Science Comics: Dogs

A few weeks ago, I was reading Julie Hecht's twitter feed. (Pst: If you're not following Julie, stop reading this and find her! She had me at: "finds bliss in your dog's urine.")

She mentioned on Twitter that she had a little something to do with this new comic book that came out late last year.  Turns out, she and Mia Cobb were consulted on the science of all things dog for this particular piece, illustrated by artist Andy Hirsch (Garfield comics, Adventure Time and Peanuts).

I knew if Julie was involved it was going to be great. But then I realized First Second, the publisher of my daughter's favorite books (Zita the Spacegirl, The Little Robot and Julia's House for Lost Creatures), published this, too.

I.
Had.
To.
Get.
This.
Book.

Here's the thing. I didn't get this book for my 5-year-old. I got this book for me. Once opened it and saw images like this, I realized this wasn't for little kids anyway. She might like the art style, but this DNA stuff, genetics, Mendel's peas, natural selection, and let's face it - with dogs there was quite the element of unnatural selection (which is addressed BEAUTIFULLY, I would like to add!)  would go way over her head.

Seriously, Mrs. Biology Teacher in 9th grade. This would have made my whole life 

SO MUCH EASIER in 1996.
MacMillan Publishing https://us.macmillan.com/sciencecomicsdogs/andyhirsch/9781626727687/

"This is not a book for small children," I thought. Too much science. It'll be hard. It won't be fun. Sure, the pictures are great and she loves comic books but this? No way.

So, naturally,  35 seconds after opening the book she picked it up and had me read it to her every night for a solid week instead of Dr. Seuss, Ivy & Bean, or Elephant and Piggy. Her reading log for school proves it.

I got this book 2 weeks ago for me because, #dognerd.

Instead, my 5 y/o stole it and reads it every night. This is her reading log.

I think she is going to understand Mendel, Balyaev, and genetics better than I could because she is learning #Science as a second language. pic.twitter.com/8oezdvFN04

— Melissa McCue-McGrath (@muttstuff) January 19, 2018

Even Captain got in on the reading action. (This is not posed. Acey put the book down by his bed because Captain needed to learn about where he came from.)

"So where is the 'Resting Hound Face' gene?"

Did she retain ANYTHING? I wasn't sure. She talked about how huskies eat snow when they are hot and don't stop running first, which she wanted to immediately try in real life. (Please don't eat the urban snow, Kiddo. It's five different shades of brown and has cigarette butts in it.) 

Fast forward 2 weeks from finishing the book. I took her to the Boston Museum of Science which is her favorite place to explore. She was extra good so I took her to the butterfly exhibit (her favorite place within her favorite place...aside from the gift shop.)  

This guy lands on the door. I took a picture because I thought, "Irony." 

File under #CamoFail. 

While I was lining up the shot of a giant, iridescent blue butterfly, literally larger than my hand landing next to a sign explaining how butterflies "blend in" for survival, Aislyn turns to me and instead of declaring, "Mommy? Look - a beautiful blue butterfly! Look how big he is..." and all the normal kid stuff I would have expected, she loudly informed the whole room:

Mom? His camouflage is broken. He'd just get eaten by a bird. Too bad. He's pretty, too.

So: Yes. She learned, processed and figured out in real life how natural selection works. 

#ScienceWIN!  

I'm not sure if the three women next to me, who were up until that moment enjoying the sereneness of the tropical butterfly gardens, appreciated this in the same way I did. They just stopped and stared at me like I had three heads. 

Sorry Mrs. Jones. If she says anything about how animals eat each other, how some animals just can't live to pass on their genes, or anything to that effect....my bad. Don't stop her, though. Please. I had a science teacher call me out in an embarassing way in the 8th grade, and I don't want that to happen to her. She's right. This is what happens. She should understand it, own it, and appreciate it. Maybe she'll be the next big dog scientist, something that exists today (something I WISH I knew about when I was a little girl) and she'll go on to do awesome things. 

If you have curious kids, the Science Comics books are funny, informative and beautifully illustrated for kids and adults alike. Get kids into science and comics in one easy step! Or, pick one up for yourself. You will learn something, too. You might even have something click from your 9th grade biology class that has been waiting to make sense for the last 25 years.

It's Official

All right. Here it goes.

*Deep Breath.* 

There is a new book in the works! 

This project focuses on the questions my latest dog trainer mentee, Zoe, asked while she shadowing me for five months. These are the stories I told her on long car rides to and from clients homes in an effort to teach her what they don't really teach in dog training school. In these stories are some of the more interesting cases, bizarre moments no one can be prepared for, hard lessons and ethical boundaries professional contractors face when they are given permission to go into someone's home. 

The day the decision was made. Captain approves!

I'm really, really excited to be writing again. I invite you to all continue watching this space for the occasional blurb. 

In case you're wondering, this is where we are in in the process.

If you see a post that is literally just smashing keys, it's a call for help. Bring coffee, and / or whiskey (depending on the time of day). 

