Magnolia The Therapy Dog

The Boys

2012-02-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

A friend on twitter recently commented that my brother's do not equal exposure. By special request, here is Iggy and Spot. I can never tell them apart so don't bother asking me who is who. They are pictured here in the bathroom resting atop the washer and dryer. That's their favorite sleeping place because (a) it's often warm (b) I can't chase them and (c) they have a sky light that they can look out of.

The View From Here: Playtime Edition

2012-02-23T10:34:00.001-05:00

Buddy

2012-02-18T18:41:00.000-05:00

So this was an unusual find. Earlier this week I was rustling along the brambles next to the Charles River and stopped and pointed out the remains of Buddy (2000-2006). The simple wooded box was firmly affixed to the ground and appeared to be thoughtfully placed in an out-of-the-way place.

I don't know anything about the story of Buddy--but this creature was obviously cared for, loved, and is missed. It seemed fitting to mark our discovery here.

The View From Here: Act Natural Edition

2012-02-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

Regular readers have learned that Cambridge has a tiny flock of turkeys to call its own. Check back here and here for earlier postings. I just imagine the conversation these two turkeys are having. "Act natural Harold. Maybe she won't notice us." I did notice them. I don't understand why the human won't let me eat them. It seems unfair. Doesn't it?

The View From Here: Labyrinth Edition

2012-02-16T15:44:00.001-05:00

Maggie and the Santa Hat

2012-02-11T18:41:00.002-05:00

I'm a little late in posting this.

The View From Here: Grey Winter Day Edition

2012-02-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

The View From Here: Sphinx Edition

2012-02-09T15:42:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Resting Place Edition

2012-02-09T13:26:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Lunch Break Edition

2012-02-07T13:05:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Good Morning Sunshine Edition

2012-02-07T07:26:00.001-05:00

I Walk the Line

2012-02-03T23:03:00.001-05:00

Yesterday while the human was watching television I was rustling around in my toy box. As you'll see below, I decided it was necessary to line up some of my favorite bones in a perfectly spaced line across the living room floor. The reasons behind this behavior shall remain a mystery.

Back and Forth (such fun!)

2012-02-03T10:01:00.001-05:00

It's the simple things in life that are enjoyable. Don't you think? This is my favorite way to spend my break at work.

The Case of the Herding Bunny

2012-02-03T08:57:00.000-05:00

How can you resist a herding bunny rabbit on a Friday morning? You can read the AP news article here if you'd like a little background information on this particular leporid.

The View From Here: Evening Calestenics Edition

2012-01-31T18:58:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Afternoon Calestenics Edition

2012-01-31T15:49:00.001-05:00

View From Here: Morning Calestenics Edition

2012-01-31T11:07:00.001-05:00

My long lost brother

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well that was unexpected. On the way into the office this morning I was engaged in my usual shenanigans: I found an enormous branch and was crossing the street in Central Square while holding said stick in my mouth. The below video is just a simulation of this morning. The actual stick was three times larger (no joking!).

Anyway, as I was crossing the street I noticed two young women eyeing me up. Perhaps they were jealous of my fabulous stick? When I got closer (and the human warned me not to knock them out with said stick) they approached and asked about me.

"What kind of dog is she? My sister has a dog that looks just like her!"

They humans discussed a little more. Then they discovered the most amazing thing. The young woman's sister was in a horse show in Kentucky two and a half years ago. While there she discovered a large litter of ten puppies who had been abandoned. Somehow she managed to sneak Goose away when he was just a couple of weeks old. The remaining nine puppies and mother were taken to New Hampshire and fostered by Peace and Paws.I was one of those nine puppies. If you want to hear more about my story check out this link.

Goose moved to New Jersey and has been leading a very happy life. He's my brother. Who would have thought that walking down the street in Cambridge I would meet a woman who has a sister who lives in New Jersey that saved my brother Goose.

The View From Here: Morning Play in the Snow Edition

2012-01-17T11:26:00.000-05:00

We were expecting terrible weather this morning in New England. Winter Storm over night, icy treacherous conditions this morning. As it turns out, we got a little snow and this morning features a brilliant blue sky. Not knowing this, the human left early for work. His preparation was my gain: I got extra play time.

The View From Here: Live in Front of a Studio Audience Edition

2012-01-13T11:32:00.001-05:00

So I've discovered me new favorite thing: performing in front of an audience of children. The human and I had a little extra time before work so I got to do my favorite stick chasing activity. Slowly this crowd of children gathered watching me. They got to learn a little (always ask before touching dogs!), they got to pet me, and best of all, they got to cheer for me as I ran back and forth.

By the time it was time to head to the office I was exhausted. I slept clear through the end of the day!

Performing live in front of a studio audience

Can you fly too?

Bet your ears don't do this!

Come play with me.

The View From Here: I Will Stay Here Edition

2012-01-12T11:06:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Edition

2012-01-10T17:51:00.001-05:00

Unconditional Positive Regard: It's Not Just for the Dogs

2012-01-08T15:40:00.001-05:00

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
-- Carl Rogers

Recently Debbie Jacobs, founder of Fearful Dogs and a follower on Twitter, shared the following interchange with the human:

fearfuldogs debbie jacobs

i don't expect my dogs 2 love me unconditionally. they know as well as any1 when I'm being a jerk

22 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

jaypsyd Jason Mihalko

Now now there is room in unconditional love for jerks mt@fearfuldogs don't expect dogs 2 love me unconditionally. they know when I'm a jerk

10 hours ago Favorite Reply Delete

fearfuldogs debbie jacobs

@jaypsyd whew. good 2 know there's hope 4 me & other jerks

7 Jan Favorite Retweet Reply

This got me thinking about unconditional positive regard. This is part three of an occasional series of blog posts about my therapy dog view of different psychological theories. For parts one and two, check out An Ecological Approach to Life: Urie Bronfenbrenner and Erik Erickson: A Therapy Dog's View.

Let's meet Dr. Rogers. The human never actually got to meet him. He did, however, spend some time studying with one of Carl Roger's doctoral students, Marshall Rosenberg. If you are interested, by the way, there is a long documentary of Carl Rogers doing group therapy. Click here to watch the documentary called "Journey Into Self."

Carl Rogers (January 8, 1902 - February 4, 1987) was an American Psychologist. Throughout his career he developed a new way of approaching both psychotherapy and education. He was a deeply religious man, growing up Pentacostal, and originally planning on becoming a minister. He was a humanistic psychologist and developed and promulgated the notion of client-centered therapy and student-centered learning. He's work has so saturated how we think about ourselves that he was voted second to Sigmund Freud as the most important clinician-psychologist of the 20th century.

"It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried."
--Carl Rogers

In brief, Rogers saw three essential and required qualities of a relationship. Those three qualities are: genuineness, acceptance, and understanding. The following is from the website, Mythos and Logos, written and maintained by Brent Dean Robbins.

Genuineness: Rogers found that the more genuine he was in the relationship, the more helpful it would be. This means that the therapist needs to be aware of his own feelings, in so far as possible, rather than presenting an outward facade of one attitude, while actually holding another attitude at a deeper or unconscious level. Being genuine also involves the willingness to be and to express, in one's words and one's behavior, the various feelings and attitudes which exist in one's self. Rogers found this to be true even when the attitudes he felt were not attitudes, with which he was pleased, or attitudes which seemed conducive to a good relationship. it seemed extremely important to be REAL.

"People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be... When I look at a sunset, I don't find myself saying, 'Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner'... I don't try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds."--Carl Rogers

Acceptance: Rogers found that the more acceptance and liking he felt toward a client, the more he was willing to create a relationship which the client could use. By acceptance, Rogers meant a warm regard for him as a person of unconditional self-worth--of value no matter what his condition, his behavior, or his feelings. It means a respect and liking for him as a separate person, a willingness for him to possess his own feelings in his own way. It means an acceptance of and regard for his attitudes of the moment, no matter now negative or positive, no matter how much they may contract other attitudes he had held in the past. This acceptance of each fluctuating aspect of this other person makes it for him a relationship of warmth and safety, and the safety of being liked and prized as a person seems a highly important element in a helping relationship.

