Category: Dog

It was finally the day, the day that I could say I was the most excited person on Earth. I was leaving Earth to go to Mars at six in the morning sharp. I have spent years on Earth researching about Mars, but now I can finally go and do so many tests.

I was even more excited when I remembered that I would be traveling by rocket that I had made myself and my buddy, Jackie Fan, She actually worked for the company that helped me make the rocket. My rocket was the power model, the Saturn V. I was going with my crew Jackie, Hannah, Bernich, and my dog making it the first dog on Mars. Jackie was a professional engineer who worked for Boeing, an Aerospace company, we have been friends since being in the same science class for year 7. Hannah was a professional scientist and was a single mother with 16-year-old twins, Avery and Audrey. We met during a science course in university and Bernich was a professional pilot and I met during a Blackpink concert when I was 15 years old. Her weakness was chilli food even better was rather hot for her. My dog’s name is Kuma, Kuma is a brown pomeranian (fully grown). I got Kuma as a Christmas present when I was 21. Kuma loves to play hide ‘n’ seek and she hates canned dog food, she prefers food that humans eat such as watermelon and basically any other fruits that dogs can eat. Kuma was a bit of a weird dog, but I still loved her.

My aim was to find out if there were any living creatures on Mars and make Kuma the first dog to be on Mars and live like a normal dog for at least 24 hours.

When the time finally came, everything was set up the controls, engine, and everything else needed. I got into the rocket with my crew and it’s it was the most tense and anxious moment of my life. “3….2….1….BLAST OFF!”. It was the longest few seconds of my life. It felt like my heart could pump out of my chest. It was successful? take-off. Once I heard my team on Earth say that I felt light as a feather.

Mars is 140 miles from Earth which would probably take 300 days. From Mars to the moon is 77.79km. To sum it all up, basically, this is going to be a long journey.

We have finally entered space. It was a 300-day journey to Mars. The days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. But the day finally came, we had landed on Mars with a bit of a bumpy landing. Soon enough my dog would become the world’s first dog to step foot on Mars. I put my gear on, got my oxygen tank ready, and made sure everything was stable in the ship before coming out.

As I stepped foot on Mars I noticed something was off, the place looked like it had a very faint green gas floating, but I just ignored thinking that it was normal. I explored and collected many samples and made some exemplary discoveries such as finding out that water was actually on Mars, why it was called the red planet because It’s red on the floor due to rusty iron. Mars has seasons, ice caps, volcanoes, canyons, and climate like Earth. It has a very thin carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon atmosphere.

After walking and exploring the planet for a few hours I collected a large amount of rock samples along with some souvenirs for my family back on Earth. It was time for Kuma to become the world’s first dog to step onto Mars. My crew suited Kuma up and I hid a few treats in there so that Kuma would stay in the suit and try not to escape, and if Kuma did escape she would die because of the lack of oxygen in Mars’s atmosphere. So hopefully she doesn’t do that. Otherwise, she would be the first dog to die on Mars instead of the first dog to be on Mars for 24 hours and return home safely.

It was exactly 9:00 am (Earth time) when Kuma was ready, She had her mini astronaut dog suit, oxygen tank, and even her favorite toy, Mr. Blueberry, just to make her feel safe. I stepped out of the rocket ship with Kuma, walking around and getting Kuma familiar with Mars. It felt like another day on Earth, walking Kuma with her leash, Kuma exploring places, except that she couldn’t pee on anything except for her astronaut suit. I realized when she peed in her suit that I had to go back to the rocket and this gave her a dog nappy. I knew one day that ill need it. So I put that on her she we went out again. This time it had felt like another Earth except just an embarrassing day, but luckily no one was there to see Kuma wearing dog nappies.

After a couple of hours, I was still walking not sure if I had gotten lost. I called my crew, but the part of Mars that I was in had no signal. I didn’t know what to do. So I just tried to go back. While going back I tripped on some rock and smashed my element onto the ground, Kuma also tripped and her mask had a few minor cracks. I got up and noticed that green gas was filling Kuma’s helmet up. But I thought nothing of it so I contoured to walk. I had noticed that Kuma wasn’t as playful as Kuma usually was. The atmosphere becomes greener and greener. Kuma’s helmet looked like he had no air left, but I still thought nothing of it, thinking that she would be okay, she had a full oxygen tank. We walked and walked and then when I finally found our rocketship, Kuma was gone. I walked back retracing my steps. Inside my head, I was thinking “Please Kuma come back, I need you in my life without you I’m nothing”. I walked for hours eager to find her I finally did in an unforgettable state. Kuma was killed by the green gas. I took her body to the rocket and the crew examined why she died. Hannah found out how she died “Kuma was killed by the green gas which is toxic to any lifeform that we know of”.

I failed my finish…. I went home in shame…

When I was eleven, I bought two black dogs. Some days, they go missing. But once one of them finds their way back, I wait in anticipation for the next to follow. Some days, both leave to find other people to aggravate. When the dogs aren’t with me, I feel light as a feather. I’m so used to having the dogs around that I feel guilty when they leave. I worry about where they are and who they are upsetting. I wish the two black dogs could perish but they are unstoppable.

Depression and anxiety. That’s their names. I am the owner. I do everything with them. My whole life revolves around those dogs. Most days, I have no control over them. I’m so busy worrying about people seeing my black dogs, that I isolate myself, wanting to be alone. Just my two black dogs and me. Some days I just want to end it all, I have tried once, but it was unsuccessful. I just want to have a day without the black dogs.

Late in the winter of my sixteenth year, my mother only decided then that I was depressed, presumably because I hated leaving the house, hated talking to other people and ate infrequently. My mother decided that I needed treatment, so she took me to see my local doctor (Susan) who has known me since birth. She agreed. She told me to attend a weekly support group which could benefit me.

This support group features teens who hated talking about their feelings and was only there because they were forced to. The support group, of course, was depressing as hell. We met on a Monday morning in the church down from my house. We would sit in a circle with the leader and he would talk about the depressing miserable life he had. He blamed everything on his wife who left him eight years ago due to their disagreement about their new pet’s name. He needed up calling his stupid dog, Bernard. Then we introduce ourselves. Name, age, diagnosis, and how we are feeling today. I’m Jessica, I’d say. Sixteen, depression, and I’m doing just fine.

The only redeeming part of attending the support group was seeing this kid called Josh. Josh was amusing to watch. He also had depression. He’s a lanky guy with hair curly hair that flopped to his right side. Kind of like Harry Styles. He would make inappropriate jokes that he would get told off for but deep down everyone loved them and he really brought the mood up in the depressing support group that was in the basement of the church down the road from me.

