Petfinder on Animal Planet
Did any of you see the new Petfinder show on Animal Planet the other night? I didn't see it but several people told me about it and described it as "wacky." ??? I was wondering what readers thought about it.
Based on the popular website Petfinder.com, this Animal Planet series matches shelter animals with families searching for their perfect pet. As family members duke it out over which pet they think is best, the show keeps the peace by finding a pet that will meet everyone's needs. Before each episode is over, the fur will fly and the poop will hit the fan as a new pet is chosen!
Tasked with finding the ideal pet for these battling families are Petfinder's offbeat trainers and co-hosts, Jarod Miller and Dina Zaphiris…
Petfinder is based on Animal Planet's immensely popular Petfinder.com, which facilitates pet adoption. Founded in 1996, it is the largest searchable database of adoptable pets on the Web and has helped with more than 11 million adoptions in the last 11 years. The site also helps educate adopters about pet health, behavior and care through its resource library and discussion forums.
Since when did Animal Planet own Petfinder.com???
Dina Zaphiris, by the way, is the niece of Eugene Zaphiris, one of the editors of Dog News, the weekly show dog magazine. Small world!
I do have a bone to pick with one pet tip that was offered on the show. According to people who watched the show, they admonished viewers to never hug a dog. Don't hug dogs? They said that it made dogs feel "dominated." We've been endlessly discussing this advice on the Setters e-mail list. Did they mean don't hug strange dogs? No, they said all dogs. Did they mean Toy dogs who could feel overwhelmed? No, they said all dogs. Did they make exceptions for temperament or dogs who clearly demand hugs? No, they said all dogs. But, but, but…
It's just not believable. We had a couple of people speak up and say they'd had trainers who told them not to hug their dogs. As a result, they had aloof dogs. They hugged their later dogs and they have cuddle buddies. They said they feel like they — and their dogs — missed out on a lot of important affection unnecessarily.
Where is this bad advice coming from? One person said their trainer said that wolves don't hug. SLAPS HEAD That is so ridiculous. First, dogs are not wolves. And, second, I beg to differ. If you ever watch wolves at play they are just like puppies and dogs at play. They wrestle and wrap their paws around each other constantly — in HUGS. Wolves, wolf cubs, dogs and puppies do naturally hug each other. So, this is more of that ridiculous alpha dog/dog whispering theory at work, messing up people and dogs. It's behaviorism run amok.
Hug your dogs. If you expect to have an affectionate pet, you have to be affectionate to them, and that includes giving them hugs. You don't have to wrap them in a wrestling hold and take them down. I'm talking about loving hugs. Every one of my dogs loves to be hugged. Pearl came up to me this morning as I was working, put her paws in my lap, and hugged me. Dogs know and understand hugs. They don't feel dominated. I certainly didn't feel dominated when she hugged me. This whole hugging/dominance theory is ridiculous and it will rob you of your dog's affection.
Naturally, you don't want to go up and put a big bear hug on a dog you don't know. Or let a child hug a dog without making sure the dog is safe with children. Some dogs may like hugs, or pats on the head, or scratching — whatever — more than other dogs. Let your dog's reactions be your guide. But, definitely hug your own dogs if they like it.
You can't believe everything you hear and see on TV.
