the dog’s body. These might be genetically linked, but they have also been linked to irritants or inflammation of the skin.

Monitor your dog carefully — daily brushing and petting will help you notice changes in skin color or texture. Have a veterinarian check any growth or tumor immediately. Many skin cancers can be treated successfully if caught early.

But skin cancer is not the only heat-related summer problem.

Dogs can overheat and even get sunstroke from spending too much time in the summer sun — or in a hot car. On a warm day, never leave a dog inside a closed car! Even with windows open, the interior of the car heats up fast and is much hotter than even the outdoor temperature. Sunlight streaming through the glass windows is turned into heat. Too many pets die each summer because their owners left them in the car “just for a minute.” Don’t risk it.

It is possible to enjoy outdoor play with your dog in the summer, though. Dark-haired dogs can wear white T-shirts to stay cooler (wet the shirt to keep the dog even cooler). Or let your dog wear a cold, wet bandanna or neck wrap to cool off. Other dogs take matters into their own paws, finding a pool or puddle to lie down in. If there’s a dog-friendly beach nearby, spend a day at the dog beach.

Enjoy the summer — but make sure that your dogs have shade when outdoors, can come indoors in hot weather, and always have access to fresh water.

What is your opinion of an E-collar?

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I got this question from a friend who is dog-mommy to two wonderful, if highly energetic, girls.

My short answer was that in general, I believe that they are used too often by people who want a “quick solution,” and they are not used correctly — and that therefore they end up being used in a way that is unfair and abusive to the dog. I abhor punitive training and think that in nearly all cases it is not only unnecessary but counter-productive.

But.

I also hesitate to completely rule out the use of an e-collar (an electric shock collar). There are a very, very few cases where the use of an e-collar, with a skilled, ethical, experienced trainer, might be justified. Continue reading →

Wily Wylie

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The chipmunk was driving Wylie crazy while Deni put the car’s backseats down in preparation for transporting some boxes. Taunting him, chattering nonstop, and darting around the yard. It ran under the car. Wylie ran around and around the car, fixated on the annoying rodent. Deni stepped around the dog, adjusting the seats through the car’s open doors. The crafty chipmunk stayed under the car, just out of paw’s reach. Then Wylie had an idea. Jumping into the backseat of the car, Wylie paced, peering intently out each door. He had figured out that, if that darned racing-striped rat didn’t see him, it would feel safe enough to leave the shelter of the car — and Wylie would be ready when it did!

Wylie’s idea of outsmarting the chipmunk (foiled only when Deni called Wylie back to the house and closed the car doors) shows his ability to strategize. Wylie uses his canine wiliness and planning skills in other ways as well. He’s not the only one.

Anyone who lives in multi-dog families has surely seen a gambit popular with Jana, Wylie’s doggy sister. Noticing that Wylie has a bed, bone, or toy that she might like, she suddenly looks intently out the sliding glass door or runs to the dog door, madly barking her “Look! What’s that in our yard?!” bark. Ever the dutiful watchdog, Wylie immediately goes to investigate and use his authoritarian German Shepherd voice to scare off any dangerous intruder. While Wylie’s scanning the horizon, hackles raised, Jana saunters over to the bed, bone, or toy he had been enjoying … and takes possession.

These stories and many more indicate that dogs have what is called “theory of mind.” Theory of mind means that they are aware of points of view other than their own and use that awareness to guess what another creature might do in a particular situation. It’s a necessary element for empathy and plays a role in much higher-level thought and social interaction.

For many scientists, though, theory of mind is a crucial component of what makes humans, well, human — and unique. As in, smarter-more sophisticated-better than non-human animals. Human children begin to demonstrate theory of mind by about age four. So attributing theory of mind to dogs can be controversial. Some psychologists and dog researchers who are reluctant to attribute theory of mind to dogs ascribe dogs’ ability to “read” us humans to group consciousness or instinct.

Increasingly, though, some are willing to at least take a tentative step out on that limb.

Psychologist and dog cognition researcher Alexandra Horowitz, for example, proposes what she calls a “rudimentary theory of mind” that might exist in dogs. She defines this as “more than acting instinctively, or as a behaviorist, but less than acting with the theoretical understanding characteristic of humans.”

I’ll take that; I am not (yet) ready to argue that dogs’ cognitive abilities are on a par with those of the average human. But there are too many examples of dogs anticipating and manipulating others’ behavior and empathizing with others’ emotions to ignore the evidence that suggests that dogs show theory of mind. And it is important to consider that we, with our human limitations, are measuring dogs’ theory of mind based on how it works for humans. It’s a good bet that we haven’t come up with a relevant-to-dogs way of testing it yet.