Anyway, I’ve been going to this support group for a couple of months now and I’m still hating every minute that I’m in there. I tell my mother I’m getting better and that it’s not necessary to go anymore. She just walks away every time. I cry. A lot. I beg her that I’ll do it all on my own. I’ll help myself and my two black dogs.

All the things I used to enjoy are now pointless. My dogs distract me and ruin everything I attempt in life. I don’t want to affect anybody else life and let them be as miserable as I am. This is the reason I hide. Some days, I think my dogs have left. That they won’t come back. But for me, they always come back. They can come back at any time and who knows, the dogs may be bigger and more viscous next time.

If I could say one thing to my eleven-year-old self, I would say to get help early. I wouldn’t be going through the hardship I go through now if I knew what depression and anxiety were.

My son started asking me for a dog when he was 5 years old. I had the perfect excuse to deny his wish: ‘We live in an apartment. Maybe when we get a house.’

Soon his pleas were reinforced by the ones of his little sister, who also asked for a pet. I didn’t see how we could have one. It’s not that they showed any incredible affection towards animals they were even afraid of them! I couldn’t risk a commitment like that just yet.

But on my daughter’s 6th birthday, I got her a beta fish. It didn’t last more than a year – I accidentally killed it one time while cleaning the aquarium. She cried, heartbroken. I had never seen her sad like that, and my heart ached. For months, she couldn’t hear about fish or see one without getting sad. But Opal, the fish, was gone, and she vowed to never have another one.

They asked for a dog again.

So I got my son a hamster on his birthday. They had a lot of fun with it, although always afraid to touch it. Buying cages and accessories was a new item on the family budget now. I was able to understand all the things I read about how not to get a pet before the kids were responsible enough to take care of it. Or how not to get a pet for the kids, unless you actually want one yourself, because it falls on the mom to take care of it.

Peanut didn’t live too long but had adventures worth twice her lifetime. When we found her dead, my kids prepared a funeral. My son made a video in her honor with all her memories.

They mourned for a little while and then asked for a dog.

Five years had passed since my son had first asked for a dog, and he knew how to use this to his advantage. Five years is a long time for a kid. He had been very patient. We were still not getting a house. Let’s have a dog now!

He signed up for my email to every animal shelter in the city, and I got tons of notifications. He searched for dogs online every day. He made a list of 52 possible dog names he could give his future dog and gave it to me in an envelope. He learned facts and information on many breeds and became an expert on dogs. He was determined to convince me to get a dog soon.

Both children prayed every night about it. They played, pretending to be dogs, walking on fours, and panting with their tongs out. Was that a plot to make me go crazy? No, please don’t lick my face! I will start looking for dogs! Let’s talk about it. Meanwhile, their bedroom walls had dozens of pictures of dogs, taken from different calendars I gave them. As a photographer, I love pictures. As a mom, I still wasn’t ready for a real-life canine in my little space. Especially when my husband also didn’t want a dog either.

But then Covid-19 hit.

We were one of the many families who adopted a pet during the pandemic. Being forced to stay home and miss all the summer fun, made it impossible for me to wait any longer to give my kids what they had been asking for five years (five years!).

Finding a dog seemed more difficult than I anticipated. It seemed like everyone was looking for the same thing as me. It had to be a puppy, my husband specified when he finally got on board. As first-time dog owners, with small kids already afraid of dogs, we couldn’t risk adopting an animal with an unknown history. Pups were hard to find in shelters and too expensive to buy. Besides, my husband didn’t like the idea of buying a pet, with so many already without a home. It was starting to become frustrating.

We finally found online a cute puppy in San Jose that needed to be rehomed for a small fee, covering just her kennel and toys. It was a 4-month-old German Shepherd, the owner said, and she couldn’t keep it in her new apartment. I wasn’t planning on such a big dog, but she was too cute to pass. (Later we figured out it was a Belgian Malinois mix).

We drove the 2 hours from Sacramento to San Jose and met Minnie in a Walmart parking lot. She was a lot bigger in person than in the pictures and my heart raced a little. Was I doing the right thing? Would she be friendly to us? I was a little nervous when the owner gave her to me – I had never held a dog before in my life.

The ride home was full of anticipation and emotions. My kids were elated. They immediately changed her name to Millie. I was relieved to finally get a dog and scared at the same time. Millie threw up inside the cage and the kids assumed she got car sick from the trip.

We stopped by the park before getting home and took Millie out of the car to run around. She chased my daughter and she cried, scared. She wanted to play tug of war with me and I was afraid she was being aggressive. She pooped in the living room and my husband got upset. But we soon learned she was just being a playful dog and that she already loved us. And we loved her back, immensely.

For the first time in my life, I had a dog sitting on my lap and I couldn’t remember how my life was before having Millie. It was just like having another kid. I soon became her favorite person and the one she obeyed more. I was in love.

Then a few days later she stopped eating and started throwing up. She rapidly lost weight and the vomits were increasing in frequency. It was scary. I hurried her to the animal hospital. We had to wait outside because of Covid guidelines. The person in front of us came back crying after putting down her cat. I took pictures of Millie, afraid of what could happen.

Waiting outside with Millie at the Animal HospitalThe veterinarian explained the suspicion of Parvovirus, a deadly canine virus that kills over 90% of dogs who get it, and asked to take a test. I promptly agreed to the cost of the consultation, test, and medication, but when the test came back positive, I felt hopeless. The only thing they could do was admit her to the hospital and hope the $5,000 treatment would get any positive results. Other than that, she would die. The treatment was likely to not help anyways. She was very sick.

I sadly declined the hospital option. There was no way I could afford that. The doctor gave her 2 days to live.

At home, I looked at her sad little eyes and my heart ached. How come, after waiting all this time to get a dog, we finally get one just to lose it less than 2 weeks later? How come this dog had made such an impact on my life in so little time? I couldn’t bear losing her!

I asked my mom and aunt for prayers and searched online for anything I could do. I remembered how my mom had treated our dog years ago when the veterinarian wanted to euthanase it after she got canine distemper, another deadly disease in dogs caused by a virus.

She had prepared special foods for it and would give them in a syringe. She gave shots with medicine herself. And the huge Fila Brasileiro (or Brazillian Mastiff) would lay down on her side and let my mom treat her, day and night. She completely recovered and beat death. Couldn’t the same thing happen to Millie?