"The facts are always friendly, every bit of evidence one can acquire, in any area, leads one that much closer to what is true."
--Carl Rogers

Understanding: Rogers also found that the relationship was significant to the extent that he felt a continuing desire to understand--a sensitive empathy with each of the client's feelings and communications as they seem to him at that moment. Acceptance, Rogers felt, does not mean much until it involves understanding. It is only as one UNDERSTANDS the feelings and thoughts which seem so horrible to the client, or so weak, or so sentimental, or so bizarre--it is only as one sees them as the client sees them, and accepts them and the client, that the client feels really free to explore all the hidden nooks and frightening crannies of his inner and often buried experience. This FREEDOM is an important condition of the relationship. There is implied here a freedom to explore oneself at both conscious and unconscious levels, as rapidly as one can dare to embark on this dangerous quest. There is also a complete freedom from any type of moral or diagnostic evaluation since all such evaluations are, Rogers believed, always threatening.

A full discussion of Roger's approach would require much more than a blog post. If you'd like to learn more, some places to start are here, here, or here.

The juicy stuff I wanted to talk about is the concept of unconditional positive regard. This might be what is most misunderstood about Carl Rogers as well as what I see most misrepresented in our collective consciousness. It's also probably Carl's greatest gift.

What we usually get goes something like this:

Owner comes home to discover the dog chewed the most favored pair of slippers. Owner says "bad dog!" Owner is likely to find some appropriate (in their eyes) method of punishment. Perhaps spanking with the chewed slippers, or a harsh yelling, or something of the sort.

"What's wrong with you? You know better. Bad dog!"

These scene is repeated over and over across homes across America (and around the world, in places where dogs are kept as pets). Many wouldn't see a thing wrong with this.

"We wouldn't want to spoil the dog. He needs limits. He needs to know I'm the pack leader."

Humans have similar sayings for human children -- "spare the rod, spoil the child" is one that comes to mind. What have you heard? Which ones have you used?

Let's push this one to the extreme and enter into a contemporary controversy. Those who fear unconditional positive regard the most tend to fear little ones will run amok and turn into directionless, shiftless, irresponsible and self-indulgent grown-ups if they are shown kindness and taught that they are important.

Take Michael Pearl, for example, who states his child-rearing techniques are modeled on "the same principles the Amish use to train their stubborn mules." The New York Times writes that "the Pearls provide instructions on using a switch from as early as six months to discourage misbehavior and describe how to make use of implements for hitting on the arms, legs or back, including a quarter-inch flexible plumbing line that, Mr. Pearl notes, "can be rolled up and carried in your pocket."

Before I get to far afield, let's get back to unconditional positive regard. First, however, let's talk about what it isn't. Unconditional positive regard isn't approval. Let me say that one more time. I will say it in nice big pleasing green letters. (if you really want to dive into the controversy of Pearl, try Google or look here or here)

Unconditional positive regard is not approval.

There is no expectation that an owner approves of their dog's shoe chewing behaviors. There is no expectation that a parent approves of their child's sassy behaviors. Unconditional positive regard isn't about unconditionally accepting behaviors.

Unconditional positive regard is providing care to another without any conditions or strings attached. Rogers wrote ..."of importance in creating a climate for change is acceptance, or caring or prizing - unconditional positive regard. it means that when the therapist is experiencing a positive, acceptant attitude toward whatever the client is at that moment, therapeutic movement or change is more likely. It involves the therapist's willingness for the client to be whatever immediate feeling is going on - confusion, resentment, fear, anger, courage, love, or pride. It is a non-possessive caring. the therapist prizes the client in a total rather than a conditional way."

Now wait just a minute. I thought you just said unconditional regard isn't about acceptance? Carl just said it was.

All right, you have a good point there. But who would you rather listen to? Carl or your favorite therapy dog, Magnolia Wigglesworth. Trust me. I know what I'm talking about here.

This is where many talented smart people (psychologists and others) get lost in the weeds. Carl is talking about accepting someone's experience. He is talking about validation here. Recognizing that your experience is your experience. If you are filled with murderous rage, you are filled with murderous rage. If your puppy found those slippers to be irresistible, they were irresistible. We encounter the experience of another as valid, true, and real.

We don't have to agree with it. We don't have to like it. We definitely don't have to approve of it. It doesn't have to be true for us. What is important is that we recognize what the experience for the other is.

We have empathy for the experience of the other.

There is more, of course, to unconditional positive regard. We had to get that sticky confusion about acceptance and approval out of the way. The power in unconditional positive regard is we encounter the other with the general notional that they are valued, valuable, and important because they are. Because they are what? Because they are: because they are here, because they exist, because they are.

Back to Carl:

"The therapist prizes the client in a total rather than a conditional way." --Carl Rogers

Whoa. That's some heavy stuff. Right? Just imagine for a minute someone prizing you. Valuing you and your experience. Do you even know what that would be like?

My guess is for most of you, your answer is no. You don't know what it is like to be prized as a living being. You've been raised conditionally. You live a conditional life. Your value is based on your conformity, your ability to please those around you, or the things you can do for another.

This is the brilliance of Carl Rogers. He showed us a way to be more. Fitting in, from time to time, is important. Knowing how to be part of the crowd is an important part of a social life. Likewise, it's also important to be able to care for another, to provide, to create and to contribute. There is, however, more.

"The good life... involves an increasing tendency to live fully in each moment. I believe it would be evident that for the person who has fully opened to his new experience, completely without defensiveness, each moment would be new... The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination."--Carl Rogers

Go out there and see what it is like to prize someone's being-ness. What is it like to prize yourself in this way? It's hard, especially when their behavior angers you, frightens you, or is downright reprehensible (or your own behavior does the same). Find a way to start. See where it brings you. See how it makes you feel. See how your experience changes or how it stays the same same.

Some of you, no doubt, might find yourself feeling angry. Usually questions are asked like "how can I offer unconditional positive regard to Hitler, Osama Bin-Laden, or the man who killed my father?"

I believe it is possible to do that. It is possible to treat someone with unconditional positive regard, with respect, and with a sense of honor of their being-ness--without approving of their behavior. It's beyond the scope of this post about Carl Rogers to talk about the protective use of force, and how we approach and encounter evil experiences. Maybe another day.

For those of you who ask these questions, know that for today you don't have to greet these people with unconditional positive regard. Start where you can and see what happens.

The Twitter conversation that started this all ended with this. It is also where I will end this post.

jaypsyd Jason Mihalko

.@fearfuldogs The sweet sound of unconditional love will always save wretches like us.

19 hours ago Favorite Reply Delete

The View From Here: About Last Night Edition

2012-01-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

I don't know about where you are, but here it's awfully cold. If acting sleepy doesn't convince people to keep you indoors, layers are important!

The View From Here: Sleeping Beauty Edition

2012-01-03T07:36:00.001-05:00

Pit Bulls as Therapy Dogs

2012-01-02T14:19:00.001-05:00

This article was spotted by a friend on Twitter. It's worth sharing. We've moved toward being a culture that is afraid of certain kinds of dogs and forget that by in large, the problem is with how people train and treat dogs. Check out this story about pit bulls as therapy dogs and keep it in mind the next time you encounter breed specific legislation in your local communities. (read more about BSLs here and here.

Of particular interest, by the way, is that breed specific legislation in Bermuda would make me a restricted dog. Can you imagine someone wanting to restrict Magnolia Wigglesworth? That's ridiculous. Check it out here.

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In the gymnasium at north Austin's Gullett Elementary School, a young boy sits on the floor with a book in his lap. The child is trying to sharpen his reading skills and he has a helper. Actually, he has two helpers: a woman who is volunteering her time and her dog.

