Puppy Power

There can be no doubt about it, puppy power is related to that cuteness factor which leads most of us to gasp with delight when we come across a wobbly, doe-eyed, plump puppy. You only had to listen to my 6’ 3”, no-nonsense husband who seemingly overnight turned into a big softie when our over exuberant cockapoo puppy, Freya, did the doodle dash – displaying how overjoyed she was to see him – whenever he walked through the front door at the end of the day.

But why do puppies have such appeal?

It turns out the science behind it is fascinating stuff.

Ostensibly it’s a biological response; quite simply it’s in our nature to nurture defenceless creatures, whether human or otherwise. Scientists believe domestic dogs have evolved to capitalise on a natural human preference for child-like faces. A study, Human attention affects facial expressions in domestic dogs, led by Dr Bridget Waller, found that a wolf which produced child-like expressions, may have been more tolerated by humans and so modern dogs have inherited these features.

The study involved researchers using a video camera to record the facial movements of 24 dogs over a series of experiments in which a human either faced, or faced away from the dog, sometimes presenting the animal with a titbit, sometimes not.

“Dogs produced significantly more facial movements when the human was attentive than when she was not. The food, however, as a non-social but arousing stimulus, did not affect the dogs’ behaviour. The current study is therefore evidence that dogs are sensitive to the human’s attentional state when producing facial expressions, suggesting that facial expressions are not just inflexible and involuntary displays of emotional states, but rather potentially active attempts to communicate with others.”

You can read more about the study which was published online on 19 October 2017 here.

–oOo–

Click on the links below to read the puppy focussed articles: a few are cockapoo specific

Freya is delighted to introduce Rachel, an animal behavioural scientist, who very kindly agreed to share her knowledge and experience with us all. We published her top ten tips series over a period of ten weeks, on how to help enhance our personal relationships with our pooches and form a lifelong bond. You can find the series here, but individual links relating to puppies can be found below:

Tips from the expert: What to look out for when choosing your puppy
Tips from the expert: Developing your puppy’s social skills
Tips from the expert: Why we fall in love with our puppy
Tips from the expert: Learning with your puppy

Finding the perfect puppy breeder
Choosing your cockapoo’s colour and coat type
It’s all in the genes: cockapoos are one of the oldest hybrid dogs
Preparing for our first cockapoo puppy
Picking up your puppy
Crating your puppy – the controversial question
Puppy toilet training
From the expert: Why we should all use eco friendly poo bags
Your puppy’s first walk
From the expert: How far can you walk your puppy?
Puppy vaccinations: what to expect
A sick puppy: vaccination reaction
How to groom your cockapoo
Initial puppy training – cockapoo socialisation
Leaving your puppy home alone – how to prevent separation anxiety
From puppy to teenager
Puppy’s first season
When should I neuter my dog (male or female)
From the expert: Spaying or neutering your dog
Calm cockapoo by two
From the expert: Foods poisonous to dogs (see also How to poison your dog: a true story)
Feeding a fussy cockapoo
Feeding your puppy a raw food diet
So you think you want a second puppy
Adopting a second puppy
Life with a second puppy