Puppy Kindergarten

August 12, 2024
In this boisterous study, husband-and-wife team Hare and Woods (Survival of the Friendliest) reflect on what they’ve learned training service dogs at the Duke University Canine Cognition Center. They recount devising tests to determine which Labrador retriever puppies are most likely to be successful service dogs as adults: one involved placing two bowls in front of a puppy and pointing at the bowl with a treat in it, which revealed that the most promising pups can select the correct bowl, and thus make basic inferences about human intentions, around eight weeks of age. A surprising predictor of success is when dogs eat their own poop, the authors write, explaining that Labradors are susceptible to a genetic mutation that gives them an insatiable appetite; this makes them exceptionally responsive to being rewarded with treats, even as it drives them to eat feces. Hare and Woods are more interested in discussing their work than in detailing how to raise a dog, though they do outline a few broad principles, urging readers to be patient as puppies gradually develop self-control and to expose dogs to the people and experiences they’ll regularly encounter before they reach 18 weeks of age. Though this volume is short on advice, dog lovers curious about what’s going on in their pups’ heads will be enlightened. Photos. Agent: Max Brockman, Brockman, Inc.