Have you ever tried to trick your dog? Use an excited voice inflection with your dog to make him believe he’s going for a walk? Or, say nonsense with a praise-like fluctuation of your voice?  It’s a mean joke, but scientist over at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary are using this trick to study how dog’s process human voices.

 

Dog’s Reward Center Activates

 

Attila Andics, a neuroscientist at Eotvos Lorand, and her team have been conducting studies with pet-owners and their dogs to determine if dogs can determine intonation in human voices.  When dog owners “baby talk,” or use praise-like inflection with their voice, owners can see a visible reaction in their dog’s body language. This reaction has never been studied empirically, until now. In the first study where animals are neither restrained or sedated, results have shown that dogs use the left hemisphere of their brain to process language, and their right brain to process meaning.

 

13 dogs went through the study, and the results give insight not only into dog cognizance, but humans as well.

 

Each dog was placed into a neural scanning machine developed by Marta Grasi, a professor at Eotvos Lorand who specializes in ethology–animal behavior relating to socio-cognitive function. What makes this study special is that the owners coaxed their dogs to stay still while in the machine. If the dog moved more than three millimeters the data would be unusable. This means that not only could scientist conclude that dogs can process different parts of speech independently, but that a human voice was the dominating factor. Because dogs could not see their owners, scientist knew the brain functioning was happening specifically based on voice.

 

Dog owners prompted their dog’s using trick words that were nonsense while intonating their voice to mimic praise as a control. Dog owners then actually praised their dogs. The results showed that intonation is analyzed by the left hemisphere, while definitions of words are analyzed by the right hemisphere. This shows that dogs can decipher tone and meaning. The dogs also could leave the machine at will, but stayed because their owners praised them for this task.

 

Results Challenge Previously Understood Science

 

For years it  was believed that humans were the  sole mammalian species that use inflection to decipher words, emotions, and feelings. We now know that dogs can separate the two. Dogs don’t just use distinctive body language through communication like tail-wagging and raised hair, but can decipher definition of words and correlating emotion. Humans were thought to be the only species that made this evolutionary leap. Whether this leap took place within dogs naturally, or through domestication is still being studied.

 

The language abilities and processing parts of the brain are more exaggerated and developed within humans, but Fido knows the difference between owners saying, “You’re in trouble” with a baby voice, or an intonation that tells them they’re actually in trouble. This is something most pet owners most likely already knew, but know science has the data to back it up.

Splash and Dash for Dog’s Guide to Making the Inside and Outside of Your Residence a Safe Place for Your New Curious Puppy

If you are considering bringing a new puppy into your home, first you must consider the responsibility involved. Splash and Dash for Dogs will show you the way.  Raising a puppy is like raising a baby, but a baby won’t chew and sniff at everything within reach. Puppies have a lot of energy and are naturally curious. This means that for the first few weeks you as an owner need to be proactive about household arrangement. If a puppy can access it; it will be subject to chewing. Treat everything on the ground as a potential chew toy.

 

Splash and Dash for Dogs has compiled this strategy guide to puppy proof your household.

 

Splash and Dash for Dogs: Remove Everything On the Ground that is Dangerous

Toxic Plants

Plants are nice decorations, but also something a puppy will sniff and chew. Either remove the plant for the time-being, while your puppy grows, or get the plants off the floor. The best method for keeping your plants and puppy healthy is to put any toxic plants in a place where your puppy is restricted from. Common toxic plants are Dieffenbachia, azalea, Calla Lily, and Philodendron.

 

Pharmaceuticals

Any medications need to be removed from the ground level and placed in a cabinet that is inaccessible for a puppy. If medication needs to be stored closer to the ground you may consider using childproof latches to secure cabinets. Storing medication in a plastic container will not always deter a puppy who is prone to chewing. Splash and Dash for Dogs knows the dangers of puppies eating mediation. Ingestion can be dangerous, and even fatal.

Drowning Hazards

Sinks, bathtubs, and toilets all need to be drained when puppies are not supervised. A puppy may be strong enough to climb in, but once wet, can potentially drown.. Get into a habit of closing the bathroom door and toilet bowl lid. If you use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner this is important because these chemicals are often toxic for dogs.

 

Cleaning Supplies

When an area is recently cleaned you will want to restrict a puppy’s access to this place during and after cleaning. Vapors can harm the lungs, eyes, and ingestion of chemicals can cause other harms like vomiting or pancreatitis. Splash and Dash for Dogs wants you to have a happy healthy puppy. Keep cleaning supplies far from your curious pup!

