The Week in Tweets – 29th December 2012

Each week, I blog the links we shared on my twitter account. I also a select a favourite to crown the ‘Tweet of the Week’. It’s a big hunk of links, so get a coffee and enjoy some reading.

Tweet of the Week

When I attended a seminar series with Paul McGreevy, he mentioned how studies of guide dogs have shown that the most successful puppies have characteristics that you wouldn’t typically associated with success. That is, the ‘perfect guide dog puppy’ is right pawed (‘handed’), left eyed, and has hair that whirls in an anti-clockwise direction. This is seriously the case, as crazy as it sounds, and ABC Catalyst looks into this in more detail in the story “Left Paw Right Paw“.

Dog Science

I actually really enjoyed completing this Dog Breed Identification Survey. It doesn’t take very long at all to complete, and help contribute towards dog science.

The Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab is conducting a dog-human play study. And lots are blogging about it: Scientific American asked, “How do you play with your dog?” and Do You Believe in Dog? encouraged: “Play with your dog: for science“.

I just discovered the blog Companion Animal Psychology, and I’m having great fun reading their stuff! This week I tweeted: “Will a dog comfort a crying stranger?” and “social referencing in dogs“.

This just in: Your dog doesn’t really love you.

From Scientific American: “Real life werewovles? Dog bites and full moons” and “Do dogs feel guilty?“.

And from Science Daily, an oldie but a goodie, “If you’re aggressive, your dog will be too, says veterinary study“.

Purchasing or Seeking a Pet

I really loved the RSPCA UK’s little flash description on “Get Puppy Smart“. It’s a little interactive game that’s great for anyone considering adding a pet to their family.

A guest post I made some time ago on All You Need is Lists: “5 Reasons NOT to Buy a Puppy for a Pet Shop“.

This post was very close to the Tweet of the Week. It criticises the adoption process that many rescues ask for adopters to complete, and I think it’s important for rescue groups to acknowledge these conceptions and work at bettering their customer service. The post is called: “No Pet for You – Want to adopt a dog or cat? Prepare for an inquisition at the animal rescue“.

But, on the other hand, a more balanced article talking about “those darn dog rescues with all their rules and questions“.

And SavingPets addresses, for Christmas, the concept of “pets as gifts” (and calls it “the same old xmas rot”!).

Rescue and Sheltering

I love this! What I always try to do when writing my adoption listings: Focus on the present, not the past, to get pets adopted

What should be done about excess dogs in shelters?

Action Kit: Advocating for TNR in your Community.

As always, a few good pickings from SavingPets: “More on ‘overbreeding’ of dogs in Australia“, “When killing is no longer bankrolled by the community“, and “5,462 adopted, 14,240 killed, revenue: $17 million“.

Pet surrender – who’s at fault, the pet or the person?

Officials to debate temperament testing for shelter dogs, cats.

I recently started reading about Oreo’s Law (i.e. that no animal that has a rescue option should be euthanised in a shelter). Nathan Winograd puts this figure of pets that could’ve been saved by this law as 50, 000.

The spay/neuter vs adoption debate, and why we should stop having it.

A good story about the RSPCA: In their ‘ruff love’ program, homeless people are given an opportunity to keep their pets safe until they find accommodation. The ABC News video shows: “Charities show some ruff love to homeless“.

YesBiscuit! looks at the irony that a good samaritan who saves a cat from a tree and loses his life, probably sent the cat to a shelter that will kill it anyway… The post: “Thank-you Marcial Rios Aguilar“.

That Mutt looks at “The lives of outdoor cats” – is a life as an outdoor cat worse than death in a shelter?

Dog Training & Behaviour

This was another one that was close to being a Tweet of the Week: Another Catalyst story on “Dog Music“, and the effects of music on dogs.

Show dog skills: An overview from Spring Forth Dog Blog.

Jane Killion Seminar: Introduction from the Reactive Champion Blog.

One of my favourites of the Victoria Stilwell videos I’ve posted: “Puppy Mouthing (training basics)“.

Maggie’s Farm shared our link to Resources for New Puppy Owners.

Download your ebook: The power of positive reinforcements.

Guilt: What is it good for?

Tips for Changing Unwanted Behaviours.

Unveiling the Myth of Reinforcers and Punishers – looking at operant conditioning.

Good Dog, Smart Dog.