Fetch the Paper: Digital Dog Edition

Wag Psychology

Left, right, left, right... what does your dog's wag say about what she's really feeling?

The New York Times has an article on some interesting research that showed that good stuff--like owners, cats, and such--generate wags pronouncedly to the right, whereas things that cause fear prompt a decidedly leftward wag.

Money quote:

When the dogs saw their owners, their tails all wagged vigorously with a bias to the right side of their bodies, Dr. Vallortigara said. Their tails wagged moderately, again more to the right, when faced with an unfamiliar human. Looking at the cat, a four-year-old male whose owners volunteered him for the experiment, the dogs’ tails again wagged more to the right but in a lower amplitude.

When the dogs looked at an aggressive, unfamiliar dog — a large Belgian shepherd Malinois — their tails all wagged with a bias to the left side of their bodies.

Read on.

Got trauma?

If you've got a dog with behavior issues -- whether she hides under the carpet when company comes, barks incessantly, or has repeatedly tried to eat the neighbor's poodle -- there might be good news for you. Scientists at UCSF and the University of Pennsylvania are conducting a study of canine DNA in an attempt to determine whether dog behavior problems have genetic roots.

If the researchers discover a link between dog behavior and dog DNA, there could be widespread implications. A genetic cause for anxiety and aggression might allow vets and dog trainers to address the behavior problems with new drugs and new training methods. This means your dog (and mine, let's hope) would be less terrified when Grandma comes to visit and less inclined to go postal when the postman rings the bell.

Click here to see the study's webpage, where you can also volunteer your dog for painless participation in the research.