-M3

The Bark

Thank you, thank you, thank you to The Bark Magazine.

They consistently put out a great product but this month warrants special accolades.

I'm an unknown author who worked incredibly hard to advocate for my students and urban dogs all over the country. The problem with being an unknown author is...being unknown.

For The Bark to select Considerations for the City Dog for a review in their coveted winter issue (they only produce 4 issues a year!), I'm beyond speechless.

The Bark not only speaks for dogs, but they speak for the unknown author, indie author or authors of small publishing houses that might get overlooked by the Bigger Publishing Houses (tm).

Interestingly enough, I'm not the only Boston area author in this review section. Fellow New England Dog Training Club member (and longtime author), Susan Conant, is also reviewed in this particular issue. It's like I had a buddy along for this ride, and I'm so happy to see NEDTC represented in a few genres in such a great magazine.

Thanks for looking out for us, Bark, in the same way you look after dogs.

If you're looking for something special to read for your holiday travels, feel free to pick up this issue of The Bark - I hear they have some pretty great books in their reviews section!



Happy Thanksgiving,
 -M3

Two Free Presentations!

There are two chances to see my free presentation on keeping our urban pets happier! Bring questions, comments, and save some room for snacks. 

-M3

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's alive...ALIVE!!!!

Today is the day! Considerations for the City Dog is now live!

For now, the hard copy (paperback!) is available through CreateSpace  and with one-click on Amazon. There does seem to be a small glitch in Amazon where the Kindle version doesn't link to the hard copy, but the hard copy links to the Kindle version, but I will alert Amazon today.

If e-Books are more your style, Considerations is available for Kindle and the Kindle App (free app on iPad and Android tablets!) by clicking here. I'm working on a Nook version.

The e-Book has clickable links for fitting martingale collars, dozens of clickable resources, as well as YouTube videos for finding trainers, behaviorists, and veterinary behavior specialists. The photos are bigger and in full color in the e-Book version...but the physical book is a physical book.

Whatever your preferences, Considerations promises to help dog owners in urban environments navigate the new normal of living in cities with high-drive dog breeds or sensitive rescue dogs from around the globe.

If you read this book, please share your opinions of Considerations for the City Dog in Amazon, Goodreads and CreateSpace to help me get this book in the hands of urban dog owners around the country. Also, please consider sharing on the social media platform of your liking!

Thanks for the support. This book is for all my students and their dogs. Without them, Considerations would not exist.

Best,
- M3
#dogs #citydogs #doglovers #dogsareawesome #dogtraining #veterinarians #petlovers #dogbooks

Considerations for the City Dog: What's a "Behaviorist?"

A blurb from my upcoming book "Considerations for the City Dog" due out THIS JUNE! 

I'm so excited you guys - you have no idea! 

This is from Chapter 8: Trainers, Consultants and Behaviorists

What does the term “behaviorist” mean?

Is the guy down the street a behaviorist? If he’s putting prong collars on dogs and hasn't taken a single class in animal behavior, chances are high that he isn't a behaviorist. In our region, we have several “professionals” who use choke chains, prong collars, alpha-roll dogs and ask for submission while calling themselves behaviorists. This is (in my opinion) unethical and incorrect terminology.

While there is no governing body as to who can use the term behaviorist, the general consensus among professionals is that this term is reserved for those with a doctorate in a related field (such as zoology or biology). These applied animal behaviorists have a Ph.D. and are highly qualified to address behavior related issues. Because of their specialty, their expertise, and the fact that these professionals are few, the cost tends to be higher than for a behavior consultant or dog trainer. That being said, if the problem is significant, then this is perhaps the best bet for getting help. Consult with reputable sources, and just like everything else, do your homework before hiring a professional.

In addition to applied animal behaviorists, there are reputable behavior specialists who work with challenging behaviors who don’t have a doctorate degree, and are still highly qualified to assist with particularly challenging issues. These professionals, if they have the proper certifications and credentials, call themselves behavior consultants.  

-M3

Excerpt: "Considerations For The City Dog: Chapter 7"

Hi Guys!

I've been working on a book since the Rocco Case in Somerville last November, which is why I've been M.I.A. on this blog for so long. I wanted to do something to prevent that from ever happening again.

Will this book change every single person's habits with dogs in the city? No. But this book is designed to be a companion piece to training. It won't teach you how to get your dog to sit, come or stop rolling in gross stuff. It will get you to think about the things urban dogs go through on a daily basis when they live in a city, professionals you need in your corner (what is a "behaviorist vs. trainer"), and how to find reliable resources in your community. Many of the chapters are expanded versions of past blog posts.

Yes, this is a more global book, in that all dogs and owners can benefit from Considerations, but it pays particular attention to the dogs in our urban centers, where they are coming from, what our students are seeing, and what vets/behaviorists/trainers/other dog owners are seeing in our back (concrete) yard.

Here is a blurb from Chapter 7 (He's Friendly!)

