Do leads make dogs more tense?
A lead constrains your dog’s movement and that can make them more tense, especially if an off-lead dog runs up to them – they don’t have freedom to move away.
The lead can also interfere with their body language and their ability to read other dogs’ body language (they can’t move to get a better view). Dogs on leads are less likely to interact with other dogs and sniff less than dogs off lead.
What you do with the lead matters too: don’t jerk the lead or attach it to a shock, prong or choke collar as this can cause stress and is bad for their welfare.
Do dogs have to have the last word?
It’s not so much that dogs like to have the last word, more that barking can be a group activity that they all want to join in on. Dogs use barks in several different ways: they can be a greeting to say hello, a warning (for example, that a stranger is approaching), a request for attention when left alone or wanting something, and part of play.
Barking is what’s known as an 'allelomimetic' behaviour. In other words, a behaviour that other dogs are likely to copy. So when one dog barks, other dogs are likely to start barking too.
Read more:
- The (incredibly adorable) reason your dog stares at you
- Does my dog love me? Here’s how to know for sure
- Top 10: Biggest dog breeds in the world
Crates for dogs: good or bad?
Crates generally aren’t needed. There may be times in your dog’s life when they need to be confined (at the vet’s after surgery, for example) and then it can help if they’re already crate-trained. Crates can be used to transport your dog and can help with house training.
But you can’t shove a dog in a crate and expect them to like it – it takes training. A crate with the door always open can become a safe space for your dog to relax. But don’t leave your dog in a crate all day while you’re at work – they need space to move around.
Are we dumbing dogs down?
In a way, we’ve been dumbing dogs down since domestication began. We’ve changed them to make them cute and/or useful, so they’re no longer the same as their wild ancestors.
One of the key differences is that the sensitive period – when young pups are learning about the world – starts later in dog puppies, once all their senses are working; but in wolves it begins at two weeks, when they're still deaf and blind, and can only smell the world. So dog puppies learn to be sociable, less fearful and to ask us for help, and, in turn, may need us to care for them.
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