“For some reason we take pleasure in synchronizing.” Steven Strogatz     The debate on Marc Bekoff’s blog on Psychology Today about the nature of “dominance” in social behavior has caused me to revisit the Ted lecture on the nature of synchronization by Steven Strogatz.   http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_strogatz_on_sync.html I fail to see how someone deeply involved [...] Related posts:

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/03/science/03firewalker.html?_r=1 The above is an excellent story which in my...
2. Generally we think of a rabid animal, foaming at the...
3. (Thanks to Russell for bringing this research to our attention.)...

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“As a culture we are still caught in the mental/physical divide, prone to thinking of psychiatric illness as either “all in your head” or, conversely, as “chemical imbalances” or “organic brain diseases.” None of these is a helpful or accurate description of any psychiatric condition. We cannot isolate the brain from life experience and the [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/kyle-dyer-kusa-anchor-bit_n_1263246.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false From a discussion on a rescue group it is clear that many people have taken umbrage that the news anchor woman, Kyle Dyer, didn’t approach the dog with proper canine etiquette. http://www.facebook.com/WGSRescue Fortunately one writer on the website wrote: “I have not seen the video nor do I say the dog is at fault. [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by .

Join NDT and State of Indiana K-9 Assisted Crisis Response for the   Natural Dog Training Workshop for Canine Assisted Response & Canine Assisted Therapies   CAMP ATTERBURY Ninevah, IN May 10-13, 2012   Kevin Behan, founder of Natural Dog Training, will be conducting a seminar and workshop for dogs and handlers at Camp Atterbury in [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by .

Thanks to Lee for the following: Intuitive Physics http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124113051.htm   “In a review of related scientific literature from the past 30 years, vanMarle and Susan Hespos of Northwestern University found that the evidence for intuitive physics occurs in infants as young as two months — the earliest age at which testing can occur. At that [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by .

(Thanks to Russell for bringing this research to our attention.) http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-retreat-circuit-links-hunger-pursuit.html Emotion begins with “a want,” no matter how complex or sublime a feeling, it always crystallizes around “a want.” This is a common denominator that runs true from the most complex to the most primitive organisms. If something is perceived as conducive to a [...] Related posts:

1. Adam asks: “Also, is eye contact from the object of...
2. (Be advised that this a long essay on theory.) Recently...
3. I’m looking forward to the possibility of a “blog-a-log” that...

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Join author Kevin Behan for a discussion about his new book, Your Dog Is Your Mirror: The Emotional Capacity of Our Dogs and Ourselves. Learn how Behan came to understand the true nature of dogs and his unique approach to training, plus hear stories of his long training career and the dogs who’ve helped him form his [...] Related posts:

1. Join author Kevin Behan for a discussion about his new...
2. Friday, February 18th, 2011 7:00 – 8:00 pm Northshire Bookstore...
3. Sunday, December 4th 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Duxbury...

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I’ve noticed that reforming problem dogs is getting harder. Why? Because dog owners are now well-trained, and one of the most influential trainers in the education of the modern dog owner is Ian Dunbar, in particular, his concept of “bite inhibition.” Ian Dunbar: “I shall repeat over and over: teaching bite inhibition is the most important [...] Related posts:

1. Have you ever noticed that when you see amazing pictures...
2. If a dog doesn’t love to bite, then it needs...

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Join author Kevin Behan for a discussion about his new book, Your Dog Is Your Mirror: The Emotional Capacity of Our Dogs and Ourselves. Learn how Behan came to understand the true nature of dogs and his unique approach to training, plus hear stories of his long training career and the dogs who’ve helped him [...] Related posts:

1. Friday, February 18th, 2011 7:00 – 8:00 pm Northshire Bookstore...
2. Sunday, December 4th 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Duxbury...
3. Kevin will be talking to Tom Ashbrook tomorrow, June 2nd,...

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Without a model for the animal mind, Dogdom must always return to the notion of dominance in order to explain social structure. Learning theory hasn’t been able to fill the bill and neuroscience merely reduces behavior to its biological nuts and bolts. Furthermore the notion of dominance seems consistent with evolutionary theory, given the assumption [...] Related posts:

1. I am going to offer a number of thoughts on...
2.  Thanks to Chris Duncan for highlighting this film. I...

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