I found a recipe on youtube that promised to cure the parvo. I bought the okra at a Korean supermarket and blended it with Pedialyte. I added everything I thought it would make her body stronger and gave it to her 3 times a day or more, with a syringe for dogs (which made the job a lot easier than my mom’s, who used a regular syringe). The potion was disgusting to see, and I can just imagine the flavor. Millie fought it. And fought some more. Until it started to get more difficult to feed her that remedy. I then noticed something: she was getting stronger! She was able to fight. And she was still alive after 2 days, then 5, a whole week after the doctor said she would die! I stopped the home remedy and just continued to give the antibiotics in tasty dog medicine pouches and left the poor dog in peace.

It was finally her turn to get her shots on the long waitlist because of COVID and she was vaccinated. The veterinarian was happy to know she survived.

Millie is turning 2 years old this month and she doesn’t fit in my lap anymore. She has traveled thousands of miles with us on road trips, and will never miss a chance for a joy ride. She loves to run after my car around the neighborhood, make friends at the dog park and play catch or tug of war. She runs fast, and every time I see her beautiful strides, muscular body, and all that energy, I think that one day she’ll be older and weak, and she’ll eventually die. And that makes me even more grateful to have had her life spared almost 2 years ago. It has been a fascinating and fun time.

My dog’s name is Miller. Miller is an adorable black dog that has a white mark on his chest. Miller is a labrador retriever, and he has a velvety coat. Even though Miller is huge and has a very strong body frame for only being 6 months old, he is gentle and has always been a friendly dog to those whom he knows. If a stranger comes over that he has never met, however, Miller can get very hostile. He always barks loudly to attract our attention to the unfamiliar stranger.

Miller loves many things. Among these is to play fetch, he will bring you his toys set them in your lap, and wait for you to throw them. He craves attention most of the time because he is scared of being abandoned or ignored. He speaks to us like he is a human, you can clearly hear it when he says “no”. He is dramatic, when you tell him certain things he will start to argue with you. Miller makes sure he is louder than you in every argument.

Miller loves food, especially bones. Once we have fed him his normal dog food, he pleads for more. He does not get what he wants but he does get a bone after being good. Miller can actually spend whole afternoons chewing bones because he loves them so much. Whenever Miller is worried, he looks at us with desperate eyes that appear like he is sad. He does so while wagging his tail from one side to the other which makes him look happier so we don’t worry about him. Whenever we see him exhibiting these signs, we immediately go and give him love to reassure him so he will be in a better mood.

Miller has also made it a habit to play with our “adopted” duck, Flip. Sometimes, Miller swims in and drinks up the duck’s plastic pool water, something that always leaves the duck giving him a vicious glare for being in his pool. Sometimes, the duck even quacks as if to let Miller know that he is not very impressed with Tipsy for being in his water. Whenever my dog plays with the duck’s water, I see him lifting his head as some of the duck’s water pours out from his tongue, like the way water drops from a faucet.

Miller also likes the sound that the wind makes, he will sit and listen all day. Whenever Tipsy hears these sounds, he automatically stops, listens closely, and sits in the direction where the breeze sound is originating. One can always observe the way his eyes light up with excitement whenever the wind begins making soothing sounds.

Miller is currently in duck hunting training which is ironic since his best friend is a duck. He does good and is a great retriever. He isn’t fond of the bang of the gun but he will slowly get used to it. By mid-November he will be finished with his training and ready to be out in the water with me in early mornings.

To be able to change the behavior of anyone or anything would be such an amazing experience and would personally benefit me greatly. I would use operant conditioning to change my pet dog’s behavior. He insists on using the bathroom inside after being walked for a long time, he also chews anything he can get his mouth on and he bites at people’s ankles like he’s still a puppy. This behavior is quite annoying and if I could change it I’d be so happy. B.F. Skinner introduced a new and more gentle way to correct this behavior.

To change the behavior of him eating everything I would use Operant Conditioning which is providing consequences for actions in order to change behavior (Doyle-Portillo & Pastorino, 2015, p. 237). I would set up an experiment where there was his dog food and there was something else, such as my food or a shoe. If he ate his food he’d get a treat and praise but if he did not eat his food and ate the other option not only does he not get a treat but he also would be sprayed with water as a form of punishment. Using this method would create the behavior within my dog that he should not eat my flip-flops but that he should eat his dog’s food.

As I mentioned previously my dog urinates and defecates in the house even after a long walk. To change this behavior using Operant Conditioning, whenever we would go on a walk and if he did use the bathroom outside I would give him a treat but if he did not and did it inside he would receive a punishment. I believe that this will deter the unfavorable behavior because he would prefer to have a treat rather than be punished so he would choose to have those positive reinforcements (Doyle-Portillo & Pastorino, 2015, p. 237). Everyone likes to be comfortable and maintain their comfort with items and their environment. Taking these items away or putting them in a place where they are not comfortable will most likely cause a change in behavior because they would rather not be in an uncomfortable space.

B.F. Skinner provided new insight into behavior and how to influence someone or something’s choice in a way that would be more beneficial for them. This would be such an amazing method for me to change my dog’s undesirable behavior because he gets to choose his path rather than it being forcefully placed upon him causing him to be afraid in the end. This way it is more gentle and it allows my dog to be able to learn which way to do it on his own. I believe with this, my dog would want to receive the treats so he would most likely not revert back to his old ways whereas with other methods because of the fear and emotion attached, he most likely will try to do the same things because he may not even know why he is scared of it.

Nutrition and feeding are integral to good pet care as a correct diet can improve the quality of life, as well as longevity by preventing dietary related disease throughout the animals’ life stages. Correct diet can also aid in the management of diseases, such as feeding specially formulated diets to dogs with chronic kidney disease (Baldwin, et al., 2010). I will be looking into the dietary requirements of canines, and key nutritional changes through life stages.

Dogs require energy to sustain normal activities, this energy is gained from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Animals have unique energy needs based on their life stage, health and activity levels (see Table 1) (Ackerman, 2016). They also need several other key nutrients for survival; Amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and water (National Research Council, 2006). Water is one of the most important nutrients, with even small loses leading to clinical signs. The amount of water an animal should consume daily should be similar in millimeters to the daily energy intake in kilocalories (Ackerman, 2016). Carbohydrates and dietary fibre are the main sources of glucose in a dog’s diet, ass the glucose can be directly absorbed with no need to be broken down by enzymes (National Research Council, 2006).

Adult dogs require proteins and amino acids. Dietary proteins contains 10 essential amino acids that dogs cannot synthesize themselves. These allow for many biological activities and compounds to be formed (National Research Council, 2006). These also contribute to glucose conversion as they supply the carbon chains necessary for the interaction (Ackerman, 2016). High quality proteins are important as they will have the best balance of essential amino acids (National Research Council, 2006).

