Abstract The paper examines how the symptoms of fear and anxiety in canines can range the entire spectrum from mild to life-threatening conditions. The paper discusses the help that pet owners, military and police dog handlers, veterinarians and others concerned about the welfare of their animals will need when confronted with these types of conditions in their household dogs and other canines. The paper provides an overview of the problem including causes and symptoms of fear and anxiety in canines, followed by a critical analysis of the current and peer-reviewed literature concerning the pharmacological treatment of these disorders today. A summary of the research and salient findings are provided in the conclusion.
Outline:
i)Introduction
ii)Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Causes and Symptoms of Fear and Anxiety in Canines Pharmacological Treatment of Fear and Anxiety in Canines Table I
iii)Conclusion
iv)References
From the Paper "From a clinical perspective, Sher and Trull (1996) note that there are a number of naturally occurring behavior disorders that are typically treated in veterinary practices that may have relevance to a number of human conditions; these conditions include, but are not limited to, stereotypic disorders (e.g. excessive grooming), aggression, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, hyperactivity, and sleep disorders. These authors add that researchers generally use a wide variety of experimental manipulations to induce specific signs and symptoms or more complex syndromes in animals that have some similarity to human psychopathologic phenomena with the majority of these behavior disorders in animals (Sher & Trull, 1996)."
Abstract This paper examines the relevant and scholarly literature concerning operant conditioning, in general, and the extent to which it works with dogs, in particular. The paper presents the "nature versus nurture" debate and explores whether canine behaviour is determined by genetics or environmental influences.
From the Paper "The debate over nature versus nurture as it applies to learning dates back over a hundred years. Certainly, during much of the 20th century, the distinction between learned and inherited behavior appeared much clearer than it does today. The concept that any type of behavior was either learned or merely developed without learning seemed a rationale and straightforward belief. Research based on these expectations caused some scientists to conclude that rat-killing behavior among cats, for example, is a learned behavior rather than an instinctive one, that human fears are all acquired, or that intelligence is completely the result of experience. Learning theorists were arguing at this point that most behavior is learned and that biological factors are of little or no importance."
Abstract This paper examines the central themes in "Carry Me Across the Water," Ethan Canin's novel of an aging man confronting his past. It also looks at the author's use of interior monologue with the story told in a series of montages.
From the Paper " August Kleinman, the protagonist of Ethan Canin's novel titled Carry Me Across the Water is introduced as a man whose life had shown him the fruit and dirt of the world, he had killed one man and possibly a second ..."
Abstract This paper explores canine hypothyroidism and its impact on canine behavior. The author examines research about canine hypothyroidism and its causes, symptoms and how these things ultimately impact the behavior of the dog.
From the Paper "Pet owners often love their pets as much as if they were human. When the pet begins to act like he or she is not feeling up to par it warrants an immediate trip to the veterinarian to see what the problem is. Many dog illnesses are obvious, such as bites, infection, fever or flu, but there are also disorders or illnesses that are less obvious at first. One such disorder is canine hypothyroidism. Canine hypothyroidism is similar to human hypothyroidism in many ways. It impacts the adrenal system, it affects weight, mind and behavior in the canine just like it can in humans. One of the problems with canine hypothyroidism is that the animal cannot tell the owner what is wrong. The symptoms can go on for quite some time before anyone in the family figures out that something is wrong. Usually the first indicator is the behavior of the animal because the earlier symptoms are not something the dog can express."
Abstract This paper analyzes the novel, "Carry Me Across the Water", by Ethan Canin. The author examines the hero's quest aspects of the novel, and discusses Canin's characterization of the protagonist, August Kleinman.
Abstract This paper will list the pros and cons of specialization, describe what a SWAT team consists of, and also describe a typical canine unit.
From the Paper "The pros and the cons of specialization help to explain why specialized police units are formed. Many people have different opinions about specialization in law enforcement. Efforts to specialize teams in larger agencies can have both positive and negative effects on the agency or department."
Abstract When most people think of a hero's journey, they think of a young man. In his evocative work, "Carry Me Across the Water", author Ethan Canin begins the tale of a hero's journey with quite an old man, August Kleinman. The paper explores how the story is told through a cleverly woven series of "now" and "then" vignettes and at the end of the book, it is plain that this man is, in a very ordinary sense, a hero. The paper also examines the legendary journey that Kleinman makes in his life and compares his story to that of 'traditional' heroes from antiquity such as Odysseus and Aeneas.
