Dog Breed Matters If You Want To Communicate

Scientific Blogging ^ | July 24th 2009 | News Staff

[decimon]

Researchers who make generalizations about the effects of domestication and dog-wolf differences in the utilization of human visual signals, take note; a new study says dog breeds selected to work in visual contact with humans, such as sheep dogs and gun dogs, are better able to comprehend a pointing gesture than those breeds that usually work without direct supervision.

In a series of tests, Márta Gácsi from Eötvös University, Hungary worked with a team of researchers to examine the performance of different breeds of dogs in making sense of the human pointing gesture.

[redhead]

One of the interesting things about this is that a dog will look in the direction you point. Try that with a 2- or 3-year-old child. Oh, and if you haven’t seen it already, watch on National Geographic for the show, “Dog Genius.” It will blow you away.

[razorback-bert]

I was going to say, they bay at the moon, they bay when there is no moon, they bay at sunrise and sunset. They bay at the wind, birds, grass, trees, etc.

[Darren McCarty]

Top 5 things with Beagles?

1-2 - Woof Woof Woof Howl Woof Woof Howwwwwwwwwl. It's what they do to flush out rabbits and alert the hunting owner.
3 - Friendly dogs. They are good with kids as well in my experience. I don't hear about beagle bites too often.
4 - Great for rabbit hunting. That's what they do best.
5 - They WANDER. One of my neighbors had a beagle. They need to be fenced in or they go on the incredible journey. I live right outside Ann Arbor. Their beagle wandered and ended up 15 miles away in Brighton. A beagle will catch a scent and then go.

[bgill]

My Siberian Husky died about 5 years ago and I still miss her terribly. So smart. She understood every thing and would laugh at jokes and would tell on cat. Amazing. She went everywhere with me and was my best friend.

However, the combined IQs of the crew we have now wouldn’t add up to her left paw. I suspect the newfie is smarter than he lets on but he’s just too lazy to turn on all brain cells at once. The laziness did save his manhood when the vet was insistant he be fixed but finally agreed the poor thing couldn’t be bothered getting that excited. He does understand pointing though and that humans have names.

[Big Red Clay]

I am heading out of the office in a couple of minutes to go pick up my new Mastiff puppy. Got about a 4 hour drive to get there.
My wife and I are really excited about getting our new baby. We did alot of research about breeds and I think she is gonna fit in great. We have an English Bulldog now who we love dearly and their temperament and energy level seem very similar. We wanted a dog with that disposition but that would also be a good guard dog and I think we made the right choice.

Any advice you have for a first time Mastiff owner would be greatly appreciated. Big Red Clay

[Arrowhead1952]

Well, we know that the English Sheep dogs get up to 70 lbs. We never had anything larger than a toy poodle.

[Deb]

You are soooooo lucky. Mastiff puppies are the best and you don't have to know anything about them. Your puppy will love your family and terrify intruders. They are cuddle-bugs and like to lean into you whether you're walking, standing, on the couch, in bed. Doesn't matter.

Is your puppy a Bull, English, Neopolitan? Neos are a little smaller and usually have Blue coats. Gorgeous. I had two.

I'm so excited for you.

[cva66snipe]

Get a Ratty {Rat Terrier or Feist} Ours you have to spell some words and some words misspell so they don't understand :>} Smart dogs great with kids and good watch dogs also. Toy Ratty’s can jump 5 feet high and look similar to a Chihuahua. Full size ones are about 20 pounds. I've owned Labs before as well but Ratty's seem to train easier.

[graywaiter]

She'd tell on the cat? Hysterical!Funny how they can be so different isn't it. I breed English Setters and have marveled at the differences between litter mates. Setters, as a rule, have personality and most “grumble” (talk to them & they “talk” back). I have 4 older dogs, all litter mates and their personalities are as follows:

Molly - Queen Bee Alpha Dog(weighs maybe 30 lbs. sleeps inside, GUN SHY! Idiot neighbor sighted in every large bore rifle he owned one day about 50 yds from kennel when pups were 5wks old. (There is a special place in hell for stupid people like him!) She'll hunt like a demon, beautiful points, but as soon as she sees a gun, runs for momma. She nursed my 2 beagle pups when we got them early due to death of mother beagle, but she's never had a litter. Bagged up and had milk! Vet said she was having a psuedo-pregnancy Freaky!)

Buckshot - Speaks English (Hunting?canwegonowcanwegonow?Bird?dadsaidbird!dadsaidbird!canwegonow?#1 bird dog)

Bandit - Loverboy (would be a lapdog if he didn't weigh 80 lbs. Good hunter, knows exactly what to do & expects lots of lovin when he retrieves bird, #2 bird dog)

Sammy - Monster Wuss Setter (weighs 97lbs. returned by buyer because they didn't expect him to get THAT big. Never hunted before return, and does very well, but tires easily. Baby of the bunch.)