Fats and fatty acids can be found in animal fats, seed oils and plant matter; fats in the food can enhance the palatability of a dog’s food. These provide concentrated sources of energy (National Research Council, 2006). Essential fatty acids help keep a dog’s skin and coat healthy; these cannot be synthesized by the body and play important roles in carrying fat-soluble vitamins as well as roles in cell structure and function (Ackerman, 2016).

Dogs also require a range of vitamins (see Table 2) and minerals (see Table 3) in their diets which contribute to a variety of metabolic activities. They only need small amounts but if the balance is disturbed this can lead to deficiencies or excesses (detailed in Tables 2 and 3) (National Research Council, 2006).

Growing puppies who are weaned, usually at 4 weeks of age, can start to eat solid food. Up to 4 months of age they require 3 x RER and when they are 50%-80% of adult weight they require 2.5 x RER (Ackerman, 2016). When puppies start eating solids they will need little meals often, but it is important not to over feed as puppies can become obese very quickly. Musculoskeletal changes happen very rapidly in the first few months of growth and the skeletal system is particularly susceptible to physical and metabolic damage from under or over nutrition leading to skeletal deformities such as carpal flexor deformities, rapid growth can also contribute to hip dysplasia (Hemmings, 2016). Large and giant breeds are even more vulnerable to these damages (Hemmings, 2016) (Ackerman, 2016). Calcium and Phosphorus are key during growth, optimal levels should have a ratio of 1:1 and not be over supplemented. Over supplementation of calcium can lead to hypercalcaemia and hypophosphataemia (Hemmings, 2016). Copper and zinc are also important in in growth phase for osteoblast activity and protein synthesis; puppies require higher protein levels in growth for muscle growth (Hemmings, 2016).

Feeding a dog during pregnancy and lactation is important as it can contribute to the health of the bitch and her litter. A dog should only be considered for breeding if she is in a healthy state with a good body condition score (BCS) as an unhealthy dog may produce an unhealthy litter, have poor milk production or be unable to support themselves through the pregnancy (Ackerman, 2016). Gestation in the bitch lasts around 63 days, although most foetal growth and weight gain occurs in the final third of the pregnancy, as well as mammary and uterine tissue development. An increase of nutrients for the bitch should start from around 35 days into gestation. By 63 days they should be getting 60% more food intake than at mating (Ackerman, 2016). Lactation also relies on a healthy bitch and good nutrition in pregnancy and lactation after whelping. The nutrition requirements of the bitch during lactation are dependent on how much milk she needs to produce due to her litter size, examples of this can be seen in Table 1 (Ackerman, 2016). The bitches milk is very rich and can contain twice as much protein as cow’s milk to support the growth rate of puppies (Hemmings, 2016). When feeding a pregnant or lactating bitch, it is often advised that they are fed a complete puppy food to allow for the amounts of nutrition they need, they often require twice as much quality protein and fats in their diet (Hemmings, 2016).

Feeding geriatrics can be difficult, as dogs become senior at different ages dependent on their breed, larger breeds reaching seniority at around 5 years of age and smaller breeds at approximately 8 years (Ackerman, 2016). Age is not a disease, but it does bring physiological changes that increase a dog’s vulnerability to diseases and morbidity, and many disease process that affect older dogs may require nutritional management, such as endocrine disorders and renal diseases (Moyers, 2015). Geriatrics may benefit from increased fibre in their diet as well as higher protein level to help counteract muscle wasting (Moyers, 2015). Studies have also shown that older dogs benefit from decreased amounts of phosphorus in their diet as higher levels can make renal disease more severe, and the calcium to phosphorus ratio should be in the range from 1.1:1 to 1.8:1 (Moyers, 2015). Low fat diets are also recommended to prevent obesity in less active geriatrics, however, old dogs also tend to lose weight; they may benefit from increased energy content diets to improve protein efficiency (Moyers, 2015).

Canine nutrition varies throughout their life stages and can present owners with various challenges in meeting their needs. Key factors such as age and size can play roles in which key nutrients they need for good health and to meet their necessary daily energy requirement (DER). Having the correct macro and micro nutrients can allow for the correct function of physiological systems and aid in growth and disease management.

What do you expect to find in a classroom? Students, books, pens, pencils and dogs? For pupils in primary and high schools in Scotland it is not common to be greeted by a furry friend in the work area. In my opinion, the idea of having trained dogs in the classroom to help with learning is a great one and it’s time to take action and expand on the 0.24% of UK schools that cater to having these dogs.

I know what you’re thinking – surely having an excitable canine running around and disrupting learning would be nothing but extra trouble for teachers. Wouldn’t they distract students from their learning? What are therapy dogs and why would they be useful? Therapy dogs are specially trained dogs that can help with mental and physical problems. These dogs are shown to provide affection, love and comfort to people commonly dealing with stress or trauma. These dogs are commonly used in hospitals to relieve patients of physical pain and cheer them up. This is because of the endorphins people gain from touching the dogs has a calming effect. These dogs also help elderly people and people with mental health problems as they show companionship and affection. In school these dogs are used to focus students and create a calmer and more comfortable environment for learning.

There are a few noticeable differences between what makes a therapy dog and what makes your run of the norm household canine. Therapy dogs can be any age and any shape and size, they just all have to have one thing is common which is their love for people. These dogs must have basic obedience training, they must be healthy and they must be quiet and calm in all different environments. Companies at a price can provide these dogs: for example, PAT (Pets as Therapy) offers up programs with their dogs for around £40 an hour. Although these companies do encourage normal people to train their own dogs so that they can take the dog into wherever they like as they please. By teachers getting their dogs trained it means that it would be easy to get the dogs to and from school at short notice and it would be sufficiently cheaper for the school.

Being slightly swayed, as I am a dog lover myself, I commonly find it hard to focus when I feel stressed or worried in class. In my opinion I imagine that having a dog in the classroom would make it easier for me to concentrate and make me more at ease and comfortable in the classroom. I wish that one day in the future students don’t have to worry about anxieties in the classroom since they have a furry companion to help them through it.

A friend of mine told me about her dog who was put up for therapy dog training as a puppy and her mother working in the NHS it means that she can take their dog in to cheer up patients. They have said it has made children in the wards calmer and seeing the dogs brightens up their days.

