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handymac

Nat. Geographic program about dogs

handymac
16 years ago

I watched this program---covered the genetic reasons mankind can easily alter canines genetically as well as why dogs interact differently with humans than cats or primates.

There are some major differences in dog behavior from what I learned just 45 years ago---and what I have experienced. The programs also underlined the problems inbreeding has caused in breeds----saying basically inbreeding is the cause of most of the problems found in purebred dogs---one of the few things that I learned early on in my education about dogs.

I found the program to be extremely informative and interesting, as it explained how much dogs have been changed in just decades---their abilities and their interaction with humans.

Then I watched a program where the Dog Whisperer worked with a former ATF dog who had had what basically amounted to a total nervous breakdown. Say what you will about Cesar---he brought that dog back from being a useless nervous wreck to being a productive and happy animal. The program did accentuate for me the necessity of allowing even working dogs to be able to be just dogs at regular intervals----and the nesessity for the pack to be included in dogs lives. For people who do not think the pack works, seeing Gavin(The Golden in the episode) get to reunion with two of the dogs he grew up with was impressive. He almost immediately reverted to the puppy/adolescent behavior he and those other two exhibited while growing up together----6+ years earlier.

Both programs made me realize dogs are much more changeable than I realized----and mankind can actually selectively breed super dogs---as the Russian dogs bred for bomb detection illustrated.

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