Topics

Animal Behavior

Should Military Dogs Be Classified as “Equipment?”

By Lee Charles Kelley on May 29, 2012 in My Puppy, My Self

Military working dogs are highly effective at saving lives by detecting I.E.D.s yet they are still classified by the Defense Department as "military equipment." We can change that! Read More

Bursting Through Bad Habits

By Seth Slater, M.F.A. on May 29, 2012 in The Dolphin Divide

Why giving up requires not giving in. Want to kick a habit, or encourage someone else to give up theirs? You might be in for disappointment unless you take a driving test first. Read More

Should Governments Tax Puppy Love?

By Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C. on May 29, 2012 in Canine Corner

A recent proposed Italian tax on domestic "animals of affection" was reversed because of public outcry. In Britain, a tax on dogs resulted in a new breed of sheepdog. Read More

My Dog, My Self

By Jessica Pierce, Ph.D. on May 27, 2012 in All Dogs Go to Heaven

Are certain kinds of people drawn to certain kinds of dogs? According to a study presented recently at a British Psychological Society conference, the answer is yes. The breed of dog you own may reflect your personality. Read More

Is Punishment an Effective Way to Change the Behavior of Dogs?

By Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C. on May 24, 2012 in Canine Corner

In much the same way that data shows that spanking human children leads to aggression and acting out later on, research shows that punishing dogs to control their behavior leads to an increase in canine aggression. Read More

Could Wild Birds Reciprocate Our Kind Actions?

By John M. Marzluff, Ph.D. on May 24, 2012 in Avian Einsteins

Have you ever been gifted by a wild animal? Many who feed birds have! Read More

Your Pet’s Food Could Make You (and Your Pet) Sick

By Jessica Pierce, Ph.D. on May 22, 2012 in All Dogs Go to Heaven

I like to think that if I buy my dog Maya high-end food—if I spend twice as much as I have to on a bag of kibble—she will be safe from all the potential nastiness of cheap dog food. Read More

Why Mixed-Sex Sports Never Took Off

By Nigel Barber, Ph.D. on May 22, 2012 in The Human Beast

Apart from mixed doubles tennis, there are virtually no sports in which men and women routinely compete as equals on the same playing field. Why do men and women choose same-sex competition over mixed sport? Read More

Give No One Cause to Fear You

By Rick Hanson, Ph.D. on May 22, 2012 in Your Wise Brain

Much of the time the fear we trigger in others is mild but people can feel threatened by stimuli they're not actually aware of. Read More

Startling Starling Acrobatics: A Murmation Displaying Amazing Coordination

By Marc Bekoff, Ph.D. on May 22, 2012 in Animal Emotions

This video shows a most amazing natural phenomenon. Sit back and enjoy what these startling starlings can do. Read More

Why Animals Really Matter

By Marc Bekoff, Ph.D. on May 21, 2012 in Animal Emotions

Do animals really help us along - are they good for us? Hal Herzog isn't so sure. Marian Dawkins claims they do and suggests that's why animals matter because we really don't know if they're conscious. Outlandish as this may sound it forms the basis for her strongly anthropocentric views. Animals matter because they exist. Read More

Introducing Pyramids of Meaning

By Daniel Bor, Ph.D on May 21, 2012 in Pyramids of Meaning

Consider this puzzling conundrum: When most other species meet their physical needs, they take the biologically sensible decision of conserving energy by resting. But in the same situation why do we reach for a Sudoku puzzle, or even glance at a science blog, seemingly absurdly choosing to engage the most energy-expensive organ we possess? Read More

For the Love of Cats and Dogs: Pictures and Quotes About Our Furry Friends

By Toni Bernhard, J.D. on May 19, 2012 in Turning Straw Into Gold

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. —Martin Buber Read More

Horse Killed and Legally Used to Bait and Kill Wolves

By Marc Bekoff, Ph.D. on May 19, 2012 in Animal Emotions

Alaska trapper Coke Wallace apparently shot a horse near the boundary of Denali National Park and used it to attract wolves who he snared and killed in a former buffer zone. This really did happen and is legal. Read More

Rewilding Dolphins: Good News for Tom and Misha

By Marc Bekoff, Ph.D. on May 17, 2012 in Animal Emotions

These two bottlenose dolphins are doing well after being released from captivity. Let's wish them good luck and rejoice as they are free at last. Read More

Puppies and Broken Hearts

By Hal Herzog, Ph.D. on May 17, 2012 in Animals and Us

Will getting a pet unclog your arteries and stave off the Grim Reaper? Read More

Angelique, the Magnet for Lost Dogs

By Lee Charles Kelley on May 15, 2012 in My Puppy, My Self

For Angelique Lee, her dog Finn’s passing was a transformative event, one that imbued in her the gift of emotional attunement, an unconscious “Spidey sense” for dogs in trouble. (That's Finn in the photo.) Read More

Religious Rituals and Dog Abuse

By Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C. on May 15, 2012 in Canine Corner

In antiquity dogs were sacrificed to appease the goddess Hecate, and despite the rise of Christianity similar abusive rituals are still in practice in some places today. Read More

This 8th Grader Wants to Measure Your Cat's IQ

By Jonathan Wai, Ph.D. on May 13, 2012 in Finding the Next Einstein

How do you measure the intelligence of a cat? This 8th grader has designed a cat IQ test and needs the help of your cat! Read More

Using Positive Emotions to Cure Aggression in Dogs

By Lee Charles Kelley on May 10, 2012 in My Puppy, My Self

What's the best way to cure aggression? Give the dog an alternative behavior? Or give him a positive emotional outlet through play? Read More

Essential Reads: Editor's Picks

Current Issue

The High Art of Handling Problem People

How to handle difficult people.

Animal Behavior Blogs

  • Jessica Pierce

    All Dogs Go to Heaven

    Animals at the end of life.
    By Jessica Pierce Ph.D.
  • Marc Bekoff

    Animal Emotions

    Do animals think and feel?
    By Marc Bekoff
  • Mary Bates

    Animal Minds

    The neuroscience of behavior in the wild.
    By Mary Bates, Ph.D.
  • Hal Herzog, Ph.D.

    Animals and Us

    The psychology of human-animal interactions.
    By Hal Herzog, Ph.D.
  • John Marzluff, Ph.D.

    Avian Einsteins

    The uncanny intelligence and emotion of smart birds—and how they're like humans.
    By John Marzluff, Ph.D. and Tony Angell
  • Gay Bradshaw

    Bear in Mind

    Exploring the common minds and emotions of people and other animals and their lives together.
    By G.A. Bradshaw
  • Stanley Coren, Ph.D.

    Canine Corner

    The human-animal bond.
    By Stanley Coren, Ph.D.
  • Lee Charles Kelley

    My Puppy, My Self

    How dogs make us human.
    By Lee Charles Kelley
  • Pat Shipman, Ph.D.

    The Animal Connection

    A new perspective on what makes us human.
    By Pat Shipman, Ph.D.

  • The Dolphin Divide

    Sounding the Depths of Our Common Consciousness
    By Seth Slater, M.F.A.