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Turns out birds can speak in sentences like people
More and more it seems that birds deserve a place among other higher animals for their intellect. A new paper in the journal Current Biology suggests that one species — the Japanese tit — can use grammar when tweeting at one another. That’s important because grammar is one of the most complex mechanisms of language — and something we generally only see in humans. It’s what gives our sentences structure. When off grammar is, Yoda sound alike, you can. But, depending upon context, words and the meaning they hold can be indecipherable without the right grammar. It does allow us to convey complex ideas, though. Cats, for example, are pretty…
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Yes, cats do purr even when you’re not around, study shows
When a cat purrs as it snuggles up against you, it’s totally one of the greatest feelings in the world. But have you ever wondered if cats do the same thing when you’re not around? Do they purr on their own? According to Phys.org, purring isn’t relegated to just when Mr. Whiskers deems you worthy of his affection. It’s a habit that cats form very early in their lives, as early as when they’re drinking their mother’s milk. Purring doesn’t always have to mean a cat is happy, either. There are different purrs cats make depending on their mood and what’s going on, just like when dogs bark or whine.…
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Study: we probably bred dogs to forgive unfairness
A study published in the journal Current Biology tells us something we already know: dogs have basically been bred to accept raw deals from people. It’s a really depressing conclusion if you stop to think about it, but it makes a lot of sense. Time and again research shows that dogs operate in hierarchies with humans at the top. We take what we want and give the dogs the rest — and they are all too happy to work with us. To be clear, dogs (as well as wolves, their wild cousins) definitely know when we’re giving them short shrift. If you have a steak and you don’t give them…
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Scottish YouTuber faces year in prison for teaching “nazi trick” to his pug
A year ago, Scottish YouTube comedian Markus Meechan AKA Count Dankula uploaded a video to YouTube of himself teaching his girlfriend’s dog to be a Nazi. The conceit of the video was to play a prank on his girlfriend by having her pug, Buddha, learn to do tricks to the sound of offensive Nazi slogans, like “gas the jews” and “seig heil.” https://youtube.com/watch?v=8K5HPUZPQ1k The video went viral, receiving millions of views and landing on the front page of Reddit. Most people laughed at the joke and did not interpret it as supportive of Nazi values. But the Scottish police were not amused. A month after Meechan posted the video, police…
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Scientists discover world’s most adorable (and tiny) salamanders
It’s official. We’ve found the cutest things ever. Earlier this week, researchers named three new salamanders as the smallest four-legged creatures known to science. They can easily fit on a dime, and that’s had some really strange effects on their physiology. Animals aren’t built to be small, and things can get kinda cramped when you’ve got to pack in a spine, a brain, sex organs, etc. These three new species in the genus Thorius, have some bizarre anatomy as a result of their tiny size. These creatures, like most amphibians, have extremely long tongues that they launch at tiny insects. Their tongues can stretch half the length of the body.…
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Pigs can be optimists or pessimists, depending on personality and mood, study finds
Do you know anyone who always seems to see the glass half empty or half full? Then you know pessimists and optimists. It makes sense because you interact with humans. But did you know that pigs are capable of being either optimists or pessimists as well? A new study, with the results published in the journal Biology Letters, notes that humans definitely aren’t the only species to demonstrate these kinds of complex personality traits. “This finding demonstrates that humans are not unique in combining longer-term personality biases with shorter-term mood biases in judging stimuli,” says the study, explaining that pessimism and optimism stem from the way humans process information depending…
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Keeping stress out of dog training
One of the biggest obstacles we have in training our dogs is stress. To be successful, it is important that we learn to recognize the signs of stress in ourselves and our dogs. Why? Because stress interferes with learning! Recognize the signs of stress Neither people nor animals learn well when stressed. More importantly, it is never acceptable to knowingly cause stress in our dogs. As trainers, we need to monitor our own stress also. Our dogs know when we’re stressed. They are masters at reading our body language and moods. Nothing will deflate a dog’s enthusiasm for learning quicker than their trainer’s stress, frustration or anger. Also, if you’re…
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How to introduce your newborn to the puppy
Nothing is more rewarding in life than bringing home a new baby. Your little one will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to your growing family. Unfortunately, there might be one little baby that won’t be as excited by this arrival. I’m not writing about your other children, but your puppy. Many new parents are so concerned with the emotional and physical needs of their little darling that they neglect those of their furry child. If you are concerned your puppy might be feeling jealous, it is important to confront these issues, instead of assuming they will simply go away. Puppies, like babies, thrive on routine. If you had a certain…
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Dog owner trains pooch to act like a parrot
Before you get too excited, let’s make this clear: When we say “trains his pet pooch to act like a parrot,” we don’t mean in the talking-and-squawking way. We mean the riding-on-his-shoulders-as-he-walks way. Of course. Obviously. As you’ll see from the clip below, a man takes his dog for a walk. After seeming to find the snow on the ground a little too cold for his liking, the dog in question leaps onto his owner’s back. Not after a first attempt, mind you, but still, it’s more nimble than we’d ever be. Climbing onto another man’s shoulders, that is. Not that we’ve tried. Anyway, up he pops, and soon the…
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Everything there is to know about dog seizures
There are many causes for seizures such as low blood glucose (sugar), head trauma, certain types of infection, genetic predisposition, exposure to or ingestion of toxins, brain tumors, low calcium levels and certain liver conditions. Sometimes seizures are called “fits”. Seizures can occur in dogs and cats, females and males, all breeds and also mixed breeds. A seizure is the result of an increased amount of electrical activity (a storm) in the brain. Epilepsy is the name given to repeated episodes of seizures for which no cause can be found. If a dog has epilepsy any stressful event or anxiety can trigger a seizure. Seizures that cannot be contributed to…
