Thursday, August 29, 2013

September Blog on DOGS



DOGS: Do you know what’s behind a dog’s feelings? That they express emotions and intelligence?
       
      Mary Ann O’Toole Holley wrote, “They cuddle, they lick, they gaze knowingly. Most of all, they love unconditionally.” She was writing about SUPER DOGS: Amazing K-9s of St Charles County, Missouri. Mabel is a feisty 8-pound Pekinese who gurgles and grumbles and ignores most people. But when she visits ‘grandma’s house,’ Mabel is at her side, sitting in a chair or eating at a dinner table. Mabel has been non-committal for years, until Grandma’s health started to fail.”         

       Continues Patricia Abel of St Peters: “Then, Mabel does not leave  Grandma’s side. I always say Mabel is more like an independent cat than a cuddly dog, but when it comes to Grandma, she’s not going to let anybody do anything bad. Mabel isn’t even a trained service dog!

       Lori Schmoll, a nurse with a hospice program, “Dogs have a unique bond with people.” Two years ago, Lori started to integrate pet therapy into her work. Started with one dog, now works with 15. The K-9 Crew: a group of furry animals which includes a 3-pound Chinese Imperial to a 150-pound Mastiff. They visit patients at the end of their lives. Lori often sees long-gone smiles return to typically stoic faces.  
             
       “I think dogs have a unique bond with people. It’s scientifically proven that when   dogs and humans interact, our bodies release the same pheromones that a nursing mother has with a new child. The bond can become strong between a canine and human. Research shows animal-assisted therapy can lower blood pressure, lower stress, enhance a patient’s ability to progress toward physical and psychological wellness. In recent years, trained therapy animals have been  engaged to work with children to help overcome speech and emotional disorders.”

        In PSYCHOLOGY TODAY, Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, asks Which Emotions Do Dogs Actually Experience? “Dogs have the same hormones and undergo the same chemical changes that humans do during emotional states… … Not all people have the full range of all possible emotions. This data is important to our understanding that the mind of a dog is roughly equivalent to that of a human who is two to two-and-a-half years of age.

         DOG BEHAVIOR: The Science of Canine Emotions. What’s Behind a Dog’s Feelings? “Laughter – Shame – Jealousy – Grief – Joy.” All are thoroughly described in “Cesar’s Way: Achieving Balance and Harmony through training.” Cesar Millan is a Mexican dog trainer, widely known for his television series Dog Whisperer. http://www.cesarsway.com


NOTE: I have just published a new book (7th), EDUCATE A HUMAN BEING. It happened when heavy publicity accompanied the Anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech 50 years ago. Dr. King would have been glad to see his dream hit home base. This was remembered in my book, EDUCATE A HUMAN BEING. For details about the contents of this book, write me: mamatmiller@gmail.com

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