Across the room, Patti Brauss, a 14-year veteran physical education teacher, watches with a grin on her face.

"There are kids who absolutely light up when they see a dog and that builds bridges sometimes if there's a stressful situation in the classroom," said Brauss, "or a skill the child can't do, and by being able to share that with a dog or be motivated by the dog, we can't do that as humans. It's the power of the petting."

On the gym floor another dog rolls over on her back and accepts some of that petting from another student.

"I think she's precious," the child said. "She's precious; she's a precious dog."

Nearby, another girl bends down and kisses a dog on the head.

It's not just the kids that are getting into it all. Owner Ashley Arkin brought her dog to the gym.

"It's that emotional connection that just breaks you down and brings you back to your primal self," she said. "I love it; I love helping other people and the best thing I can do is help others with my dog."

The thing is, though, Arkin's dog is not just any dog. He's a pit bull dog! That's right, the breed that many people condemn as vicious and uncontrollable. Type "pit bull attacks" into Google and you'll be deluged with over 2,000,000 hits. Pit bull owner Lydia Zaidman begs to differ.

"They love people; they're extremely tolerant of people." Zaidman said. "Of course, each individual one has to be temperament tested and each one is an individual like any other dog. But in general, they temperament test very high. They really love people; they like to be around people and so they do really well."

Click here for the rest of the article

The View From Here: Maggie and the Snuggie

2011-12-31T23:26:00.001-05:00

While I appreciate the gift of my Snuggie from my secret admirer, as you can see I was somewhat less than amused when I was woken up from my nap to try it on.

The View Front Here: Back to Work Edition

2011-12-27T09:57:00.001-05:00

Grandma at last!

2011-12-22T21:20:00.001-05:00

We still aren't there yet?!?!?!

2011-12-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

Still not there?

2011-12-22T17:52:00.001-05:00

How About Now? Are We There Yet?

2011-12-22T15:26:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Are We There Yet?

2011-12-22T13:23:00.001-05:00

Dispatch from the road

2011-12-22T12:38:00.001-05:00

Crossing the Hudson River

Over The River & Through The Woods

2011-12-22T09:54:00.001-05:00

...to grandmother's house we go. I am departing from my undisclosed location in the Merrimack Valley for Ohio.

The View From Here: Day Off Edition

2011-12-21T16:01:00.001-05:00

My human gave me the day off if work. It is inky my second day off that I have had in my entire life. This is what I am doing while he is at the office:

Maggie and the Cow Ear

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Maggie and the Marrow Bone

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

The View From Here: Sleeping in Edition

2011-12-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: About Last Night Edition

2011-12-17T08:57:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Afternoon Nap Edition

2011-12-15T12:58:00.001-05:00

No Dogs Were Hurt in the Filming of This Video

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

You know how some humans can't seem to walk and chew gum at the same time? Below you will find some video evidence of what happens when those same humans attempt to use video and throw a ball at the same time. It's a good thing I'm a therapy dog with a good nature!

He tried again and paid a little more attention. This was much more fun.

The View From Here: Exhausted Edition

2011-12-13T21:04:00.001-05:00

It is hard being cute all day.

Secret Santa Saves the Day

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you in the know, my human has been bemoaning the fact that Target suddenly stopped carrying his favorite style of Kleenex -- he prefers the kind that come in oval shaped boxes. He had bought them in bulk awhile back and had a closet stuffed with them (what kind of psychologist would run out of Kleenex, right?) .

The supply has slowly dwindled. Things were getting desperate when his cache dropped down to to measly boxes. With the holiday season came a brief reprieve: Target had holiday themed oval boxes.

Joyous times were had by all -- and a sufficient amount of Kleenex was purchased to make it through December. But then what? What would happen if the shelves remained clean of the oval boxes. Would the human have to resort to standard (and boring) Kleenex?

Secret Santa to the rescue! Last week we discovered a bag in the waiting room. Inside of it was a personalized oval tissue box. Who knew the people at Kleenex have a website for making personalized Kleenex. Think of the possibilities!

No pet store puppies

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

If a pet store sells puppies, I won't buy anything there. Join me, and make a different for puppies and dogs everywhere. No Pet Store Puppies.

Family Portrait

2011-12-11T22:33:00.001-05:00

The kind woman who fostered me, my siblings, and my mother recently shared this photo on the Facebook page of Peace and Paws. Can you guess which one I am?

My siblings and I

Chicken three ways

2011-12-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. I love chicken. My favorite preparation these days are dried chicken strips. My human keeps an enormous bag of them in the closet. When a strip comes out I've been known to engage in every trick I know--at one time--to get said chicken strip. They are delightful. If you've not tried them, I highly recommend it!

Recently I've been noticing a plethora of chicken bones strewn about the roads and sidewalks of Cambridge. Have you noticed them? Hardly a week goes by without discovring a chicken bone somewhere on the sidewalk. Being a somewhat dangerous food item, my human has developed an uncanny ability to spot them. Sometimes I spot them before he does. Since he has been pulling them out of my mouth I have developed my own uncanny ability: I hide them in my mouth and chew when he isn't looking. The crunch always gives me away.

I wasn't fully prepared for the next preparation of chicken that I was to discover. The human and I had a long break between patients. Since the gates of Harvard Yard are currently locked I couldn't engage in my favorite activity of squirrel chasing. I know, there are squirrels everywhere. The ones in the yard are more trusting so I can sneak up closer, and usually I get more of an audience which I appreciate. At any rate, we struck out on some of the lesser traveled roads. We were going to head over to the MIT campus and see what their squirrels were like.

We approached the MIT campus from the river and stumbled upon a a small public park. The satellite image shows an aerial view of the scene we happened upon.

What did I find here this past Thursday? Chickens. Live ones. Apparently those in the know have known about these chickens for awhile. We were planning on walking through the small green park when the human spotted several chickens clucking about. What was even more amazing was who was in charge of these chickens. Behind the fence was a beautiful and friendly pit bull. The chicken, working hard to escape my hungry mouth (like the human would ever let me eat one!), jumped over the fence and sat on the pit bull's back and clucked at me.

What a sight!

We captured a few cell phone images for your viewing pleasure.

The View From Here: Window Shopping Edition

2011-12-08T14:45:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Morning Already?

2011-12-08T07:27:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Too Wet Edition

2011-12-07T10:49:00.001-05:00

The View From Here: Raincoat Edition

2011-12-06T10:22:00.001-05:00

Therapy Dog Round Up: Dancing Dogs, Cruelty, and a Lawsuit

2011-12-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

Therapy dog troupe in Chicago puts on a production of the Nutcracker.

George Mason's School of Law brings in a pack of puppy cuteness to help students manage end-of-semester exam stress.
Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of a SEAL operation in Afghanistan, talks about the brutal slaying of his therapy dog DASY. "She was like a daughter to me."
In other sad news, Scooby, a doberman pinscher in training to be a therapy dog, was shot and killed in his owner's front yard by a cyclist carrying a gun.
David Frei, founder of Angel on a Leash, talks about what therapy dogs can do.
Justice Department files a housing discrimination lawsuit against the University of Nebraska at Kearney, alleging the campus denied a student the chance to keep a therapy dog in her apartment to cope with depression and anxiety.
Army Cpl. Kacey Schlundt finds a sense of calmness driving seven huskies to their second chance at life. "Schlundt feels that every dog he helps save squares a debt for every life he took while fighting insurgents in Mahmudiyah from 2006 to 2008."

The View From Here: Saturday Morning Edition

2011-12-03T08:59:00.001-05:00

Do I really need to get up?

No, really, do I?

Erik Erickson: A Therapy Dog's View

2011-12-02T17:49:00.001-05:00

This is part two of a very occasional series of posts about my take on different psychological theories. Earlier this year I took a look at Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological approach to life. Who knew this would be my most popular post? As of this evening, over 4,430 people have viewed that blog entry. I'm thankful that the post is so popular: my human met him once and found him to be a very kind man.

Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom. -- Erik Erikson

Today we draw our attention to Erik Homberger Erikson. Please note, this is someone radically different from the conservative commentator Erick Erickson. The two would have very little in common in their world views.

Erik was born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfort am Main, Germany. After graduating from high school, he moved to Florence Italy to study art. By 1927 he was teaching a a psychoanalytically informed school for children in Vienna that was started by Dorothy Burlingham and Anna Freud. Deeply influenced by this work, Erikson earned a certificate from the Maria Montessori School and later did psychoanalytic training at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.

After graduating from the psychoanalytic institute in 1933, Erikson and his wife fled the Nazis who had come to power in Germany. His long career included positions at Massachusetts General Hospital Judge Baker Guidance Center, Harvard Medical School, and University of California Berkeley. While in California Erikson studied children on a Sioux reservation for a year as well as children in the and Yurok tribe. Erikson left Berkeley when professors were asked to sign a loyalty oath. He returned to Massachusetts first working at the Austen Riggs Center for a decade and finally returning to Harvard. He remained a professor of human development at Harvard University until he retired in 1970.

Erik Erikson's highest academic degree was a high school diploma. In 1973 the National Endowment for the Humanities selected Erikson for the Jefferson Lecture, which is the US government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities. His lecture was entitled "Dimensions of a New Identity."

Enough background information. Onto the good stuff. This chart is the most commonly learned distillation of Erikson's work. Sorry his name is spelled wrong in the chart. It seems there is a lot of confusion about the proper spelling of his name. The spelling I'm using, Erik Erikson, is the correct way.

So when you think about it, puppy development and human development isn't all that different. I'm not so sure dogs really ever get past adolescence. That's okay though, I think you all like us just the way we are.

Here is Erikson's theory, as it applies to humans, in a nutshell:

The infant's first social achievement, then, is his willingness to let the mother out of sight without undue anxiety or rage, because she has become an inner certainty as well as an outer predictability. -- Erik Erikson

Early in life both babies and puppies face a crisis: trust versus mistrust. If the world is safe enough, and we are cared for well enough, we develop a sense of stability and security. If we work through this well we approach the world with a confident curiosity. If problems happen (abuse, neglect, deprivation) we learn the world is unsafe, we lose our curiosity, and become closed off and hidden.

We learn to hope.

Always moving forward, our next crisis is autonomy versus doubt. Ever spend time with a two year old that constantly says no? Play a game with a very young child who insists on controlling every dimension of the game? Early on, youngsters learn a delicate balance between autonomy and interdependence. How many parents, in a demand for discipline, demand complete obedience from their children at all times? Too much of a demand for a child to bend to the will of an adult can create deep feelings of shame, incompetence, and out of control behaviors. Striking a successful balance creates creatures who remain curious, have built in self control, and have a certain degree of autonomy.

We learn will.

Children must eventually train their own children, and any impoverishment of their impulse life, for the sake of avoiding friction, must be considered a possible liability affecting more than one lifetime. -- Erik Erikson

Next up comes initiative versus guilt.Young ones busy themselves learning about the world around them. Square pegs fit in square holes. Round pegs fit in round holes. Sugar spilled on the floor makes mom crabby. We learn to count, speak, and ask for things with ease. We start to engage in activities. We want to play with that game. We want to walk in this direction. We start to take risks and learn how to keep ourselves safe (look both ways before we cross the street!). Good enough parents encourage and support children's efforts toward their own goal directed activities in realistic ways. When things go wrong and parents actively discourage children's independent activities (or belittle their activities), children can develop guilt about their needs, desires, and activities.

We learn purpose.

The next crisis we all face is industry versus inferiority. During these years, our primary years of school, we find our self confidence. Now having developed goal directed activity, our activity becomes productive. We create the things we need. Words come together to form sentences. Sentences come together to form paragraphs. Paragraphs come together to form stories. Good enough parents share a sense of excitement in what their children create. When things go wrong, and children are ridiculed or unable to meet adult expectations, children internalize a sense of inferiority

We learn competence.

Every adult, whether he is a follower or a leader, a member of a mass or of an elite, was once a child. He was once small. A sense of smallness forms a substratum in his mind, ineradicably. His triumphs will be measured against this smallness, his defeats will substantiate it. The questions as to who is bigger and who can do or not do this or that, and to whom—these questions fill the adult's inner life far beyond the necessities and the desirabilities which he understands and for which he plans. -- Erik Erikson

As childhood rolls into adolescence, we face the crisis of identity versus role confusion. Having built confidence in our abilities, we start to look for our place in our world. We ask the question "Who am I and where am I going?" In this time of development we find ourselves at a crossroad of development where we consolidate the rapid development of childhood and walk across the bridge to adulthood. Given enough time and space to explore the different roles society has to offer us, a young person can freely experiment and explore many different kinds of identities. A good enough parent will let their adolescents stretch and reach into all sorts of different identities while also offering some loose protective boundaries. Restrictive and domineering parents can clip the experiences of an adolescent and prevent them from finding a sense of identity that can haunt them long into their adulthood.

We learn our identity.

As our adolescence grows into young adulthood, we grapple with issues of intimacy versus isolation. Having found our identities we no longer need to destroy things that threaten our sense of self. We ask of ourselves if we are loved and wanted, and whether we will share our life with someone or live alone. Done well we find ourselves forming long-term commitments to others through intimate and reciprocal relationships. Done poorly, we find ourselves isolated.

We learn love.

As young adulthood moves into middle adulthood, we face the crisis of generativity versus stagnation. We ask of ourselves, "Will produce something of real value?" We find our way to contribute to society developing a sense of generativity, productivity, and accomplishment. Through our work we provide something toward the betterment of society and future generations. Done poorly we feel stagnated, dissatisfied, and disconnected from a sense of purpose.

We learn care.

As adults grow into elders, we face the crisis of ego integrity versus despair. Our work gradually slows and our attention turns inward toward contemplating our accomplishments. Done well, we see ourselves has having created a successful life. Done poorly we review our lives and feel we haven't reached our goals and we despair.

We learn wisdom.

Healthy children will not fear life if their elders have the integrity enough not to fear death. -- Erik Erikson

What Happens When you Tickle a Gorilla?

2011-11-30T08:06:00.001-05:00

They giggle, of course. Wouldn't you?

If you want to hear more about the story, check out this clip:

Thanks to Steven Motson for spotting this clip!

Beagle Takes First Steps in Grass

2011-11-29T23:31:00.001-05:00

So this video has been making the rounds lately. A group of beagles who had only known life inside metal research cages were rescued. There sure are awfully cute.

Puppy in a Pumpkin

2011-11-27T23:41:00.002-05:00

Some things are just too cute. This is one example. For the whole story, check out Ahnung's blog.

Contest: Which Banner Picture is Your Favorite?

2011-11-27T13:13:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year to update my banner on the blog. Here are some of my favorite pictures. Vote for the one you like best: popular opinion rules. Your favorite one will be retouched and posted on the blog for Winter 2011-2012.

option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

Maggie takes a Holiday Stroll

2011-11-27T09:57:00.001-05:00

at Fort Hill Park in Lowell, Massachusetts

Yesterday was a super busy day for me. I spent about a half an hour outside of of Hannaford Grocery Store greeting customers and passing out a little therapy dog love. I went to a place near the grocery store called Fort Hill Park (click here to learn all about that adventure). Then early in the evening it was time to head out to Nashua New Hampshire for their annual Holiday Stroll. One of my humans had volunteered to help set up a local church for some of the festivities.

Large public crowds like this aren't for dogs who aren't accustomed to being around a lot of people. It really was a bit too much for me. Thousands of people milling about created all sorts of distractions. My favorite was the "street food". I found it delicious, my human however found himself exasperated prying chicken bones out of my hungry little mouth.