School is a very difficult place for people dealing with mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety making it difficult for students to pay attention and focus on learning. For students who suffer with these cases interacting with the dogs it relives feelings of loneness and isolation and can help pupils manage within school. A recent survey showed a UK school, which contained therapy dogs, had many advantages to their pupil’s wellbeing and their education. Firstly, having the dogs in the classroom meant that pupils felt more trusting and had more confidence. They also gained trusting relationships with others pupils and their teachers since they received love and a sense of being sheltered and protected by the dogs. This means that they can confidently ask questions and feel safe in their environment. It has also been proven that there was an increase in attendance and motivation within the school and grades went up.

In Abertay University in Dundee they introduced therapy dogs for a day to see how the students would react. Interaction with the dogs provided students with much needed breaks in between studying which overall positively impacted their well-being. One of the leaders of the project said: “All companion animals will help people with stress and blood pressure, things like that. It is just some sort of connection when you touch them; you feel this kind of warmth and calmness coming out. They are non-judgmental”. This shows how students just spending seconds with the dogs can be better for them in the long run. A volunteer from Dundee, Jennifer Bird and her dog Grayson have a part of Canine Concern Scotland Trust since January. She said: “We go up to Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee and we visit patients that are recovering from operations and stress and strokes and things like. He certainly helps. You can see it for yourself; look at the smiles on the students’ faces. They’re loving it”. This shows the wonderful impact these dogs have on people’s lives and how they should be used more often so that everyone can have positive results because of them.

Although there are many advantages there are also a few noticeable drawbacks to having these dogs in schools. Firstly, is the cost, for a professional dog to come into the school it would cost the school £40 an hour and there is the concern that who would look after these dogs when they’re not needed. Also, we need to take allergies into consideration, as it is unfair. To overcome this, I think that teachers and/or pupils could get their own dogs trained and bring them in when needed. Students could sign up to walk dogs at recess and lunchtime, and dogs would not be allowed in classrooms where students have allergies.

I understand that it would be a struggle in order to gain the authorization to have these dogs in schools, but in my opinion the outcome would be too beneficial to not give it a chance.

At present, several dogs live as treasured cohorts and chums for the young and old similarly and frequently are treated as indispensible elements of the family. However, since most dog owners confine the dogs at home improperly during the day when they go to work, dogs undergo social withdrawal which in turn affects the movements and reactions of dogs.

This study discusses the types of movements and reactions exhibited by dogs in the two confinement areas, the crate and the outside yard. According to theoretical and empirical research, dogs confined in yards exhibit unwanted behavior like barking, chewing and digging while those confined in crates exhibit behaviors like hyper impulsivity and social withdrawal.

Throughout its early relationship with human being, the dog acted as a gifted and an indispensible support for survival. In various parts of the globe, dogs were sorted to guard homes, move farm animals and support hunters.

However, as our customs developed and modern expertise took the place of most of the dog’s responsibilities, the dog’s working role reduced. At present, several dogs live as treasured cohorts and chums for the young and old similarly and frequently are treated as indispensible elements of the family.

However, since most dog owners confine the dogs at home improperly during the day when they go to work, dogs undergo social withdrawal which in turn affects the movements and reactions of dogs. Adjustment difficulties often manifest themselves in form of destructive behaviors, excessive vocalization and hyper active movements (Case 205).

It is important to confine dogs properly when one is away from home. Dog trainers and behaviorists report that difficult matters frequently occur in owner-absent dogs that are not confined well, especially those that are usually left in a dog crate for a long time or outside the possessors yard (Dunbar 156).Most dogs never get challenging opportunities that come as a result of exposure to the outside world as they are always confined in yards (Miller 56).

While in the yard, the dog intensely goes through social deficiency and thus resorts to barking, chewing and digging so as to alleviate distress. Left alone in the yard, many dogs will spend much time barking so as to reduce boredom and to seek attention from the absent pack (Dunbar 156).Dogs left at home may also bark in reaction to outside stimulus, a threat, physical needs or annoyance (Miller 57). Too much barking is much dangerous once it becomes habitual as changing it is very difficult as long as the dog stays outside.

Most dogs build up a habit of digging when left unattended in the yard (Donaldson 34). Though, some types of dogs are more likely to exhibit digging manners than others, many dogs will finally dig in reaction to a smell, to bury an item, to be reunited with their group, to preserve or diffuse heat, or to amuse themselves. Digging is also hard to stop once developed (Case 207).

Dogs left at the outside yard develop destructive chewing. Most dogs in the yard chew so as to alleviate nervousness, monotony or just for pleasure (MC Connell 76). Similar to digging and barking, chewing is a normal canine action that can be foreseen and channeled. Clearly, if we are not there to mediate, this action can lead to damage of property and can cause severe hurt to the dog, such as intestinal obstruction or damage.

There are other reactions that are exhibited by dogs that are confined outside. Some dogs will engage in self-damaging actions such as making lick granulomas to ease their nervousness or monotony (Case 207). The enclosure itself may strengthen any basic territorial violence in vulnerable dogs.

Dogs left outdoor may experience unkind or inconsiderate behavior from human beings, with lasting behavioral effects, or can be uncovered from undomesticated or wandering animals, which can spread infections and parasites (Miller 57). Outdoor dogs can build up storm fears and are at a danger of acquiring heatstroke and hypothermia. Dogs left alone outside tend to jump, scale the barriers, excavate under the fence, or get through electric barriers so as to ease their suffering or to trail some outside stimulus (Case 207).

On the other hand, some dogs left indoors are usually confined in crates. Paradoxically, the very tool that is intended to provide safe indoor confinement, the crate, is at times used well or wrongly creating problems instead of reducing them (Donaldson 35). Dogs restricted in crates for extended periods of time may build up unwanted behaviors, and too much crating often aggravates any previous behavior problem.

Too much use of the crate can create a dog that is hyper impulsive outside the crate (Donaldson 35). Equally, many dogs that are crated for long durations become depressed. An already existing behavior like hostility or diffidence may strengthen in reaction to the dog’s aggravation at being crated too much. Conversely, a crate can act as a dog’s cave that is a source of security and relieve in the absence of the owner, if used correctly (Miller 78).

Avoiding undesirable behavior by using the right way of confinement at home is easier than regulating unwanted behavior after it has been formed. Since most unwanted behaviors in dogs are caused by feelings of social withdrawal, the owner should provide him with regular exercise so as to ensure that he does not feel isolated the moment the owner leaves for work. At the same time, it’s important for the owner to offer sufficient intellectual stimulation and social contact during hours of leisure.

A dog’s movements and reactions are usually determined by the environment of the dog. For the purpose of this research, we have explored the movements and reactions of dogs in different areas of confinement: in the crate and outside yard. By integrating various theoretical frameworks with natural observation we have drawn a concrete conclusion on the topic. Previous studies in this area of study have not managed to do this, making this research unique.

