Dogs smile. Just like people, dogs pull the corners of their mouths up high toward their eyes, partially open their mouths, and smile. In 1872, Darwin wrote of the universality of facial expressions in The Expressions of Emotions in Man and Animals. Roughly 130 years later, Dr. Patricia McConnell authored For the Love of a Dog in which she compared human and dog facial expressions using the methods developed by Paul Ekman, the world's leading scientist on the topic. The truth is out: dogs smile, and, of course, experience emotions.
Training Theory
How to Motivate Yourself to Train or Exercise Your Dog—Or Do Practically Anything Else!
By Aidan Bindoff on 09/01/2007Psst! Do you want to know the secret to getting things done?
Do you feel guilty about not walking your dog every day? Or not training as often as you should, or even not training when you really need to?
Is Dog Training Worth It? Click and Laugh
By Virginia Broitman on 06/01/2007There's so much more, however, that a dog can learn. You may wonder if it's worth your time, energy, and money to continue your dog's education. We'll explore and answer this question using cost/benefit analysis.
Are You a Leader, or Just a Treat Dispenser?
By Aidan Bindoff on 06/01/2007Have you ever felt that you really have no leadership role in your relationship with your dog because your dog is just performing for food? You are not alone.
The Shape of Shaping: Some Historical Notes
By Karen Pryor on 04/10/2007Shaping is a concept that many pet owners find hard to grasp. We're used to making animals do things by leading them or pushing them into the behavior we want—and it is hard to believe that there is another way. Common sense tells us that there is no possible way to get an animal to do something it has never done before, doing nothing yourself but reinforcing spontaneous movements.