It’s cool enough that dogs show theory of mind about their own species, even if they tend to use it, as Jana does, for nefarious purposes. But it’s even more amazing that dogs use theory of mind in their interactions with humans, often anticipating what we’ll do — and coming up with endless ways of manipulating us to walk, play with, and feed them. Any dog who has ever brought his or her human a leash, an empty bowl, or a ball is showing theory of mind (as well as creative communications skills and great optimism!). Wylie was even using theory of mind to try to imagine how the chipmunk might change its behavior if the dog was out of sight. Better luck next time, Wylie!

Jana Rocks

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What’s the best present your dog ever brought you? Mine is the rock pictured here. Jana pulled it out of Lolo Creek at Fort Fizzle, one of our favorite spots to spend a hot summer afternoon. It joins this one:

Jana pulled it out of the same swimming hole last summer.

Does Jana know that hearts have a special meaning to humans? Do dogs use symbols to communicate the way humans do?

Those questions are not as farfetched as they might sound.

Jana loves hunting for rocks in the water, and she often pulls them out to collect onshore or to hand to me for safekeeping. She’s pretty selective about the ones she picks up.

She pokes her head under water, holding her breath as she looks for the perfect rock. Once she’s selected a rock, she lifts her head out and works the rock loose with her paws, then puts her head under water and grabs it. Some of them are huge for a 60-pound dog to carry, weighing a two  pounds or more. Sometimes, I throw one back. And she pulls it out again, often giving me a disgusted look in the process.

They are not all heart-shaped, of course. This stretch of river offers her a large selection of rocks in many sizes, shapes, and weights. Yet many of the rocks Jana chooses are triangular or have an elongated shape and rounded corners.

I can’t help wondering why Jana seems to prefer heart-shaped rocks. Is she sending an intentional message?

Dogs, like humans, regularly  use symbols to communicate with their human and canine friends. Many dogs, for example, bring a leash or guide their human to where the leash hangs to ask for a walk. A human donning a certain pair of shoes can trigger a wild dance of delight in other dogs. Play, aggression, and calming signals are part of universal canine-to-canine body language.

Dogs quickly learn to associate specific actions, such as sitting, coming, or lying down with humans’ spoken words, hand signals — and even printed words or pictures.

But dogs’ abilities go far beyond understanding simple concepts and associations. Studies in canine cognition labs around the world constantly expand our knowledge of how dogs understand high-level concepts.

Dogs have shown that they recognize people in photos and can differentiate between photos of dogs and other creatures. They even associate the sound of a growl with a photo of an  appropriate-sized dog who might make such a sound, looking at a photo of a large dog upon hearing a deep, big-dog growl, for example.

Dogs also learn to associate pictures with concepts. I’ve taught dogs to respond to flashcards printed with words or stick figure dogs showing specific behaviors  (sit, down, speak, etc.). And a researcher in Florida, Dr. Lauren Highfill, recently did a study where dogs learned to ask for their preferred reward by choosing the corresponding picture. They first learned to associate a food reward with one picture, a toy with another, etc. Dr. Highfill even had a “surprise” reward category that allowed dogs to ask for an unknown reward. Some dogs consistently chose to be surprised, while others always asked for their favorite.

So, back to the heart-shaped rocks. I haven’t intentionally taught Jana any specific association with hearts, but she has seen me collecting (much smaller) heart-shaped rocks on our walks together on many different beaches. Maybe she just knows that the symbol is, for whatever reason, meaningful to me.

Jana is very bright and perceptive. Even so, it’s a bit of a stretch to think that she has somehow picked up on the idea that, in human culture, the heart shape stands for an expression of love. It’s not as much of a stretch to think that a watchful dog knows what pleases her human partner and enjoys finding ways to do that. Whatever her reasons, the heart-shaped rocks are gifts from Jana that I will always treasure.

So Sorry About That Skirt … Or Not?

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My sister was clearly annoyed. “Ziggy ate my new silk skirt,” she reported.

Ziggy is a German shepherd with a penchant for illicit snacks. A gentle soul, he’s been led astray by his big sister, a keeshond named Hannah. Their usual modus operandi, though, is raiding the refrigerator — now only possible when Cyndi forgets to close the child-and-dog-proof latch she bought for it.

