"Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.” Michael Morpurgo
Happy Wednesday! Here's the scoop:
One dog owners hilarious at-home grooming hack
A savory celebratory treat for your pup
The most productive way to consume your morning news
Can dogs actually read our expressions?
Did you know?
This dog breed is said to have the largest head of any breed.
(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)
The hilarious new way dog owners are clipping their pet's nails
Does your pup give you a hard time when you try to clip their nails? One dog owner figured out a creative solution to this common problem, and it’s become pretty popular.
Dog owner Kailyn Hall wrapped a piece of plastic cling wrap around her forehead and spread some peanut butter onto it. Low and behold, her puppy stayed focused on his snack while receiving his manicure, like a good boy.
Hall said, “I did this to desensitize him to the process of nail clipping, and make it fun, so he wasn't scared in the future."
After posting the video to Facebook, the video got thousands of shares and comments. Soon, similar videos began popping up as dog owners all over tried out this great life hack. If you try this at home, be sure to keep an eye on your pup, and don’t attempt it if your dog likes to nip!
Do(g)-It-Yourself
Does your dog have a party coming up? Celebrate in style with these savory meatloaf pupcakes.
With tasty dog-friendly ingredients, your pup will love these adorable cupcakes with mashed potato “frosting.”
How to make your own meatloaf pupcakes:
What you’ll need: ground beef or turkey, oats, eggs, zucchini, instant mashed potatoes, milk, bacon bits.
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Mix the meat, oats, eggs, and zucchini in a bowl.
Roll the mixture into balls and place the balls in a cupcake tin.
Bake for 15-25 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked.
Make a box of instant mashed potatoes according to the instructions, with half the amount of milk.
Allow the pupcakes to cool down.
Spread on the mashed potatoes.
Top with bacon bits.
Treat your dog with a fun snack!
Image courtesy of Michelle’s Party Plan-it.
What we're digging
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Can dogs read facial expressions?
Our dogs get us. They understand how we’re feeling even though we don’t speak the same language. How does this work? Are dogs able to understand human facial expressions?
Researchers have attempted to answer this question by testing how a dog’s brain responds to different human facial expressions, and the results are somewhat inconclusive.
One study found no difference in dog brain activity when looking at a human face versus the back of a human head. Another study found a clear difference in brain activity when dogs were presented with positive and negative facial expressions, but could not conclude that dogs understand the difference between, say, an angry and a sad face.
While dogs might not be able to read facial expressions the way we can, it appears that their other senses can help to fill in the gaps. For instance, dogs can understand the difference between positive and negative vocalizations. Dogs can also pick up on chemical signals through their sense of smell that indicate different human emotions. In other words, you can rest assured that your dog can understand your mood!
Did you know?
Answer: the Dogue de Bordeaux!
A powerful guardian dog, the Dogue de Bordeaux is known for having an expressive face and eyes and the proportionately largest head of any breed. Source: AKC
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