Eventually my human scooped me up as we strolled down Main Street. This was much better for me: my short legs and strangely long body is a very inconvenient body type.When I was up at eye level I was able to scan the crowd for those who were most in need of my therapy dog attention.

The best was a few moments I shared with a young gentleman in the crowd. He was in his early 20s and at the holiday stroll with his father. It appeared that he had some sort of developmental disability. He saw me and told me what a gorgeous dog I am. His father prompted him to ask my human if he could pet me. Before the human answered I stretched out from my humans arms and pressed my nose against the young man's face. He pet me for a bit, he spoke with the humans for a bit, and we were on our way.

Isn't it easy to wish someone a happy holiday?

Free Therapy

2011-11-26T13:16:00.001-05:00

Here I am between providing therapeutic kisses outside of Hannaford grocery store.

Dogs help veterans cope with psychological war scars

2011-11-13T09:33:00.001-05:00

Dogs help veterans cope with psychological war scars

NORFOLK, Va (Reuters) - As the number of veterans grappling with the psychological scars of war mounts, a miniature Australian Shepherd named Jonas represents a newer breed of treatment for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Jonas, a peppy 2-year-old, is a legal service dog, trained to scan owner Ian Lord for signs of stress oranxiety and respond with licks, cuddles and demands for pats.

Lord, a 25-year-old Air Force veteran in Norfolk, Virginia, credits his specialized pet with helping him cope with the mental aftershocks of war.

"He makes it a lot easier to recover from a trigger, like sounds of a helicopter overhead," Lord said. "The difference is, instead of getting wound up about it the rest of the day, it's like OK, go outside and throw a ball around, or just cuddle up to him a bit and kind of snap out of it."

The number of veterans receiving PTSD treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs rose from 254,930 in 2006 to 408,167 in 2010, an increase that could continue when 40,000 more U.S. troops return home from Iraq at year's end.

Psychotherapy and cognitive processing therapy, which includes education and awareness about symptoms, are the department's main treatment methods, said deputy chief consultant for specialty mental health Sonja Batten.

But other experimental treatments also are being used, including yoga, acupuncture, meditation and psychological service dogs like Jonas.

"There is an interest in the PTSD community in exploring a variety of different ways to approach the problem," Batten said.

The department doesn't know how many veterans are using service dogs as part of their treatment, and there is debate over whether the approach is beneficial.

PTSD dogs perform an exercise called "backing," where the dog walks directly behind the veteran and provides a sense of protection from unknown, imagined and frightening things, said Lynette Nilan, the department's strategic planning and measurement director.

"You kind of get into this (debate) of, is it in the patient's best interests to deal with those unfounded fears ...(or to) reinforce those fears by having a dog stand behind you to protect you from something that you really shouldn't have to be protected from," she said.

SERVICE DOGS FOR SERVICE MEMBERS

A new study is underway to determine whether psychological service dogs can help veterans overcome PTSD and, if they prove effective, to develop usage criteria and guidelines. The study will aim to pair at least 200 dogs with veterans in Florida and Colorado, Nilan said.

Carol Borden, executive director of Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. in Williston, Florida -- one of the organizations taking part in the study -- said dogs are specifically trained according to an individual's needs.

"We talk to each veteran and find out exactly what their challenges are," she said. "There are multitudes of things we can teach the dogs to do, depending on each individual's circumstances."

Lord, who now works part-time while applying for graduate school, saw four years of active duty as a loadmaster in the Air Force, flying missions carrying troops and cargo into Iraq, Afghanistan and surrounding countries.

He said he was diagnosed with PTSD after suffering "almost the stereotypical meltdown" in 2010, when a simulation-style training course stirred suppressed memories of getting shot at in Iraq.

Lord was removed from flight status and later was honorably discharged from the service for unrelated reasons, he said.

Jonas came into his life thanks to his wife Megan, a 23-year-old medical student. She had been training Jonas as a therapy dog for hospital patients, but it wasn't a good match, she said. Hospital dogs weren't allowed to lick, and Jonas did a lot of licking.

The couple noticed Jonas would start cuddling and licking Ian whenever he exhibited PTSD symptoms, such as anxiety, depression and sleeping problems.

That sealed the pooch's fate as a PTSD service dog. His service is prescribed by Lord's psychiatrist, giving Jonas the same legal rights of entry to businesses and public spaces as guide dogs for the blind.

"As soon as people hear he's a PTSD dog, the next thing out of their mouths is, 'Oh, thank you for your service, sir,'" Lord said. "They connect the dots pretty quickly."

(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Greg McCune)

“In dreams I can fly” by Manuela Kulpa

2011-11-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

Cats and Hurricanes

2011-08-28T13:57:00.004-04:00

My household feline companions are finding this tropical storm formally known as Hurricane Irene to be the most amusing thing. At various points during the day I've caught them transfixed staring out the window. Here is Iggy standing atop the dryer looking at all the various treats blowing across the skylight.

I bet he wouldn't be so amused if he had to be out in the rain.

The View From Here: Are you Nuts (?) Edition

2011-08-28T12:09:00.002-04:00

I think my human has lost his mind. He seems to think I'm going to go outside into this mess. Is he nuts? I'm staying right here on my little tuffet until the weather conditions improve.

The View From Here: Irene's Morning Wind Edition

2011-08-28T08:40:00.003-04:00

My human predicted that this was going to happen. I woke up this morning and poked my head out the front door, sat down inside the threshold, and looked up at my human. Who is he kidding thinking I'm going outside? He finally coaxed me out the door and off the porch. I just stood there amazed at how the wind would pick up and make my ears go aloft. It's a cute trick. I bet you wish your ears could do that!

I'm currently refusing to do any outdoor business until conditions improve. I can wait. Really.

Anyway, here is the beginning winds of hurricane Irene. I'll periodically direct the human to capture a clip of the weather as long as it is safe to be standing in the front yard. As you can see, the oak trees are likely going to look very threatening as the day goes on.

Mindful Dog Walking

2011-08-18T12:56:00.004-04:00

Today I'd like to talk to you about something of the utmost importance: mindful dog walking. Those of you who live in more rural areas might have a different experience, but here in the city I've had repeated experiences that are just too disturbing to remain silent about. That's right.

It's time we get serious and talk about those of you who walk your dogs in urban areas paying no attention to your surroundings.

On three separate occasions yesterday I was accosted by leashed dogs. Their owners were wandering around in la-la land and allowed their dogs to run right up into my face. On rather frightening beast snarled and exposed his teeth at me. I'm being generous here because at least one of the humans (companion to the snarling beast) was aware of what was happening and didn't do anything to stop the behavior.

How do you feel when a stranger runs up to you and sticks there nose in your face?

You don't like it? Well we dogs don't like it either. There is a certain dance well socialized and well behaved dogs do when they meet each other. We use very loud and obvious non-verbal language to communicate with each other. I let people know I'm submissive, for example. I usually will crouch down and look to the side when I see another dog approaching. My tail will go down between my legs. I'll lick my lips. In doing this, I communicate I am not dangerous, I am a friend, and I will not hurt you. I wait for the other dog to signal their intentions: when they do we will circle each other and sniff. That's how we shake hands. Then and only then we will play.

Back to the nose in the face. Yesterday these three dogs payed no attention to my non-verbals and ran right up into my face. This signifies and attack of my personal space and a potential attack of my human. I will respond. You can expect barking, you can expect teeth to be exposed. I will fight if I must, even though I'm little and very scared. I will protect myself and my human as best I can.

You can also expect that my human will respond very rapidly by placing himself sideways between me and the other dog. It's usually enough to stop the other dog when he blocks, prevents the two dogs from having eye contact, refuses to make eye contact with the dog himself, and provides a stronger non-verbal to the approaching dog.

Knowing that I don't have to protect I will run behind my human and cower. I'm an easily frightened dog.

