Discover Dogs: How Science, Community, and Canines Came Together at the Northern Ireland Science Festival
It was raining. Not the kind of romantic drizzle that poets romanticise, but the full, wind-whipping Belfast kind that makes you question all your weekend plans. Yet, there I was, coat zipped to my chin, stepping into the stunning quadrangle of Queen’s University Belfast for something called “Discover Dogs.” I didn’t know it yet, but that one soggy Saturday in September 2023 was about to unleash a journey that would combine my love of dogs, science, and public engagement in ways I never expected.
Resource Guarding
Resource guarding in dogs is a natural behaviour rooted in survival instincts. However, when this behaviour manifests in domestic settings, it can lead to challenges in the human-animal relationship. Understanding the underlying causes of resource guarding is crucial for effective management and prevention.
Puppy Socialisation
The First Few Weeks of LifeA puppy’s journey begins in the warmth and safety of its mother’s care. Born blind and deaf, puppies rely completely on their mother and littermates for nourishment and comfort. During the first two weeks, their primary activities include sleeping, eating, and cuddling. Around the two-week mark, puppies begin to open their eyes and slowly start to explore their surroundings.
The Truth About Cats and Dogs
“You’re either a dog person or a cat person”. Now there’s a statement you’re sure to have heard a few times. I’ve spent a long time trying to describe myself as one or the other and then realised that I was in fact an animal person. No distinction required. But it got me to thinking. Was the reason you are either a dog person or a cat person because the two are considered to be polar opposites?
Put a Muzzle On
I see a lot of complaints from people that believe because their dog is on a lead it cannot be approached by another dog. Complaints about how their dog is not friendly even though yours is! How dare you allow your dog (a social animal) to approach their leaded, unfriendly dog?
Complaints like that.
And I get to thinking. If your dog is unfriendly, reactive, nervous, scared or openly aggressive on a lead or not, surely it is safer to have a muzzle on?
It’s Just a Dog
Such cruel words. It is so much more. It is a he. It is a she. It has a name. It has likes. It has dislikes. It has fun. It is joy. It has my heart.
Many times, I’ve heard this expression. Many times, I’ve known that the person saying it has missed a relationship in their life that I can’t explain. Something I have no means to justify. Owning a dog, a pet, is not for everyone.
That’s OK. I understand.
The Kindest Cut?
For a long time, I have strongly believed that the best way to manage and reduce the number of stray and abandoned dogs is to routinely neuter dogs (by neuter I mean spay the female and castrate the male).
‘Get a dog’ they said So a dog many people got
The lockdowns during the Covid pandemic were difficult times. Probably most difficult of all was the feeling of forced estrangement from family and friends. We were not allowed to do what we as a species do naturally – be social. It is, in fact the absolute essence of us to engage and converse with other people.