I. Hero
A. Legend, Not Myth
1. Ginger
2. Isabela
B. Kleinman is Man, not God
II. The Journey
A. "Miraculous" Child
B. Maternal Training; No Advice
C. Avoiding Sirens
D. Extraordinary Strength
III. The New Land
A. Pittsburgh
B. "Yom Kipper"
IV. End of Journey
A. The Swing/Asher
B. No Advice/Asher
From the Paper "Whether or not Kleinman took advice, then or ever, it is clear that he claimed all the lands he inhabited. He refused to maintain the Jewish pronunciation of Yom Kippur, calling it instead Yom Kipper, the way the Gentiles said it, the way his wife might have said it early on. He "bought" Isabela's loyalty after his wife's death. He brings his grandson into his landscape (the park, against his son's wishes), and teaches him a hero's ways. That the entire future of the ?race,? Kleinman's post-journey family, is resident in Asher is certain."
A comparative analysis of child-parent relationships in Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl," Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" and Ethan Canin's "The Year of Getting to Know Us".
Abstract This essay is a comparative analysis of the child-parent relationships expressed in the following works: Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl," Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" and Ethan Canin's "The Year of Getting to Know Us", focusing on how children must develop and mature before they understand their parents and themselves.
From the Paper "Relationships between parents and children are often made more complex by the fact that in addition to the strong emotional ties shared between parents and children, children are not yet developed enough to understand the full .."
Abstract The paper describes how many search and rescue dogs with their handlers selflessly tried to save the many humans trapped in the debris and rubble of the September 11th terrorist attack on New York. The paper paints a picture of how these dogs climbed, crawled, jumped and sniffed for a full month, without a thought for their own safety. The paper relates several stories of these canines' heroism.
From the Paper "September 11th, 2001 will go down in history as one of America's greatest tragedies. Yet, from the death and destruction, out of the rubble and debris, came the true spirit of humankind, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. There are so many stories of heroism on that fateful day that it fills the heart with hope. Those trained to respond, those found thrust into the situation with no preparation, and all of the support from millions of people around the globe showed that tragedy could bring out the hero in everyone. And this was not limited to just those of the human persuasion, but canines as well."
Abstract This paper examines how elements of natural canid social tendencies and their highly communicative natural behaviors account for their ability to be trained and for the particularly fulfilling relationships that characterize their modern association with humans, whether in the role of social companion or working partnership. It attempts to show how our general appreciation of the full extent to which dogs communicate in their own language is minimal in comparison to the extent of our successful exploitation of their ability to learn to understand our form(s) of communication.
From the Paper "Dogs use their tails for many more communicative purposes than merely
wagging them to indicate their happiness. Experts still disagree as to the origins of tail wagging, with some even going so far as maintaining that it is strictly an adaptive behavior specifically for communicating with humans and virtually absent in their natural repertoire, despite much evidence that would seem to disprove that belief, conclusively.(Coren, p.105) According to Desmond Morris, the origins of tail wagging has its roots in a manifestation of ambivalence, when nursing puppies still find comfort nestled amongst littermates, while simultaneously seeking their exclusive space and control over their mother's nipple during suckling."
Abstract Although the ideas behind evolution were discussed much earlier, Charles Darwin was the first to present a coherent scientific theory of the process. Since then, due in large part to genetic science, Darwin's theory has been revised. However, theories are constantly subject to testing, modification, and refutation as new evidence and ideas emerge. This paper discusses how scientists are debating the evolution of the domestic dog, since new propositions are being suggested. The paper shows that the true derivation of this animal, which has so greatly impacted the lives of humans, remains to be seen.
From the Paper "The debate on the evolution of dogs is going to continue until enough evidence arises that gives most credence to a particular theory. In the meantime, scientists will continue to collect information and data. For example, Israeli archaeologists recently found a woman who was buried 12,000 years ago with what many believe is a puppy in her hands. Nearby, archaeologists found a man from the same era buried with two small canids, also presumably dogs. Coppinger is not swayed by this latter find because the bones are too wolflike. Yet Tamar Dayan, an archaeologist at Tel Aviv University, points out that the specimens have some key dog characteristics, such as crowded teeth and shorter jaws (Pennisi, 1540)."
Abstract This paper discusses the evolutionary process and the changes it has led to in mammals. The paper provides scientific and statistical data regarding changes in animals' body size, mass and cranial capacity, in addition to oxygen intake levels and reproductive behavior. The paper then focuses on how evolution has led to changes in the diets of many mammals, which have affected the number and types of teeth, as well as in the sexual dimorphism in teeth between males and females.