Cyndi then ventured into common, but contentious, territory. “He’s sorry,” she said. “He keeps apologizing and acting guilty.”

She’s not alone in believing that this is possible. According to Scientific American blogger Jason Goldman, 74 percent of dog owners believe that their dogs show guilt. But, like many scientists, Goldman argues that evidence for dogs’ ability to show “secondary emotions,” which include guilt, pride, and jealousy, is rare. The argument, Goldman says, is that guilt is too complicated an emotion for non-human animals.

Bah, I say. I’m with the 74 percent.

"I'm sorry."

After a lifetime of living with, working with, and studying dogs, I am convinced that they feel the entire range of complex emotions, including guilt, pride, and jealousy. Charles Darwin believed that social primates exhibited these emotions. Behavior patterns that resemble guilt — keeping the head down, averting the gaze — have been observed in wolves, too.

Social animals, including dogs and wolves, need to get along with the others in their group. Secondary emotions, which also include anxiety, worry, contentedness, and affection, are social lubricants. They reinforce social bonds, elicit tolerance, reduce conflict — all things essential to anyone living in a group. Dogs are highly social, and dogs are highly dependent on humans. It makes perfect sense that dogs would understand and feel these emotions.

But.

Feeling them and showing them are two different things. A while back, a series of You Tube videos starring Denver, the “Guilty Dog” was popular. Other dog parents jumped on the bandwagon, posting their own “guilty dog” videos. Problem was, most of the videos showed scared dogs or appeasing dogs or very stressed-out dogs. Not necessarily guilty dogs.

What many dogs learn is that certain behaviors on their humans’ part mean that the humans are unhappy. Angry, even. Angry with them, perhaps. They might have no idea why the human is angry, but they want to make the tension go away. Dogs are very good at figuring out how to placate, neutralize anger, make their humans laugh, or otherwise reduce the possibility of hostile actions directed at them by their humans.

Not that Cyndi is mean to her dogs. She’s a great dog mom. And that explanation only makes sense if Ziggy was anticipating a scolding (or worse) — which is extremely unlikely. So we’re back at square one: Was Ziggy feeling guilty and apologizing for eating her skirt?

My long-distance reading of the situation is that Ziggy knew that Cyndi was unhappy with him. They have a close bond and can read each other well. He’s a very sensitive dog. I think it is likely that he not only understood that she was upset but also that it was connected with the skirt.

So, yes, he could have been apologizing. Or he simply could have been trying to calm her down. It actually doesn’t matter which is the case. From a broad social-science perspective, the two aren’t that different; the goal of both is to defuse tension and reduce strife between group members. And, it worked.

She’s So Vain … She Probably Thinks This Blog Is About Her!

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I find it hard to believe that there are still people who dismiss the fact that dogs are self-aware. Self-awareness is simply the ability to recognize oneself as separate from other individuals and from your environment. Not only do I believe that dogs are self-aware, I go a step further and say that some dogs (yes, I mean you, Jana) are not only self-aware but self-absorbed.

Psychologists and other scientists point to dogs’ disappointing performance on the “mirror test” as “evidence” that dogs are not self-aware. This test, which humans and many primates (and dolphins) pass, basically involves putting a mark on the face of the test subject. If the test subject, when looking in a mirror, reaches up to touch or try to remove the spot — on himself or herself, not on the mirror image — this shows self-awareness. The test subject recognizes himself or herself as different from the mirror image.

Some dogs do pass the mirror test. Before I even knew about the mirror test, as a newbie trainer back in 2002, I was training a service-dog puppy named Yasu. Yasu, a petite platinum blonde, seized every possible opportunity to look in a mirror. She would have aced the mirror test. And her interest in mirrors went beyond mere recognition of herself. She gazed adoringly at her reflection. She sought out mirrors. In the supermarket, she would “up” on the lettuce bin to gaze admiringly at her image in the mirror that was angled above the produce. It was funny — and embarrassing.

But, Yasu aside, many dogs don’t do so well on the mirror test. So what? The test looks at something that is irrelevant to most dogs. For most dogs, self-awareness is not primarily about appearance. Scent is what matters in a dog world.