All out of the same litter, and different as can be. 3 raised together, Sammy came back after 18 months. The people who bought him just didn't have enough room for a dog that size. I never expected he'd get that big either, but at least I have the facilities for a brute.

[Judith Anne]

1. Don’t ever allow your mastiff puppy to put his teeth on a human. Ever.

2. Have a basket filled with HER things only—include Kong toys, chew bones, soft cuddly puppy toys also.

3. If you don’t want the dog on the bed when she’s full grown, don’t let her on the bed as a puppy. Same with the couch.

4. Never ever hit her. Shame her, if she must be scolded, then turn away. It will be an indelible lesson, and will nearly break both your hearts.

5. Teach her sit, stay, heel, down, as soon as possible. They learn young and never forget.

6. Be careful that she doesn’t eat gravel. Some mastiff puppies love to chew it, for some reason.

7. Don’t play tug of war. This is a game that, if they learn it, they will ALWAYS get carried away. A smaller person, one that weighs less than the dog, could be accidently injured.

8. Do not let her jump up on you, ever.

9. No need to teach her to guard, it is bred deep in the bone. These dogs instinctively know who is safe.

10. If you are not planning to breed her, get her neutered. Female mastiffs are difficult to breed, sometimes need lots of specialized care, and are extremely protective of pups, even with their family.

These were the tips our breeder gave us. Here is our mastiff’s internet page:

http://www.flyingwfarms.com/amastiff/D%20Tinker.htm

This is a brilliant dog and will do anything to be near you at all times. Just remember—don’t allow her to do anything when she is a puppy that you don’t want her to do when she is full grown. Mine rides in the car beautifully, and attracts a lot of attention (which he receives as his due). He knows all the family names, by the way.

[Judith Anne]

One thing I forgot—always keep the dog on a carpeted or non-slick floor. They can permanently injure their joints slipping on slick floors, as puppies. Try to keep her from jumping on and off the bed, same issue. Soon enough, they will step up, those legs get long fast.

[US Navy Vet]

They don’t howl, they bay(they are HOUNDS you know).

[ican'tbelieveit]

I always get tickled at lab owners getting upset when their dog “digs” the water bowl at the dog park.

Just like I shake my head when people wonder why my bassets bark a lot.

That is what dog’s do. Their thing.

[ican'tbelieveit]

Nothing more amazing to see than a hound doing what they are bred to do.

We have our bassets on Iams weight control. All 3 of them seem to be handling my overly busy summer very well, the weight is not packing on.

Also, with a basset, another pet is actually helpful. They are very social, and need another animal/dog.

[RegulatorCountry]

Many people, who don't know dogs, make the mistake of falling in love with a specific breed, due to popularity or television exposure. “Eddie” on Frasier being a good example. Jack Russell Terriers are loving, bright and playful, as pets. But, they were bred for intensity, tenaciousness and a vicious attack upon their “prey,” and so that cute little munchkin can turn into a four-legged piranha, in certain situations. Surprise!

People who get Labs and lock them in an apartment all day, people who get Border Collies and fail to give them a task or enough exercise and then complain about destructive behavior ... it would all go away if people would bother themselves to learn a little about each breed, and try to match their preferences and circumstance to the traits of the breed.

Our first family selected their dog due to their children's’ allergies, like so many hypoallergenic throw pillows or something. Another working breed, the Portuguese Water Dog. I hope he's being handled by someone on staff, who knows and loves dogs, and bothers to at least take him for a swim and runs him quite a bit. Going to be a very bored, frustrated and eventually destructive dog eventually, if not.

[ican'tbelieveit]

Yeah. Very sad the “first” family didn’t really want a pet, that much is obvious. Peer/media pressure got to them. And, they almost treated it like a family getting their first house with a yard.

Which I have been wondering, did they finally give up the pretense of looking for a church? Seems like the media finally let that go too.

We happened into the first basset we got. He needed a new home, so we had to learn on the go. But, we found out why he needed a new home after some research; he was lonely. Now he has a brother & sister we adopted from shelters. He is the least needy of the 3.

[bert]

It was noted yesterday or perhaps this morning by a
Republican congressman that Obama spent more time selecting a puppy than on the healthcare bill.

[RegulatorCountry]

I happened into my Walker, too. Literally. She jumped in my car. Good thing, too. Apparently, she’d been very recently dumped, as she was running up to every passing car, tail wagging, then the picture of dejection when the cars didn’t stop. She’d have been dead by morning, if I hadn’t taken her in. Some breeds don’t “get” cars very well, and the Walker Hound is one of them. She likes to ride in them well enough, though. Don’t know of many dogs who don’t, unless they have a negative association with being taken to the vet or something.

[ican'tbelieveit]

Oh good for you and the houndie. Walkers are gorgeous dogs... very long legs. Our dogs LOVE going to the vet. The smells alone are a blast. But, treats.

[Squirt92]

My father grew up with German Shepherds. Most were female. Most intelligent dogs in the world. They’re great around kids and dedicated to the family, all you need to do is spend a little time with them.