From the Paper "These primates, generally grouped into the suborder of Plesiadapiformes, are known only to modern scientists by tooth remains. According to fragments found in Africa, these early primates were mostly fruit and insect eating animals (Milton, 89). Their dental records show three incisors, one canine, four premolars, and three molars on both the top and bottom jaw, with blunt cusps (Bramblet, para. 2). In the late Paleocene primates, the structure of the molars and incisors began to alter, showing longer incisors and variable molars, suggesting the beginnings of dietary differences, including consumption of increased plant materials (Bramblet, para. 3)."
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the grey wolf, an animal that is specific to North America. In particular, the paper researches the gray wolf, discusses the natural history of the animal, its living habits, and range, as well as the ongoing controversy over relocating wolves in the American West.
Table of Contents
Abstract
The History of the Wolf
Wolves in Folklore and Myth
Conclusion
From the Paper "Most packs live in secluded dens or caves that keep them safe from man, other predators, and the weather. If a cave is not available, wolves will dig a hole in the ground or under a rock, or even take over the lodges of other animals, such as beavers (Smith & Phillips, 2000, p. 220). Packs usually range anywhere between 50 and 100 miles each day as they hunt for prey, but in areas where food is scarce, and studies show they can travel up to 500 miles a day in search of food. Common prey "include deer, moose, elk, pronghorn, bison, mountain goats, and mountain sheep" (Donnelly, 1999, p. 180). Scientists and ranchers know they can also prey on sheep, lambs, calves, and other domesticated livestock, which is another reason ranchers and many others distrust them and even hate them in the American West. Ranchers see them as a threat to their livestock, and they fought hard to keep the government from reinstating wolves into Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming in 1995."
Abstract This paper explains that the petite Channel Island fox, urocyon littoralis, endemic to the California Channel Islands, has become near extinction because of the invasion of non-native species, misguided conservation efforts and rampant canine distemper disease. The author points out that, in an effort to save the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike, lanius ludovicianus mearnsi, one of the most endangered birds in the world, which is a prey of the Channel Island fox, careless conservation efforts reduced the San Clemente (one of the Channel Islands) fox so rapidly that its population then became endangered. The paper stresses that conservation is more complex than looking at a primary cause alone: For the Channel Island Fox, this means trapping and relocating golden eagles, reintroducing bald eagles, removing feral pigs, replacing exotic grasslands for native ones, and above all, monitoring the foxes. The paper is attractive with many photographs and captions.
Table of Contents:
Scorch and Sizzle
Plagued by an Epidemic
The Hitch with the Shrike
The Flying Catastrophe
Taking a Wider Glance
From the Paper "The good news is that predator control is starting to work. Since 2004, there have been no golden eagles on the islands of San Miguel and Santa Cruz. San Miguel Island has also released ten island foxes from their captive breeding program to begin to repopulate the subspecies. In addition, all three islands now have a total of 25 resident bald eagles that have been relocated there in order to bring this native species back. The bald eagles kept the golden eagles away once before, so they may be able to do it again."
Abstract This paper discusses the history and developments of the dog food industry. It specifically focuses on the history of dog food companies and their marketing strategies. The paper then discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the major competitors within the dog food industry. Finally, it looks at the role of culture and the effect that it has on the marketing of dog food.
Outline:
History
Recent Developments
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Major Competitors/Top Brands
Different Consumer Segments
Role of Culture
From the Paper "The Canadian pet food industry is strong as evidenced by the fact that Canada was the 12th country in the world pet food exports in 2004 (Food and Agricultural Organization, 2006). The Canadian dog food market has recently witnessed the growth of unique pet foods. (Bennett, 2007). The overall analysis of the market shows two new major lines of products as well as the popularization of special foods. The two new lines of dog food products include the food sauces and oral hygiene chewing treats. The food sauces are designed to improve the taste of dry food and make the same food taste differently on daily basis. They are developed in such a manner to complement the nutrition value of the dry meal. The oral hygiene treats are aimed at improving dog's dental care. Even though they do not replace regular teeth brushing, they are a great and easy to apply supplement. This product is manufactured by major dog food companies (see further below) as well as the specialized ones, like Virbac in the USA. The development of special foods is likely connected to the raising awareness of food quality in humans (Roberts, 2006). As Tarnowski (2006) sums up this trend: "'Natural', 'functional' and 'healthy are three key factors driving pets food sales in America today - a direct result of the 'humanization trend" (pg. 72). This not only increased the quality of dog food as well but also led to the development of food specially designed for, for example, overweight dogs, dogs with reduced activity, and those with stomach problems."
