Behaviour

Correlation between brain size and intelligence isn’t straightforward. Humans are the most intelligent lifeform on the planet, yet our brain is smaller than that of an elephant or whale. Relative to body weight, humans still don’t have the largest brains, we have a similar relative brain size to mice! Even comparing sizes of human brains to one another, intelligence and …

Researchers at the University of  Glasgow explored how different music genres affected the behaviour of kennelled dogs. In the study ‘The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs’ soft rock and reggae had the most beneficial effect on behaviour. The study follows on from previous research that investigated the impact of classical music on …

A recent study compared the relationships children have with pets to those with their siblings. The findings revealed that kids got greater satisfaction from relationships with their pets. The study also provided further evidence that pets are important in the social development of children and early adolescents. It’s no surprise that pets are considered a fully-fledged addition to the family. We …

During the warmer months, many homes are quick to open windows. However, cat owners should be aware of the dangers an open window can pose to their pets. A phenomenon called high-rise syndrome is to blame. High-rise syndrome is also used to describe the injuries cats sustain when falling from a height. A fall from the second floor (7m+) or above can be dangerous. Cats falling …

Will a little bit of excitement improve the next training session with your dog? A new study conducted at Duke University suggests the answer is yes – but only if your dog is laid-back. The study investigated the relationship between the level of arousal (a state of being reactive to stimuli, both physiologically and psychologically) in dogs, with their problem solving …

If you’ve ever wondered why your dog seems so excited when you return home then a new study might just have the answer. The calming effect dogs can have on humans has been quite well documented. Stroking or petting your dog can alleviate stress and dog ownership is thought to improve our quality of life, but what about the effect …

Dogs are wonderful companions. Bred for various reasons—sport, show, protection—dogs are above all bred to be loyal and loveable. They are much deeper creatures than we humans often give them credit for and are capable of exhibiting many human emotions. That said, dogs require quite a bit of training. Here are some dog training and puppy housebreaking tips to help …

Some dog owners have a really big problem: their dog chews everything. This can be anything from the odd little nibble at the table leg to the seriously destructive dog that destroys your best shoes, the leather settee, chews up the dog lead and almost always chews its dog bed. This causes great frustration and various degrees of cost. Obviously, …

As you probably know, dogs are pack animals and like to function as though in a hierarchy, even in the home environment. How are disputes about the hierarchy settled? Through aggression.

Are you looking to teach your dog something that you can show off to your friends and family? It seems that these days there is a standard set of tricks that your dog must know. ‘Paw’, ‘Sit’, ‘Beg’, ‘Stay’ etc. Whilst these tricks can actually be helpful in some instances, why not teach them something ‘cool’?