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Subject: Puppy Personality A long time ago I saw a television show on PBS. The show was about pets. I thought the information was so good and so interesting that I took notes. Just the other day I found those notes (dated 1986!) Anyway, in those notes are four tips about how to determine the personality of a puppy. Here they are: 1. Look at the litter and notice-- - who hides under a chair (subserviant) 2. Turn the puppy on his back and rub his tummy. Does he - absolutely refuse to let you (dominant/agressive) 3. Hold the puppy up to your face and look him in the eye. Does he-- - turn his head away (subserviant) 4. If the puppy is growling either at you or his littermates, he will probably be agressive as an adult. Sounds like good advice to me!  Subject: Pet Ownership and Animal Liberation Hello, my name is Antony. I wonder sometimes about the issue of pet ownership vs. animal liberation. In the strictest sense, I suppose that the animal liberation philosophy would say that animal companions are not free to live their lives as they should, and that it isn't right for an animal's survival to be completely dependent on its "owner" to provide all food and shelter. I agree with the animal liberation philosophy on many points (no animal testing, no commercial exploitation, etc.), but on this one I don't, necessarily. I believe that from the animal's point of view, not all pets are unhappy in their homes. For instance, there are plenty of dogs who love their "masters", and I've sometimes heard stories of dogs who are greatly saddened when their owner is seriously ill or has passed away. Also, we've all heard true stories of dogs or cats who travel hundreds of miles just to reunite with their human families. There must be a very compelling reason for animals to put themselves through such long journeys, but what other reason could there be other than a strong desire to be with their human families again? Animals can always learn to find their own food and shelter, since animals can adapt relatively quickly. So those are not likely to be the reasons. I think that in the issue of pet ownership, the animal liberation philosophy should not be so strict. If we consider how the animal feels about being a human companion, some would indicate that they are very content, even though their only source of food and water is through their human companions. Yes, I do own pets, so you might think that I would be a little biased. Well, not really since I am trying to see it from the animal's perspective, not the human's. Anyone, feel free to write me back on this subject if you'd like. :)
By: Beverly Parks I'm currently reading a book titled "When Elephants Weep", written by Jeffery Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy. I'm about halfway through it. The book was published in 1995. The authors discuss how scientists and researchers have discounted or simply ignored over the year the idea that animals can and do experience emotion. The book contains example after example of wild and captive animals displaying a range of emotions--everything from love and joy to shame and loneliness. If scientists accepted the idea of such emotions in animals, they would no longer be able to justify using animals in most research situations. We as pet owners, however, know full well that our pets experience emotions--we *see* it every day. |
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