Ethologist Marc Bekoff demonstrated dogs’ self-awareness with his yellow snow experiments. He moved patches of snow that the dogs he was studying had marked (thus turning it yellow … use your imagination) and studied their reactions. They spent far more time sniffing and investigating yellow snow patches that had been created by other dogs than sniffing their own. Bekoff had moved all of the patches of yellow snow from where the dogs had initially marked, so the “sniffer” dogs were not responding to specific locations. Bekoff’s reading of the study was that the dogs knew their own scent, quickly determined that they would not learn anything interesting about other dogs by sniffing their own marks, and moved on.

So, dogs do show self-awareness, if tested using criteria that actually matter to dogs.

Several years after I worked with Yasu, I took a seminar with Bekoff while doing my master’s degree at Bergin U. I learned about the self-awareness debate and the yellow snow. I never asked Bekoff about it, but I’ve wondered what Yasu’s love of her own image meant.

Who's the fairest dog of all?

Then, along came Jana and the question of self-absorption. Jana turns the yellow snow experiment on its head.

On walks, she seeks out and spends considerably more time sniffing her own, um, leavings. Before anyone starts yelling about what a horrible person I am for not picking up her poop, I would like to point out that we walk in wilderness, in Montana, where hundreds of animals, including deer, elk, moose, fox, coyote, wolf, bear and mountain lion, wild turkeys, and an unknown number of local dogs all walk regularly. No one picks up anything, and there is a smorgasbord of scents for the dogs to investigate.

Jana and I frequently walk the same loop. Despite the markings of all the other animals, on every walk, she stops at the same spots — her spots. The more we walk the loop, the more Jana deposits in the woods along the way — and the more stops we make. She is still sniffing at spots she marked a couple of weeks ago. There is nothing visible left, but she checks out her spots anyhow.

It’s not simply that she’s enjoying the scent. If so, she’d roll in it, as she does with many things, such as dead wildlife, that, to her, have delectable scents. Nor does she (thank goodness!) grab a snack, as she often does with horse droppings. She sniffs. Long and thoroughly. From every angle.

I’ve decided that she thinks her scent is so hot that she’s convinced that other dogs must also think so — and that, therefore, they will leave messages for her. Her own little local Facebook. Extreme doggy self-absorption.

While Jana does admire herself in mirrors occasionally, her self-awareness — and self-absorption — is all about her own heavenly scent.

Pups Need Time With Mom, Siblings

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As one puppy tugged her shoelace, another went for her long hair, and yet another tugged on her pants leg, I watched my sister’s reaction. It suddenly occurred to me. “You’ve never played with an entire litter at once, have you?” I asked.

She hadn’t. In fact, her dogs were rescued as adolescents, so she’s never lived with a young puppy either. These Labs were seven weeks old, the perfect age: cute, cuddly, and playful, but still too small to be pushy or overwhelming en masse (there were seven of them, after all).

Seven weeks is also about the age that most litters are split up, each puppy being sent off to his or her new home. Some breeders (and puppy mills) try to place puppies even younger than seven weeks; responsible, caring breeders will wait at least eight weeks — maybe longer.

The puppies need that time together.

A study published in the Veterinary Record in October 2011 shows that puppies who were removed from their litters too early were far more likely to exhibit problem behaviors later in life than puppies who stayed with their sibs for 60 days or longer. The behaviors included destructiveness, excessive barking, fearfulness on walks, reactivity to noises, toy possessiveness, food possessiveness, and attention-seeking. A much larger proportion of early-separated dogs demonstrated those behaviors.

The study was based on survey responses of 140 dog owners in Italy. Their dogs were between 18 months and seven years old. Half had been adopted at age 30–40 days and half at 60 days. Half came from pet stores and the rest from friends or relatives of the owner or from a breeder; none had been adopted from shelters or had been obviously traumatized.

Dogs who had been separated early from their litters and purchased from a pet store showed the greatest tendency toward toy possessiveness, fearfulness on walks, attention-seeking, stranger aversion, excessive barking, destructiveness, and play biting. Thus, the authors concluded, the combination of early separation and temporary housing at a pet store is particularly inhibiting to a puppy’s social development.

Dog experts have long known about sensitive periods in puppy development and the importance of puppies learning, through play with their littermates, to interact appropriately with other dogs. A puppy’s experiences during this sensitive period, that starts at about 2.5-3 weeks of age and ends at 12 to 14 weeks, a puppy’s experiences can actually modify his brain, leaving lasting effects on his temperament and behavior.

In plain English, this study suggests that taking a puppy away from Mom and sibs too early could affect his ability to adjust to new environments and social relationships — for the rest of his life. It also suggests that early separation makes the puppy more likely to develop behavior problems.

Read more about this study here.