Natural Observation

For this study, I observed two three ear-old female dogs of the same breed. The owners of the two dogs were both employed in a certain Industrial Company in the city. One dog used to be left indoors in a crate while the other dog used to be left in the outside yard.

I observed the frequency at which the two dogs were barking, chewing, making lick granulomas, jumping, exhibiting hyper impulsivity and other general unwanted behaviors. I made these observations three times per day for two weeks, in the two different homes.
Limitations of the Experimental Evidence

The research was limited to only two dogs.

The research was limited to only female dogs.

The research was limited to a period of three two weeks.

Implications

Dogs exhibit different reactions and movements when left at home depending on the mode of confinement. Dogs that are usually confined in a crate are usually hyper impulsive, easily aggravated, depressed, hostile and totally withdrawn. On the other hand, dogs confined in the outside yard frequently bark, chew and dig. They also jump around and try to remove barriers that restrict them to their areas of confinement.

Instead of leaving a dog in a crate, it would be better to confine the dog in a room with barriers when going out for more than five hours. In case one is confining his dog to the crate one should always visit the dog during mid day if it is possible so as to offer social contact to the dog, with the aim of avoiding the development of unwanted behaviors.

If this is not possible, acquire the help of a friend, a pet sitter or a neighbor. No dog must be crated all through the day as this is harmful to the dog. Finally, be ready to keep your dog active immediately you reach home. Whether he was restricted when you were not there or not, you cannot expect him to wait for you unwearyingly as you place your feet up and examine the paper, when you get home from work.

You should be aware that the dog has been trying to cope with social deficiency the whole day and thus is worthy your complete concentration once you arrive. Obviously you cannot leave your job so as to settle home with your dog, but with arrangement, pre-emptive guidance, and the right confinement, you can create those inescapable times of social separation much less hectic for him.

Future Trends

Further research can be done on the same but using two different breeds of dogs. As this research was done during the day, another research can be done at night for comparison.

Conclusion

In conclusion, since most dog owners confine their dogs at home during the day when they go to work, it’s important to do it properly. This will aid in reduce the chances of the dog developing undesired behaviors.

As seen from the theoretical and empirical research, both methods of confining dogs; confining the dog in a crate and leaving the dog in the yard; result to different undesirable behaviors. However, confining dogs in a crate results to more severe unwanted behavior. Since we cannot leave work to stay with our dogs, it is preferable to confine dogs in the outside yard.

According to the theoretical and empirical research, dogs confined in yards exhibit different unwanted behaviors. While in the yard, the dog intensely goes through social deficiency and thus resorts to barking, chewing and digging so as to alleviate distress. They spend much time barking so as to reduce boredom and to seek attention from the absent pack. Dogs also dig when left unattended in the yard .

However, some types of dogs are more likely to exhibit digging manners than others, many dogs will finally dig in reaction to a smell, to bury an item, to be reunited with their group, to preserve or diffuse heat, or to amuse them. Most dogs left in the yard also chew so as to alleviate nervousness, monotony or just for pleasure.

Other reactions and movements of dogs in the yard include: self-damaging actions such as making lick granulomas, jumping, scaling the barriers and excavating under the fence. Dogs restricted in crates for extended periods of time may build up unwanted behaviors, and too much crating often aggravates any previous behavior problem. Equally, many dogs that are crated for long durations become depressed. An already existing behavior like hostility or diffidence may strengthen in reaction to the dog’s aggravation at being crated too much.

Works Cited

Case, Linda. The Dog: Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.

Donaldson, Jean. The Culture Class. London: James and Kenneth Publishers, 1996.

Dunbar, Ian. How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Mc Connell, Patricia. The Other End of the Leash. London: Sage, 2003.

Miller, Pat. The Power of Positive Dog Training. London: Thomson Learning, 2008.

Introduction

Visual rhetoric can be defined as how or why an art work in terms of a painting, sculpture, architecture or symbol communicates a certain meaning. Visual images bring out hidden meaning in images and paintings which requires of as an in depth analysis to identify this hidden meaning.

A given art work is one of the series of many paintings done by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. The artist was born on 18^th Sept 1844 in Antwerp, New York. He did not receive a formal education as an artist like his fellow friends, but he had a natural ability, gift and talent for visual art. He used to draw a lot and he would earn a lot of money from his ability to draw using his natural talent (Coolidge, 2006). The following essay is an analysis of a painting called “Dogs Playing Poker” by Coolidge.

Analysis

The art work depicts seven dogs playing poker in a light blue room. The writer used seven dogs as a symbol of men in the society, especially the middle class and working men.

It is a painting that shows a lot of leisure as the dogs play poker. The writer is satirical in that he has used dogs to represent men in his paintings. The use of dogs in the painting is humorous in that the writer showed them doing human things and it was used to attract the attention of the viewer to the picture. Humor has also been used by the writer to criticize and ridicule men who play games in the society.

The painting also shows two of the seven dogs smoking pipes. A third dog is seen with a stick of cigar in its mouth. Coolidge painted the dogs smoking in order to improve the appeal of viewers to the pictures. The writer may have painted the dogs smoking for commercial purposes. It can be used to advertise a brand of cigarettes or a brand of pipe from a well known company given that the picture is in the modern world.

The idea of using the dogs smoking can also be used to have the product remain at the back of the men’s mind for long, thus increasing sales. In addition to smoking, the dogs are seen drinking from clear glasses with three bottles of a drink in between the two dogs at the back. These can be used to show that the dogs represent people of the middle class who have money to spend on a drink or two after a working day (Andrew, 2007).

A closer look at the picture shows that the dogs are having conversation as they play poker. The dog to the right is seen leaning on the wall and it is smiling which brings a lively mood in the entire room. Also of interest is the fact that the dogs are of different breeds. The dogs seating in the front are smaller in size unlike the dogs seating at the back.

The brown and grey dog seating in the front seem to be having a conversation as the grey dog is looking at the brown dog. The writer may have used different breeds of dogs to show the inequality that exists in the society as all of us cannot be equal. The picture was painted at time when America was faced with a lot of segregation.

Therefore, by using different breeds of dogs, the painter successfully showed the end of segregation and that all people have the same basic rights. Also it can be seen that the grey dog is showing the brown dog its cards. This reveals that there is a conspiracy to cheating and steal from the rest since it is not allowed to show one’s playing cards during the game. As the grey dog is busy showing his cards to the brown dog at the back, it is looking whether the other dogs see his actions.

