“Even in the best of times, when we’re not stressed or needy, many of us enjoy petting our dogs as much as any other aspect of dog ownership. This is not a trivial need. Quiet stroking can significantly change your… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“If “OK” meant that “it’s all right to get up now,” it makes sense that Pip would respond when she heard it. So if your dog Chief can pick the word sit out of the middle of a sentence, what is he to make of “Good sit” after he already sat? With Pip I got caught up in using words… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share
“The next time you see a dog you’d like to greet, stop a few feet away, stand sideways rather than straight on, and avoid… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“The next time you see a dog you’d like to greet, stop a few feet away, stand sideways rather than straight on, and avoid… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“That the mental experiences of dogs aren’t as complex as ours is no reason to dismiss those experiences altogether.” — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“Ideally play is joyful and childlike, a physically and psychologically healthy exercise for both people and dogs. Psychologists and spiritual counselors advise us all to put more childlike play into our lives. I think it’s great advice: play is good for our spirits, our bodies, and our minds. It teaches us, both dogs and humans, to coordinate our efforts with… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share
“As a matter of fact, the universal tendency of adult domestic dogs to bark is one of the many behavioral markers that suggests that… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“When people visit my farm they often envision their dog, finally off-leash in acres of safely fenced countryside, running like Lassie in a television show, leaping over fallen tree trunks, shiny-eyed with joy at the change to run free in the country. While they're imagining that heartwarming scene, their dog is most likely gobbling up sheep poop as fast as… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share
“Don’t feel like a failure if you can’t make a social butterfly out of the dog you rescued from a nightmarish beginning. Giving him… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“Humankind is drawn to dogs because they are so like ourselves—bumbling, affectionate, confused, easily disappointed, eager to be amused, grateful for kindness and the… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“Ideally play is joyful and childlike, a physically and psychologically healthy exercise for both people and dogs. Psychologists and spiritual counselors advise us all… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
“We are hardwired to remember negative events over positive ones, so we ruminate on our mistakes and the slights of others. Our ability to… — Patricia B. McConnell Copy Share Image
