Neuroscientist: Brain imaging may prove “dogs have a level of sentience comparable to that of a human child.”

Anyone who has ever loved a dog knows they are sentient beings, capable of fostering an emotional bond with people.  But now science may be catching up with this widely held belief.  A neuroscientist wrote an opinion piece in Saturday's New York Times about a new MRI study of awake dog brains: Because dogs can’t … Continue reading Neuroscientist: Brain imaging may prove “dogs have a level of sentience comparable to that of a human child.”

U.S. Government Reports on Our Pet Expenditures

On the subject of how much money we spend on our pets, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently published "'Tails' from the Consumer Expenditure Survey" on its website and the Hartford Courant breaks down the information: The average amount each household spent on pets in 2011 was $502. Households tended to spend 1 percent … Continue reading U.S. Government Reports on Our Pet Expenditures

Science Says Dogs’ Digestive Systems Evolved with Humans

I know the "Dogs do not have the enzymes needed to digest grains!!!!!!!!!111!!!11" camp had to be hatin' this study which found that dogs' digestive systems evolved over time to better allow them to digest starchy food.  Now there's more bad news:  another study has found the same thing: The team then compared corresponding genes … Continue reading Science Says Dogs’ Digestive Systems Evolved with Humans