Yes, I really wanted a dog who loved other dogs. I envisioned a life of going to the dog park, and off-leash hiking. I wanted to take her to doggy daycare and drop her off to play with other dog friends while I traveled - but that’s not the dog that I ended up with. I couldn’t make her love other dogs no more than my parents could make me love spiders, but I was able to get her to tolerate living around other dogs with very particular parameters. One of those parameters was that she was afforded just a little bit of space that wasn’t infringed upon by other dogs. Even friendly ones. Sadie wasn’t, and isn’t, the only dog in the city that has an owner working incredibly hard to give just a little bit of space. It’s really hard for dog owners, dog lovers, to say “no, please, stay away!” I find that this is one of the more challenging parts to owning a dog who needs space in a city of friendly dogs. People think they did something wrong because their dog is different and their dog needs space unlike the other dogs in the fields, parks, and hiking trails. People hate to say “no- stay away” because as much as the dog needs space, these are dog-loving people who love other dog-loving people. It’s hard to turn your back on your “tribe”.

I found the only thing that worked to give Sadie her personal-space-bubble was to stand my ground, and firmly state “Not Friendly!” to every oncoming dog owner. I used to feel terrible for saying it- like I was proclaiming on a mountain top that I had a bad dog, which I emphatically did not. Once I realized that Sadie wasn’t alone, and that she was a wonderful dog who happened to need a little space, like thousands of dogs in the Metro-Boston region, I stopped feeling guilty. Wavering, or saying “she’s sort of friendly but doesn’t like black dogs, or men with hats….” doesn’t work because if there is any wiggle room, well-intentioned dog owners will take it upon themselves to suggest that their dog is the exception to the rule. To be fair, I live in Boston and subtlety is not a Boston thing. However, the most important factor to her safety was that she was given 8’ of space (the length of her leash plus my arm), and that I remained her advocate, always.

 Considerations for the City Dog, Chapter 7: "He's Friendly"
       -M3

"Inside of a Dog"

A great interview with Cognitive Psychologist, Alexandra Horowitz regarding the differences between humans and dogs. Part 1 of the ABC interview is here.

She talks about the differences in eyes, vision, long/short nosed breeds, hearing, and smells.

It's a great 8 minute interview that covers a lot of scientific ground, in a digestible manner. Enjoy!

Stuff to do with your dog

I came across a book the other day entitled "City Dog: Greater Boston". If you have a dog in this city, this is a must have book.

In it are places to go with your 4 legged friend, Poison Control numbers by county, Adoption Centers, Doggie Day Cares, Boarding, Grooming, Sitting, Training, Low Cost Vaccine Centers and Parks. There is so much information in such a handy little book. Do pick it up.

I'll post some interesting ones from time to time here.

Many of my clients ask me where to send their dog for doggie daycare. There are a couple of great ones. Crate-Escape is a facility that many of my classes are currently held. This is a convenient location on the Belmont, Cambridge line, and is less than a mile from the Fresh Pond Rotaries.

The Pet Companions facility in Reading and in Somerville is also an excellent establishment, and many of my clients swear by them. They have video surveillance of every room, out door, indoor, and overnight abilities. They have transportation included in many of their services.


In Revere, there is Paws Here, which according to City Dog, is a top pick if you live in the area. There is an interview process that the dog has to go through first, which is customary for all reliable doggie day cares (the two above also have a screening process).

For small breeds, try Raining Cats and Dogs- the sister location to Crate-escape. This is small breed specific day care, and is perfect for those apartment sized pooches that need to get away while you guys are at work.

No Bones About It in Brookline offers affordable doggie daycare, that also offers grooming. I don't know much about these guys personally, but certainly check them out if you are in the area.

For the Littleton/Acton/Groton crowd, I have to give props to Bark-O-Lounge This is another location that I train out of, and I couldn't be happier. Julie runs a good sized faclity that lends itself to caring for a good sized group of dogs without things getting out of control. It's convenient to get to (just off of 495 on 119), affordable, and I would absolutely, without hesitation, recommend day care here. The only issue is, for the Boston folk, it's a little far to travel, unless you find yourself crossing 495 NW each morning, but if you know folks out that way, suggest this Day Care.

For a more personal touch, or overnight stays, Connie McKinnon with Pawsitively Personal Pet Care offers a range of services from dog walking, caring for your pet in your home, and taking dogs to her house. She doesn't believe in cages, and feels that dogs will be happier in a home-like environment while you're away. She's fully insured and bonded, and again- I would recommend that you call her if you want someone who is absolutely attentive to detail, and you feel odd about leaving your pup at home while you're gone. Call her as soon as possible in advance, because she never takes more than 4 dogs.

My advice for finding a place for your pooch to play while you're away is to visit the location, talk to some of the owners about the facility, and talk to the owners. Definitely do your research, as not all doggie day's and boarding facilities are created equal.

Christmas Ideas for Dog Lovers

Christmas Idea #1 for the dog lover in your family:

Jon Katz: A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life.