 

Electrical Cords

Puppies will chew anything. This includes electrical cords or surge protectors that could possibly cause burns to mouth, electrical shock, or even death by electrocution. This would be terrible and is easily avoided. Aside from keeping cords out of reach of puppies, use of tie-up cords, cord concealers, or for the DIY type, PVC pipe can all be used to keep your puppy from chewing at dangerous indoor cording. Many pet stores also sell electrical cord encasing that is easy for removal of plugs, but keeps the puppies safe.

 

Open Flames

When cooking or using the fireplace make sure you closely supervise your puppy. If you use a fireplace make sure you place the screen over the open fire to protect a curious puppy that has not encountered fire before. After use of fireplaces or stove make sure any ash is properly discarded to prevent ingestion.

 

Cat Litter

Puppies and dogs both have a tendency to want to eat cat litter. Not only is it gross (to humans), but it can be harmful to a dog. Ingestion of cat litter can cause intestinal obstruction, and if a cat has worms this can also be passed to a puppy. Keep cat litter boxes in a separate room that a puppy does not have access too.

Human Foods

When cooking or storing any human food keep them out of reach of your puppy. There are many common human foods that are extremely toxic to dogs like garlic, onions, and avocados. Store food items on high counters and pushed as far back as possible. A tenacious puppy can easily climb small counters to retrieve a snack that can be potentially harmful.

 

Tobacco Products

All tobacco products including ashtrays need to be stored out of reach of a puppy. Even if it seems obviously unappealing to humans, puppies will chew at anything new to them. Make sure any dangerous tobacco products are out of reach.

 

Puppy Crates

During the first few months of coaching your new puppy you may want to consider using a crate.  Crates deter destructive behavior. Crates are a good space for a puppy when you cannot fully supervise them at night, at work, or on errands. Splash and Dash for Dogs recommends using a crate during the first year of puppy training.

 

Put plenty of soft bedding and toys in the crate so your dog feels cozy and secure. During the first few days of adjusting sit next to your dog while they acclimate to having the door closed. Give them treats often when crate training to reinforce the behavior.  Ideally, a puppy will choose to be in the crate after proper crate training. A crate will be the puppy’s bed.

 

WebMD advises young puppies 8 to 10 weeks old to be left in the crate for up to an hour. This is useful if you need to run an errand. The older a puppy gets, the longer they can be in their crate. The maximum time a dog or puppy can be in crate is 5 hours. Once you let a puppy out of the crate, immediately take them outside, or for a walk to relieve themselves.

 

Puppy Gates

Another useful tool when adapting your puppy to the household is a puppy gate. Just like human babies, it is necessary to restrict access to places in the house with potential access to harmful items. While house training you may consider keeping your puppy away from areas with carpeting and out of the bathrooms that have drowning hazards and harmful chemicals. Splash and Dash for dogs recommends using a crate for the first year of puppy training.

 

It is important to secure puppy gates, not only to keep the puppy from exiting the area, but also so the gate can’t fall harming or traumatize your puppy. When crates fall they make a loud noise which is very scary for a young puppy. This sound will be associated with the gate, making it harder for future use.

 

Splash and Dash for Dogs: Outdoor Hazards

It is never a good idea to keep a puppy outside unattended. The backyard is filled with potential dangers a puppy can get into so keep a watchful eye on your young, curious, inexperienced pup. Depending upon the layout of your yard, you may need to install fencing around hazardous areas or as a perimeter for your puppy. Any fencing installed needs to be secure enough so that a puppy cannot  jump over or dig under.

 

Designate a Bathroom Area

Structure is good for dogs, and the earlier you implement it into your puppy’s lifestyle, the easier it will be for training. A good point of structure is having a designated area where your puppy uses the bathroom. Places like sandboxes, fire-pits, or gardening area will need to need to fenced off not only to keep your puppy safe, but to keep the yard clean.

 

Toxic Outdoor Plants

If you have an out door garden this area will need to be fenced off. Toxic outdoor plants including potato, Morning Glory, Oak (buds and acorns), bulb plants like daffodils, and cocoa bean mulch are all extremely toxic to dogs. Landscaping stone small enough to be chewed on is also a potential hazard if swallowed. The stones can cause intestinal blockage.

Garage Items

Keep items like gasoline, plant fertilizer, insecticide, charcoal and any auto supplies out of reach of puppies. Antifreeze and rat poison should always be locked away because these chemicals actually taste good to dogs.

Open Flames

Barbecue grills, fire rings, tiki-torches, or any open source flame will either need to be removed or fenced off.
Splash and Dash for Dogs wants you to treat your puppy like a baby. They can, and will, explore everything in and out of your house and before you introduce your puppy to the household you will want to secure as much of these things as possible. Splash and Dash for Dogs recommends surveying and puppy proofing your house way before the puppy is brought home.