A closer look at the dogs shows that five out of the seven dogs have chains around their necks. This is symbolic in that it shows restraint. The small dogs at the front have wider chains than the other dogs. This shows that one should be restrained from whatever he is doing, especially where money is involved.

From the above analysis of the paining of the dogs playing poker, I put myself in Coolidge view point of the painting. As time and event passes and technology evolves, our perception of the painting changes. The painting by Coolidge affected many other painters. The research I did on my painting showed that it was used as an advertising tool for cigars by a company. It was also used to advertise a beer brand, as it shows the dogs enjoying beer from the three brown bottles (Schummer, 2008).

This showed that a painting can elicit a conversation between people as they try to figure out its meaning. Those looking at the painting are forced to figure out what the artist really meant. The painting is a subject to speculation. In as much as the painting is used as an advertising tool, my analysis shows that it depicted a class of wealthy men who joined together by the high profile game of poker.

The painting is used to advertise one of the most controversial goods in the society, that is, the cigar and the beer. Therefore, it shows the level of moral decay in the society, and by the look at the clock, it seems it is some time past two in the morning. This shows that, in addition to advertising beer and cigarets, it should not be seen by under age people who are deemed to be asleep at two.

Elements of the Painting

The artist has successfully used various elements of painting such as color, texture line, technique and size.

Use of Color

The artist used primary and secondary colors to convey his painting. The artist successfully used dark strokes to color the shadows especially at the roof of the building. The lamp is shaded in dark red color while the table has dark green color. The red color brings a warm and lively atmosphere in the room. The light blue color as used on the walls, produces cool shadows. At the background, there is a framed picture that has a yellow frame that shows the artist has successfully saturated his colors between the yellow and blue (Wagner, 2004).

The scheme of colors compliments each other as there is a wide usage of red in the lamp and green in the table, and blown versus light blue which adds contrast to the painting. For lightness, the artist drew the dogs with white chests, and there is lighting from the lamp. Therefore, there is a lot of light in the picture. The tones of the painting are medium in nature as far as light is concerned. The background wall is blue with a yellow frame pinned on the wall. Therefore, this presents a clear contrast of hue as opposed to light.

Use of line

“In painting, the term “line” can refer to the “contour lines” surrounding and defining figures and shapes, to the visible lines of the artist’s brushstrokes, or to the linear orientation of shapes and figures within a composition (Coolidge, 2006).

There is a vertical line that the artist used to show the corner of the building. He used line to show where the door of the room is. It was used to bring the strength of the wall, and it moves us from one wall to the other. Line has also been used to come up with the edges of the lamp stern.

The artist also painted the chairs using straight lines and curved lines. The curved lines show transition from one element to the other. The straight lines on the seat show gentleness and smoothness as the dogs seem very comfortable when seated on them. The curved lines also are used to improve the viewer’s attention on the whole painting. The table has a circle line. This is used to show endlessness.

Use of texture

The artist has used a rough texture to come up with his painting especially the walls. These show roughness and it is also seen in the floor of the room. There seems to be rough structure and there is little shinny texture in the drawing on the wall. The green table looks to have a soft structure which makes it look good to play at. The artist has also shown the dog’s texture in terms of the fur (Wagner, 2004). The small breed of dogs seems to have a very smooth texture while the other breeds of dogs have rough structure. The door also has a rough texture while the lamp has a smooth structure.

Use of Size

The painting is of small size. The room is small as shown by the fact that the dogs seem squeezed in the room as opposed to the fact they should be in a large room having fun. The small size is evident by the dog leaning on the wall to create enough space to hide his playing cards from other players.

There seems to be very little space in the building which makes it look crowded. The room space is too small for seven dogs to be in the same place (Schummer, 2008). The artist’s use of small space in the painting is symbolic of the state of affairs in the different states. The painting is a mirror image of the society we live in and it shows the harsh conditions some of us go through in terms of housing.

The picture is three dimensional in appearance as we are able to view it from all angles. This shows a lot of skill that was used by the artist. The playing cards take their rightful position at the center of the table where they are easily accessible by all the players.

Use of symbolism

The painting is a symbol of the modern day society. The artist has shown that there exists a class in the modern society that is deep rooted in drug and substance abuse as depicted by the dogs smoking pipes and cigars and drinking beer.

It is a symbol of how major companies use their influence to manipulate and entice people into the habit of smoking and drinking. They make it lively by depicting the dogs as being happy as they enjoy their time. The painting is also a symbol of affluence in the society and how the rich use their money at the expense of helping the poor in the society (Rampley, 2005).

Use of Portrait

The artist painted the artwork in form of a portrait. He has successfully shown the dogs’ faces, especially the dogs at the background while he has shown the entire body of the dogs seated in the front. The artist has used the central space of the room to locate his painting which gives it a strong balance.

The space occupied by the dogs at the background may show their superiority in the group which can be used to explain that they are wealthier (Andrew, 2007). The painting also portrays a social life among equals. The portrait of the dog leaning on the wall is inviting and welcoming as the dog is seen smiling. The painting is as shown below;

Works Cited

Andrew, Karl. An Art of Emergent Visual Rhetoric. New York: ProQuest, 2007. Print.

Coolidge., Cassius . Dogs Playing Poker: 24 Cards. New York: Dover Publications, Incorporated, 2006. Print.

Rampley, Matthew. Exploring visual culture: definitions, concepts, contexts. London: Edinburgh University Press, 2005. Print.

Schummer, Paul. “Humanities.” 21 September 2008. Web.

Wagner, Richard. The Art Work of the Future. Chicago: Kessinger Publishing, 2004. Print.

Introduction

Dogs have for a long time been referred to as mans best friend. This has been attributed to the fact that they remain loyal to their owners and obey commands given without hesitation. In addition, dogs are social creatures once you get to know them and they have a great level of humility and patience in comparison to other pets.

However, dogs have been noted to have unexplainable and unpredictable behaviors which if not addressed may be annoying and frustrating at times. As such, it is always wise to train your dog to behave in ways that do not affect your life or inconvenience you in any way.

Operant conditioning has been noted as the most successful way of enforcing behavioral change in dogs. Among the most common behaviors that can be taught to a dog are; sitting, laying down on all fours, shaking hands, potty training and training the dog how to obey directional commands (come, stop, fetch etcetera).

Despite all the progress that has been documented in regards to dog training, the fact still remains that you cannot teach old dogs new tricks. With this in mind, I shall explain how the theory of operant conditioning may be used to train a puppy to “roll over”.

To this end, I shall give a detailed analysis of the concepts surrounding this theory and how they apply in this task. The procedures that may be used to ensure a successful behavioral change (ability of the puppy to successfully “roll over”) shall also be outlined.

