Pawsitive Pup Training

04/08/2025

In an effort to bring more transparency to the online puppy marketplace, Bailing Out Benji recently conducted an in-depth audit of Puppies.com, one of the largest websites connecting breeders with potential buyers.

Immediately we were able to determine that at the time of our first inspection there were more than 67,000 puppies for sale on Puppies.com with more than 15,000 sellers listed on their website. That is a very overwhelming number!

Over the last few weeks, our team has been diligently auditing each seller to determine which sellers listing puppies on the site had verifiable ties to problematic breeding facilities or which ones were operating without the proper license. So far, we have found 300 facilities that we believe are operating outside of the regulations in their state or federally and we are in the process of filing complaints!

While this project is ongoing, we have been able to compile a short list of facilities we find to be concerning.

https://bailingoutbenji.com/puppiesdotcom/

The map below shows the number of sellers that actively had profiles on the website. As you can see, some of the states that have the highest numbers of puppy sellers are located outside of the midwest.

03/31/2025

Once again thanks to .brains for this.

03/29/2025

Help us bring the puppies back! Come to the French Science Building room 2231 at 4:30 on April 2nd to find out more information!

03/28/2025

Understanding the Risks of Suppressing Canine Emotions: 🐶💔

It is essential to understand that suppressing our dogs' behaviour and striving for them to appear "FINE" (Feelings Inside Not Expressed) can be extremely risky and detrimental for everyone involved. Instead, our goal should be to encourage our dogs to express their emotions and communicate when they are worried, happy, anxious, or frustrated. 🐶💔

🐾 By allowing our dogs to express their emotions, we create an open dialogue and build a stronger connection with them. Just like humans, dogs experience a wide range of emotions, and it is crucial that they feel comfortable expressing them.

🐾 When dogs exhibit signs of stress or discomfort, it serves as a valuable signal that something is amiss. By addressing and understanding the root cause of their emotional response, we can better meet their needs and provide appropriate support. 🔄🔍✅

🐾 Suppressing our dogs' emotions can lead to a variety of negative consequences. Bottling up feelings may result in increased anxiety, aggression, or even health issues. It is far safer and more constructive to create an environment where our dogs feel safe expressing themselves. 🚫🙈

🐾 Encouraging emotional expression in our dogs allows us to work together with them to overcome challenges or fears. By acknowledging their emotions, we can implement effective training techniques, seek professional help if necessary, and tailor our approach to suit their individual needs. 💪💙📚

🐾 Ultimately, the aim is to foster a positive emotional state for our furry friends. By promoting emotional well-being and giving them a voice, we can create a harmonious and fulfilling relationship with our dogs. Let's remember that their emotional needs are just as important as their physical ones. 🌟🐕💗

03/28/2025

Love the powdery matte surface on these glass beads!

03/28/2025

The connection between canine hearing, vision, and anatomy.

03/27/2025

03/27/2025

**𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁**
We have another request for you from a student at the University of York. The research seeks to understand variability in dog vocal behaviour. The survey can be accessed at https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0j1StGatgH03Xv0

If you have any questions about this study, please contact [email protected]

Thank you.

03/20/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀! Did you know that the timing of spay/neuter surgery can impact your dog’s long-term health? Research funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) found that early spay/neuter in Golden Retrievers is linked to an increased risk of hip dysplasia, CCL tears, and certain cancers. This groundbreaking study highlights the importance of carefully considering the right timing for every dog’s unique needs. With science-backed decisions, we can help ensure healthier, happier lives for our beloved companions.

Knowledge is power—let’s keep learning for the dogs we love!

03/20/2025

A new publication shows significant reductions in child and parental anxiety and the reduced need for anxiety medication resulting from therapy dog visits in the emergency department. This study, published in JAMA Network was led by Jeffrey A. Kline, MD, Associate Chair of Research at the Department...

03/05/2025

DID YOU KNOW?

The average dog has around two hundred and twenty million olfactory receptors in the nose, although it can be as many as three hundred million in dogs bred specifically for scentwork. Those tend to have longer ears which help to capture the scent and move it towards the nose.
In comparison, the human has an average of only six million scent receptors.

According to Dr Michael T. Nappier DVM, DABVP of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, their excellent sense of smell enables a dog to detect the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic-sized swimming pool!

The canine frontal cortex is smaller than ours, therefore it has different emotional capabilities; it is this part of the brain which is responsible for conscious scent perception. When it comes to canine scenting ability, their brains are forty times more capable than our own, which equates to a sense of smell 10,000 to 100,000 times more powerful!

To help this to compute fully, James Walker, former director of the Sensory Research Institute at Florida State University, describes this in terms of sight: “If you make the analogy of vision, what you and I can see at a third of a mile, a dog could see more than 3,000 miles away and still see as well.” Phenomenal stuff!

The wind musicians amongst you will be thoroughly impressed that dogs can circular breathe. They draw in and process scent at the same time as they breathe in and out, creating a constant stream of air, effortlessly. They can also use their nostrils independently, creating a 3D scent picture that allows them to pinpoint exactly where a smell originates from. Mind-blowing, really!

For more fascinating facts, why not check out my blog post: https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/the-science-of-scent-part-one

©️ Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

I'm very happy for all of my content to be shared, but please do not copy and paste to avoid sharing from source. Thank you! 🐾 🐾

Image shows a close-up of my scenthound Max's nose and face, taking a nap, as usual!

03/03/2025

From 2001 to 2020, the estimated number of adults seen at emergency departments for dog-walking injuries increased significantly, from 7,300 to 32,300 a year, Johns Hopkins University researcher Ridge Maxson told The Associated Press.

03/01/2025