https://www.popularmechanics.c...ains-getting-bigger/

Researchers found that dog brains are getting bigger, and are attributing the change to more complex social interactions.

That's fascinating!!

I have been amazed and amused at how dog lovers have managed to renegotiate the landscape around what's acceptable. "Dog-friendly" is a tag on many businesses now. Restaurants have dog friendly patios, and offer water bowls and snacks to Fido when you bring them. My own place of employment will allow dogs in offices, with some guidelines that are seldom followed. Dog boutiques, dog parks, dog day camp/doggie day care, gourmet dog food, fur babies, etc.

I'm not saying it's wrong, but I'm also biased because I love most dogs. I wonder what it's like for people who don't....

Geeze. at least spell my name right in the thread heading!

Doug!!

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
I have been amazed and amused at how dog lovers have managed to renegotiate the landscape around what's acceptable. "Dog-friendly" is a tag on many businesses now. Restaurants have dog friendly patios, and offer water bowls and snacks to Fido when you bring them. My own place of employment will allow dogs in offices, with some guidelines that are seldom followed. Dog boutiques, dog parks, dog day camp/doggie day care, gourmet dog food, fur babies, etc.

I'm not saying it's wrong, but I'm also biased because I love most dogs. I wonder what it's like for people who don't....

Yeah... I think dogs are great, I love the dog-human connection, I love how smart dogs are...

But also, I think American-style "pet-ism" has really gone way too far. Many people are not good at training their dogs, so the dogs are not well-behaved, and then their owners bring them on airplanes and into hotels, and it causes problems that, even five years ago, would never have been tolerated.

And then there's the debate about "fur babies" and the people who says pets are the same as human children, and the people who say no they're not... As someone who has neither pets nor children, I'm truly looking in from the outside on this debate, but it's a debate that can clearly get quite ugly!

"Pet parents" - my linguistic pet peeve...

yet somehow I find "cat daddy" kind of weirdly cute.

The dog brains may be becoming larger. That is to compensate for the fact the the brains of most of the dog owners are becoming smaller.
Must agree with SK, Most people in the US are lousy dog trainers. Watched people with unleashed dog in Munich walking on busy sidewalks with their dog at heel.
The open air bar/restaurant at the local marina has an area where dogs are allowed. Barking fits are common. Most of the dogs are large mixed breed and poorly trained.
I sit on the other side, away from the dogs.