The human is also known to verbally bite. He's tolerance has run out for these sorts of interactions. Beware as he has not yet had his rabies vaccinations. I'm not sure if you can get rabies from him yelling at you. Be on the safe side thought, okay?

What's my point here?

Too many humans are watching dog trainers on television and think they have it all figured out. You don't have it all figured out. Just like children need to have adults supervise their play on the playground to learn important social skills, dogs need to have adult supervision on a playground so they can learn proper canine interpersonal skills.

The adult humans, by the way, need to have supervised play with their dogs too. This learning, which only can happen with the guidance of an excellent human coach, helps humans become aware of how to safely support their dogs when approaching new dogs.

Irresponsibility is part of the pleasure of all art

2011-08-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

Patience

2011-08-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

Dogs and Disabilities

2011-08-13T07:02:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy barking at the dog across the street I've forgotten to tell you about an experience I had the other day. There is a small park across the street from my office. On short breaks the human will run me across the street so I can sniff, meet the public, and do some other business in the bushes.

The other week I met a dog that was busy hiding between her human's legs. I barely noticed her poking her nose out from under the human's skirt! The human was a little wary. This small auburn colored curly haired dog looked a little scared and had it's back arched up. I wasn't hesitant at all so despite my human's complaints, I went right up to the dog.

I circled around a few times like any well mannered dog does. We sniffed as we got closer. The dog came out of hiding and we ended up spending a few minutes nose to nose sniffing.

It was at that point, as our noses were touching, that my human started talking to the other dog's human. It turns out my new friend was 16 years old, deaf, and blind.

The human thought it was pretty amazing that my new friend and I knew exactly how to approach either other. He found it particularly interesting that I somehow knew to reign in my usual exuberant greeting for this senior dog. I was slower and more gentle than usual, but I really didn't appear to care that there was something different about this dog.

If only the humans could figure this out so easily. Encounter difference perhaps a little slower, a little gentler, but approach nonetheless, and do so with an open mind, wagging tail, and gentle smile.

Earth Laughs in Flowers

2011-08-12T12:00:00.003-04:00

Light A Lamp

2011-08-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

Be a Rainbow

2011-08-08T12:00:00.002-04:00

The Curious Paradox

2011-08-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

Scrap Book

2011-07-27T09:58:00.002-04:00

The human has been stealing a few moments here and there to build a new website. It's not yet ready for prime time but I convinced him to share a couple of photos that will be appearing on it. I have my very own page--a digital scrap book! When the website goes live it will just have a handful of pictures in the scrap book but it will grow over time.

Here are two rarely seen images of me:

The View From Here: Therapy Dog on Break Edition

2011-07-25T15:50:00.003-04:00

How do you feel in the morning?

2011-07-16T20:56:00.000-04:00

This is my experience. What about yours?

The View From Here: So Close Edition

2011-07-14T16:47:00.001-04:00

Love Gives Life to Our Compassion

2011-07-14T01:32:00.000-04:00

Years ago the human had the opportunity to spend some time with Gelek Rimpoche. He's a funny, peaceful, and powerful man. Did I mention funny? On top of all of that, how often does one get to hang out with the nephew of the Dali Lama?

This is a long clip. It's a clip that one needs to listen to carefully to understand because Rimpoche has a bit of an accent. It's worth the time however. He serves up a nice lesson about compassion -- both simple and complex.

Are you willing to build compassion bit by bit? A compassion for all living beings? "That greater compassion.. [of] ultimate, unlimited, unconditional, compassion?"

Which do you prefer?

2011-07-09T17:41:00.006-04:00

Which picture do you prefer? Head shot A?

Or head shot B?

Or how about C?

Or D?

Or E?

The View From Here: Photo In Need of a Caption

2011-07-09T17:29:00.003-04:00

Seagull Cam

2011-06-25T13:44:00.003-04:00

I can't attest to the authenticity of this video, but thought it was funny nonetheless. The bird pictures in this video apparently stole the camera. Here is what happened:

Dying Man's Final Wish to be Reunited With Dog

2011-06-18T21:01:00.002-04:00

Our friend Ahnung recently shared this link about a homeless man's dying wish. Just one small example of the powerful bond between dogs and humans.

Rottweiler and Baby

2011-06-18T20:49:00.000-04:00

All too often we see terrible news about dogs. In my own town there has been a spate of recent reports of dogs attacking humans or other dogs. Within the past few weeks a woman was attacked by a dog, a child was attacked by a dog, and a dog was attacked (and killed) by a dog. New laws have been passed specifically requiring one particular breed of dogs to be muzzled if they are in public.

I'll save my view point on breed specific legislation for a future post. For now, I'd just like to remind you all that for every scary attack you hear about, there are no doubt thousands of joyful experiences between humans and dogs each and every day. When we are trained well, socialized, and loved we can transform your lives.

I've seen lots of people using dominance techniques to train their dogs. Remember that we learn by role modeling--dogs and humans. An excessive hand, rough handling, and dominance style training role models a whole set of behaviors. Think about what sorts of behavior you are modeling (for your dogs, for your children, for your families and friends). I'll save that discussion for a future blog post too.

For now, just enjoy the giggle.

The View From Here: Wiggling Wigglesworth Edition

2011-05-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

The View From Here: Weekend Quarry Edition

2011-05-21T17:40:00.001-04:00

The Hunt

2011-05-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

I had a few moments in between patients and raindrops today to indulge myself in my favorite activity: chasing all the squirrels out of Harvard Yard.

Orangutan and Hound Dog: BFFs

2011-05-15T09:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes Cooperation is Overrated

2011-05-14T10:30:00.000-04:00

Thursday was a spectacularly beautiful day. The human thought it might be a nice idea to take some photos of me in hopes of capturing a suitable image to update my Facebook profile. As you can see, I thought this was very boring. Captions, anyone?

Who's That?

2011-04-17T11:02:00.000-04:00

School listening face

Yesterday was a school day for me. Getting a good education is a wise idea for anyone--children, adults, therapy dogs, and household dogs of all kinds. It keeps the mind engaged, shows us new possibilities, and is in general fun! Here I am demonstrating my listening face. One of the first things I learned as a puppy was "watch me." I hear that and I make eye contact with my human. It's the basis for everything we do. If I'm barking and out of control, a quick "watch me" will often break my attention and redirect me. Similarly, if i'm in a dangerous situation a quick "watch me" can reorient me so I can hear other commands (like come, down, leave it, and other similar things).

Jake demonstrating patience

School of course is also a time to get some good exercise while we are practicing our skills. This here is my friend Jake. Here you see him practicing waiting. he had already gone over two jumps. He was asked to stop here and wait until he got the go ahead to do two more jumps. At the end he got to push an exercise ball, ring a bell, and he got a tasty little reward. Pretty fun, eh? Jake is an advanced student. He was able to do this task in two steps. His human had him do a sit/stay in front of the first jump. She walked out to this jump. She called "jump" and he did just that. When he got to the step she called out "wait" and he did just that. She walked out to the ball and called him again. Being a younger student, I worked on a different level. Sometimes when my human says jump I will bypass the jumps and just run to him. I'm learning what the words for all the different equipment mean. The goal over time is for the human to say "jump" from any place in the room and I go to the jumps and do them. That'll take a while.

Dog Walk!

Here I am doing the dog walk. It's one of my favorites, mostly because in the middle of the dog walk there are a couple of wubba kong's tied to a bar. I like to try to grab them on my way past. I'm getting pretty good at this part of the circuit. I run up and over the A Frame, through the tunnel, across the dog walk, and then onto the table where I do a down/stay. The human has to be extra careful because he has a habit of banging his knees on the dog walk--we both do this circuit while running.

My friend Sunny

We had a little break in our educational activities at school yesterday. I used this interruption in my schedule to investigate an interactive toy that we have in the classroom. See what a good job it does keeping my attention? The food the human put inside it helps of course. Occasionally using toys like this are a great way to engage your dogs curiosity--especially on rainy days when no one seems to want to go out.