A brief overview of operant conditioning

Operant conditioning refers to the process through which positive and negative enforcements are used to increase or decrease the likelihood of adopting a particular behavior (Chance, 2008). In essence, operant conditioning is a type of behavior modification process that uses consequences to influence behavioral change.

The theory was developed by theorist B. F. Skinner who contended that behavioral change can be attained by using rewards and punishments to increase or decrease the likelihood of a subject to behave in certain ways.

Training a puppy to “roll over”

Training a dog to roll over is among the most complex tricks that a dog can pull of. This is attributed to the fact that it is a process that requires patience, discipline and utmost concentration from both the trainer and the subject.

According to Appelbaum (2003), training a dog to roll over is a session that incorporates three behaviors (tricks) if the end results are to be successful. In as much as the training may be frustrating, it should be noted that operant behavior is about changing behaviors and does not necessitate the use of force or pain infliction.

For a puppy to successfully obey the command to roll over, it must understand, learn and adhere to the cues used to command it to sit down, lay down on all fours and eventually, roll over. All this stages may need the application of physical help where the trainer physically applies force on some body parts to enable the puppy to understand the command.

Training process

As I have mentioned, the process is divided into three parts. The first stage is training the puppy to sit down. In this process, the trainer must at first apply some force on the lower back of the puppy while using the command “sit”.

Each time the dog makes an attempt to obey the command, it should be rewarded by giving it a treat (tasty doggy treats). This will help the dog associate a particular behavior with that reward thereby increasing the chances of a repeat performance.

However, Appelbaum (2003) states that caution should be taken when rewarding a dog during the process of training. For example, in this case, the puppy should be rewarded upon sitting down and not after it comes back to the owner after sitting. This is because the reward will be for the dog coming to the owner and not for sitting down.

In regards to negative enforcements, the puppy should be fitted with a collar and upon the command “sit”, the collar should be pulled up a bit to force the dog to sit down. It should be noted that the word negative reinforcement does not mean inflicting pain. The collar should be pulled up gently otherwise, inflicting pain or scolding the puppy only makes it afraid thereby lessening the chances of success.

The second process is training the puppy to lie down. The verbal cue in this case is “down”. Sitting down enables the dog to sit on its hind legs while lying down requires it to go down on all fours. Chance (2008) reiterates that the success of operant conditioning depends on the reinforcements used and the intervals at which these reinforcements are applied.

To this regard, the puppy should not be rewarded for sitting down but rather it should be punished. In so doing, the dog will follow the command “sit” hoping to get a reward. However, whenever it manages to lie down, it should be rewarded. In due time, the dog will be able to obey the “sit” and “down” commands with ease.

Throughout this process, the trainer should ensure that he/she sticks to well defined cues and hand gestures through each stage. This will ensure that the dog does not get confused due to different cues and gestures.

The third stage is now to train the dog how to roll over. This is the most difficult stage because it requires the trainer to physically roll over the puppy before it understands the concept. As earlier stated, the application of any form of reinforcement is only successful if it is used at the most opportune time. In this regard, positive reinforcement is therefore the most effective during this stage.

What this means is that the puppy should receive the most support and incentives in order for it to master the task at hand. Therefore, the use of the collar may not be effective while the use of tasty doggy treats and verbal praise may increase the chances of the puppy getting a grip of what is expected upon hearing the command.

Types of reinforcements

According to Chance (2008), reinforcement refers to any tool used to strengthen the occurrence of a particular response. There are four documented types of reinforcements. Positive reinforcements are the incentives given to a subject to increase the likelihood of behaving in a particular way. In this case, giving the puppy a treat, rubbing and scratching it accompanied by verbal praises are positive reinforcements.

On the other hand, negative reinforcements refer to a situation where you take away something that is unpleasant to the subject in order to enhance a particular response. For example, loosening the buckles on the collar each time the puppy rolls over, desist using water sprays or even using a softer tone each time the puppy succeeds in doing the task.

Thirdly, punishments refer to the application of aversive tools to discourage a particular response. Examples include hitting the puppy with a newspaper or with a belt if it does something wrong. Finally, extinction refers to the total removal of something to decrease a behavior. In this case, extinction refers to the removal of treats after the dog understands the command.

The most important factors to consider while choosing reinforcement are: the subject and the behavior being nurtured. For example, an older and aggressive dog may respond well to punishments and extinctions while a puppy may do well with positive and negative reinforcements.

In regards to the behavior, potty training a dog may be successful if punishments are used to decrease a behavior while positive reinforcements may be used to teach the dog new tricks.

Maintaining balance between reinforcement and extinction during dog training

As mentioned earlier, it is always advisable to apply the reinforcements or the extinctions at the appropriate time otherwise; the puppy may confuse the cues and end up failing to perform the desired tasks. In this case, the best way to ensure that the puppy maintains the behavior even after training is by using a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement (Appelbaum, 2003).

This is because the schedule makes the learned behavior less susceptible to extinction. A variable ratio schedule of reinforcement refers to a situation whereby the reinforcers are given in accordance to the number of times a good behavior is done. For example, giving the puppy a treat after the third successful roll ensures that in future, it does not stop even after failing to perform the task.

On the other hand, if too much reinforcement is used, the puppy may loose the essence of such tools and may invariably refuse to behave accordingly unless an incentive is offered. Similarly, if too much extinction is used, the puppy may become rebellious and refuse to perform the tasks since they view them as negative aspects affecting their freedom and likings.

Relevance of operant conditioning to my career goals

My personal career goal is to join a higher learning institution as an educator. this is perhaps the most challenging profession since you get to meet different people with different goals and perceptions about you, what you represent and what you do.

As such, operant conditioning will be very beneficial to me when it comes to tackling rebellious students or even to change the negative perceptions students often have towards particular subjects.

Through the use of verbal praises, extra credits for exemplary works and encouraging the weak students to participate in class discussions, I will be able to influence positive change in their attitudes towards school and education. In addition, I will be able to mitigate the negative behaviors by issuing punishments or rewarding good behavior. As such, operant conditioning may prove to be useful in my career.

Conclusion

Operant conditioning has been applied in many fields and through its use, success has been attained. In this study, I have explained how this concept can be applied in training a puppy. In addition, the applicability of the concept to my career has also been highlighted.

The ability to modify behaviors may not only be useful in training pets but can also be applied in training people on how to behave responsibly thereby creating a better society.

References

Appelbaum, S. (2003). ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training. California: John Wiley and Sons.

Chance, P. (2008). Learning and Behavior: Active Learning Edition. New York: Cengage Learning.