Saturday Smile: Puppies at Work Edition

2011-04-16T14:49:00.000-04:00

On Dog Fighting: Crime, Punishment, and Transformation

2011-04-12T08:22:00.005-04:00

A friend on Twitter passed along an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer about dog fighting. The article itself wasn't particularly interesting or groundbreaking. Dog fights are arranged every day around the country and scores of people are watching at any given point in the day. Authorities investigate tips and make arrests. Courts pass judgement and convict people on animal cruelty charges.

The article goes on to say:

Marano said the SPCA investigates about 100 complaints of animal fighting per month. She said most of the cases involve dog fighting and cock fighting.

"Our mission, besides recovering these animals and putting a stop to this, is letting people know that it's a crime not just to fight dogs, but to attend a dogfight," Marano said.

Yes. It's a crime. Yes, in our society we use the criminal justice system to punish offenders (ostensibly to reform them) and to deter other from committing similar crimes. Does this really work? Does our system of punishing offenders effect change on either the person who committed the crime or others who are considering committing similar crimes?

No, not really. It is well beyond the scope of a short blog post to evaluate the research on the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. It would probably be more accurate if we all agreed to the purpose that prisons have in our lives. They make us feel safer. That satisfy our need for retribution.

A simple look at the statistics is stunning. According to the U.S. bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 7,225,800 people (2009 data) that were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole. That number accounts for 3.1% of the adults in the United States. Viewed in another way, the 2,297,400 people who were incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails makes our incarceration rate of 748 inmates per 100,000 U.S, residents. This means that 0.75% of our population is incarcerated--the highest total documented prison and jail population in the world.

We suffer a disconnect in our public discourse. On one hand, we label violence as abhorrent. We've delineated certain forms of violence as crimes that deserve punishment. In other ways, we glorify violence. We gather around the proverbial forum and enjoy the public spectacle created by some forms of culturally approved violence. We can't have it both ways.

How do we really make our world a world in which there isn't dog fighting? We transform ourselves--we strive to create a world in which we don't simultaneously abhor and yet glorify violence. We treat each other with dignity and respect. We learn to cooperate--even with those we don't agree with. Most importantly, we treat those who are most despised (those who have committed crimes) with humanity. That does not mean we condone their offences, or allow them to continue to offend. It does not mean that we "forgive and forget" or "turn the other cheek." We find ways to hold them accountable, demand restorative justice, and keep people out of society who are a risk to society.

Only then can we hope to create a world in which dog fighting doesn't exist.

Ask Maggie: How Do I Pick a School?

2011-04-10T10:46:00.002-04:00

"Maggie, I've been accepted to several different graduate programs. How do I choose? I love every aspect of one program. I hate the price. Is the money worth the happiness in school when I will end up with the same degree on the other side?"

What another great question. Being a therapy dog I'm not as aware of financial situations. I'm told that it's important to think carefully about borrowing money for education since many humans have crushing student loan debts. With that issue aside, I'd say to go with what you love. Life is too short not to chase squirrels, take naps in sunbeams, and do what brings you joy. What better way to create a life than go to a program that brings you joy while training you for a job that will bring you joy?

ASPCA 2011 "I Saved My Pet!" Photo Contest

2011-04-09T12:21:00.000-04:00

I've entered myself in the 2001 ASPCA "I Saved My Pet!" photo contest. Interested in entering? Check out their website for information. Here is my entry --

"I was abandoned when i was one day old. Rescued by Peace and paws, adopted into a new home, and trained to become a therapy dog, I've been accompanying my human (a psychologist) to work. I'm by his side every day sharing my message of playful and peaceful compassion."

Ask Maggie: My Puppy is a Teenager Now

2011-04-08T19:48:00.001-04:00

"[My puppy] has been a bit unruly since she turned two. We need good behavior, especially now that training has started for the therapy dog class. Help?"

Well that's a great question! Being almost two, I've been making my human work hard. I'm testing all sorts of limits.Never fear though, this is an easy problem to work through. When puppies get a little older they need two things in an abundant quantity: exercise and structure. This isn't a time to start harsh training techniques. Yelling at your dog isn't helpful either. Have you ever tried yelling at a teenager? Is that an effective way to modify their behavior?

Preparing for flight

Exercise. The easiest thing is to get in the habit of taking two or three daily walks. It's hard to do. I know you humans all have busy lives. However exercise is important for both dog and human. Make time for it: the benifits are myriad. I'm marched around for 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon, and 30 minutes in the evening. The human always says a tired therapy dog is a good therapy dog. I also get lots of extra stimulation. I stop and sniff things. We visit with other people. We pass by other dogs. All of these are extra training and socialization opportunities.

Take yesterday for example. We took an extended afternoon walk. I discovered a discarded sandwich. I got to practice the "leave it" command. We passed by seven dogs. I got to practice sitting as they passed. For added excitement the human had me practice the "watch me" command. It was a challenge, but I spent most of the time watching my human and not watching the other dog. We do this a lot because I'm excited around other dogs.

Having all this stimulation makes me more inclined to nap at another times during the day rather than find creative ways to get into trouble. Keep in mind that when teens are getting in trouble they generally are asking for something to do. Give them a job and everyone is happy.

Demonstrating a down/stay

Structure. Now that I'm a teen my human is making more of an effort to structure my time. We like to have periods of intense play. For example, we might wrestle, tug, or chase squirrels. We'll do this for a minute or two. Then I'm asked to do a down/stay or a sit/stay. I do that for a minute or two. then more play. We do this three or four times several times a day. Why? Because it's fun. That's the biggest reason. We also do it because it gives me structure. There are times to play and there are times to play. I'm learning that even when I'm excited, it's okay for me to do a down/stay. Sooner or later I'll be able to get back up.

Want an extra challenge? The human has been doing this with me. We go into a fenced in area that is safe for dogs. We spend some time chasing after tennis balls and sticks. The human then has me do a down/stay in the middle of the tennis court. He walks all the way around the tennis court. Sometimes he skips, sometimes he sings, sometimes he waves around sticks, and sometimes he bounces the tennis ball. I watch. The human will reward me for staying on a random basis. Sometimes I get a treat. Sometimes I get pet. Sometimes he yells "go play" and I get to run around like a wild little puppy.

That's not the challenge.

Puppies really can fly

The challenge is this. The human will throw the ball in one direction and then call me to him. The hope is that I will come to him rather than the exciting toy. This hasn't worked so well. I go get the toy and then I come to the human.

Never fear. This isn't a failure. It's a learning experience. The human pushed me too far. He now holds the toy and calls me. I start running and he yells "stop!" The desired behavior is that I stop in my tracks. When we first started this he had to run toward me as he yelled stop. I've gotten good at it now. So good that I add an extra flourish. When he yells stop I either go into a down position or a play bow. It's kind of cute.

Hope this helps. Thanks for asking!

The View From Here: Fly Ball Edition

2011-04-07T08:09:00.002-04:00

Ask Maggie: How can I help?

2011-04-03T10:24:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled to wake up this morning to receive my first question in the mail. I hope this is something that becomes a regular feature on this blog. Keep your questions and experiencing coming. Click on the image to your left to send me an e-mail or visit the Ask Maggie page for more information.

The question that was posed to me is a serious one. It is one that is an issue that is close to my own heart: my mother had to endure with this situation. It's an issue that many of you in the northern hemisphere of the world will face more of in the coming months as summer approaches.

How can I help dogs tied to cement?

This wasn't an uncommon sight when my human was young. He grew up in the suburbs where people had big green back yards. During the summer months many of those back yards would have a dog resting in the shade attached to a tree or post by a long length of chain. His own dogs would often spend a bit of time enjoying the great outdoors safely tethered to a chain.

The key here is that the human's dogs enjoyed this for short periods of time. Dogs weren't left languishing on a chain for hours (or days) at a time. They had access to water and shade. They had access to human companionship. They had access to stimulating and exciting experiences and environments.

Other dogs aren't so lucky. They are tied outside and left alone for hours, days, and even weeks, months, and years. My mother showed signs of this sort of neglect--when she was examined after being rescued many of her teeth were ground down suggesting she spend many hours chewing or gnawing on a chain or fence. This summer the human saw a news report of a dog who was left tied up in the back yard of a house that was foreclosed. The owners moved out without bring their dog and left him hidden in the brush for weeks without a source of food and water.

If you have a dog, and chain them up for long period of time, the Humane Society of the United States offers some tips on how you can improve your dogs experience.

There are several organizations that have put together information on how someone can help a dog who is chained up. Some of the organizations have a network of volunteers who are trained to approach people who you think might be neglecting their dogs. Your local animal officer, animal shelter, or animal creulty association may also have resources.

Here are a few resources to get you started: Paw Rescue guide to helping chained animals; Dogs Deserve Better; and the Human Society of the United States guide A Dog's Life: Chaining and Your Community.

Last Day Before Spring Break

2011-04-02T14:56:00.001-04:00

Class started off normally enough today. The human and I always get there a little bit early since we all gather in the fenced in back yard and get in some off-leash play. All of us know each other, and the humans make sure we are safe by regularly practicing recalls. When the energy gets too ramped up, for example, all of us dogs are called back to the humans and we spend a little time settling down and grounding ourselves. We do this over and over again. It's great practice.

After the outdoor playtime, we get back on leash and go inside the training building. Our teacher Maureen Ross always has a few words of wisdom for us. We check in with each other on how the previous week has gone. We talk about what we'd like to work on in the class.

Those first few moments are always a nice time to connect and bond with our humans. Here is a candid moment shared between Jake and his human Kathy. They are awfully happy together, don't you think?

Some of my classmates have a more laid back attitude. Gracie, who was helping me herd around a Newfoundland named Journey, decided to recline a bit and grab a quick nap. I've seen her lay like this for hours--unless of course she's invited herself into someone's lap. She also has developed this incredibly cute behavior. She'll roll over on her back and lay perfectly still--perfectly still until someone walks close to her. She'll then use her paws to gently beckon the unsuspecting human toward her.

Class often presents me with an opportunity to practice tolerating change. That happens sometimes, doesn't it? You think you know what's going to happen. You think you can depend on a routine. Then everything changes and you need to adapt. If you can't adapt--well--you bark a lot and then adapt anyway.

You see, today Maureen had an idea. This is Maureen's idea face. Look closely. Learn this face. When you see it, there are frequently costumes involved. This is also a high probability of laughter and general silliness.

Being an adolescent, I provide the teacher with a lot of attitude when she asks me to do something that I find ridiculous. Sit? Stay? Really? Who wants to listen at school. This is my response to her idea face.

Mind you, Maureen doesn't do it alone. Please memorize the following faces. If you see any of them coming into your dog class turn the lights off, lock the door, and pretend like you aren't there. It's for your own safety. You could also find them all at New England Pet Partners -- just in case you'd like to invite them to your facility to provide a little animal assisted therapy (and humor, too).

"Pam" -- Wanted for dog drooling incident

"Liz" -- Wanted for questioning related to a howling noise disturbance

"Kathy" -- Wanted in two states for excessive treat giving

"Diane" -- Wanted for contributing to the delinquency of a dog (Gracie last scene in the back of a police cruiser)

"Noreen" -- Wanted for questioning in a herding incident

Okay -- we have that out of the way. So what did we do today? I thought we were going to do a conga line. The humans did after all have costumes on. It looks a little like a line dance, doesn't it? Here is what we did: one at a time we practiced sit/stay (or down/stay) and then one human walked away. The human then asked us to do something at a distance (for example, down -- or come interrupted by a "wait!" or "stop!"). That way we each got to practice several new behaviors in new combinations (an interrupted recall, being told commands at a distance, etc.). We also each got to work on our patience because we had to wait until it was our turn. As you can see from this picture, my classmates were all doing a great job of paying attention--that is except for me and Gracie. I was bored out of my gourd and Gracie--well--who knows what she is thinking.

Last thoughts? Dog training is important, fun, and a life long process. It's important (and easy) to learn the basics like sit and down. It's more complicated to learn those skills in different contexts. Dog school is one fun way to learn how to behave in a variety of situations. It provides constant novel stimuli, companionship, and fun. Try it out. You and your human will be happy.

Ask Maggie: How Can I Help the Homeless?

2011-04-01T13:38:00.000-04:00

"[I have a question for you Maggie.] It is about your picture today of the homeless man under the trees. it's a little easier to approach someone in need when you have a dog.....but I was wondering what you do or what you recommend in different circumstances (more direct contact).

Where I live, we don't really see homeless camping in parks like in your photo or as I've seen in California. Obviously we have homeless but they're not in obvious places. however, we're right along a major interstate and in some areas people stand at on/off ramps near Wal-Mart or other busy areas holding signs asking for help.

They usually are in a spot where I wouldn't be able to stop if I wanted to - but one time there was a young couple with a dog standing on a cement island at an intersection. it was a 100+ degree day and they had a dog with them, so I got a few big bottles of water, a plastic bowl for the dog to drink from, some treats and cash - told them to take care of each other and gave it to them. They seemed sincere and thankful and I was glad I did it - but when it comes to single men standing by the road....admittedly I wonder if they really need help, or if it's a "scam" (since it's near the highway).

What are your thoughts on the issue in general? Some say "if they want money they should just go get a job!" but you and i both know it's not that simple."

That's a great question, and I'm glad you asked. My experience is different than many. First, years ago my human worked with people who were homeless and mentally ill. his clients regularly lived under bridges, in elevator shafts, and in boxes tucked away in hidden corners. He has a certain degree of comfort in these situations. Second, our experience in Harvard Square is also unique: the homeless people that we encounter are always in busy areas. There are lots of people around and it feels safe. The human has worked in the square since 2004 and gotten to know the regular residents of the area, the transient residents, and a few he just avoids because it doesn't feel safe. He and I might feel different in a different set of circumstances.

So first off, I am so proud that you even thing about these things. That speaks volumes about you as a person.

Second, pay attention to your safety. Know the area you are in. Do not approach people in hidden areas, do not poke people who are sleeping or appear to be unconscious (do call 911 if you are worried for their safety!), do not approach people who for whatever reason cause you to feel unsafe.

Third--then what? What do you do? Do you really need to know if the people area actually homeless? Does it matter if they are scamming you? Do you give money? A cup of coffee? Something else?

None of that matters for me. The folks who line the streets and are tucked away in hidden corners are invisible. Take a minute of your time to watch the folks who walk past them. Some pretend to talk on the phone. Some avoid eye contact. Some show great cruelty and laugh or even spit.

These people along the side of the street are just that--people. They are people who are for a variety of reasons hurt, lost, and forgotten. Many in our society like it just like that: we can walk past them, blame them, or tuck them away in places where they cannot be seen.

We've never given money, and rarely offer water or other creature comforts. We offer something else. The human and I choose to see the people who line the side of the road. We choose to take a moment, stop and make eye contact, and extend a little bit of humanity.

It's hard to do this. It is hard to recognize fellow travelers in life. It's hard to make eye contact with a person on the side of the road and let them know you can see their plight. It's hard to say I'm sorry I can't help.

It is worth it, though. It is so worth it to learn how to really see clearly, unadorned, and without modification. In bearing witness to the experience of those around you, the possibilities of what might be expand exponentially.

Funny Things

2011-03-26T09:21:00.002-04:00

My grandmother was kind enough to e-mail these to me yesterday.

First Day of Spring

2011-03-25T14:06:00.002-04:00