Do You Believe in Dog A New Ball Game

Hello Do You Believe in Dog(ers)!

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After two years of mostly pen-pal style blogging, were excited to share our new direction!

When we first decided to create Do You Believe in Dog?, we committed to blogging back and forth about canine science for two years. We were able to celebrate achieving that goal at the recent 4th Canine Science Forum in Lincoln, UK and also reflect on the future of Do You Believe in Dog?

The DYBID blog, Facebook and Twitter feeds have become vibrant places to access canine science studies and thoughtful commentary. We are pleased and proud of the space we have created and the community who enjoy it. Were as committed as ever to helping people access the canine science conversation, and moving forward, weve decided to open up DYBID as a space where other canine science practitioners can share their findings and thoughts. 

What you can expect

Guest contributors 

Following the format youve enjoyed in earlier guest posts (like Dog training: do you get the timing right?, Take a walk on the wild side: dingo science  and Black dog syndrome, a bad rap?) researchers and students of canine science are welcome to submit short posts to DYBID based on peer-reviewed research. Were hoping posts will focus on research either presented at academic conferences or published in scientific journals. If you have an idea for a post, check out the Contributors page for more details, and be in touch! 

Canine science highlights 

Well continue our usual presence on Facebook and Twitter, and here on the DYBID blog well post fortnightly updates highlighting the canine science that weve been following in the previous two weeks (blog posts, scientific studies, websites, etc.). 

This slideshow is our first attempt at sharing Canine science highlights. We have used Storify so you can quickly flip through and click on anything you want more info about.

Where in the world are Mia and Julie?

To simplify our Twitter presence:

• Mia will primarily manage the @DoUBelieveInDog feed
  
• Julie will continue being active on @DogSpies, as well as at her Scientific American Blog, Dog Spies, and her dog research group @Dog_Cognition
  
• You can also stay in touch with Mia at @AnthroZooRG (her research group), @HumanAnimalSci (a podcast featuring the latest from Anthrozoology) and @WorkDogAlliance (an organization to improve the welfare of Australias working and sporting dogs)

Maybe you dont think weve simplified our Twitter presence?!
For us, this is simplified ;)

Well both be posting things on the DYBID Facebook feed and welcome your continued contributions and conversations there.

We hope youll enjoy this new direction! We look forward to your feedback as we share canine science highlights and add more voices to the DYBID space.

Thanks again for your support over the past two years -- Now, lets play ball!
(Go Yankees! That was Julie)

Mia & Julie

Further reading:

Dijk E.M.V. (2011). Portraying real science in science communication, Science Education, 95 (6) 1086-1100. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sce.20458

Nosek B.A. (2012). Scientific Communication Is Changing and Scientists Should Lead the Way, Psychological Inquiry, 23 (3) 308-314. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1047840x.2012.717907

Fischhoff B. & Scheufele D. (2013). The science of science communication, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110 (Supplement 3) 14033-14039. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1213273110

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Stress Down with a dog! Day for Lifeline 2015

90% of Australians report they need to stress less. Thats an alarming statistic! Lifeline Australia set up Stress Down Day this July 24 to help people find ways to reduce the stress in their life.

Rudy and my friend Jenny, to all appearances, sharing a laugh

I have been helping share info about the benefits pets can offer our mental and physical health by speaking with some media ahead of Stress Down Day this week. 

See this piece on ninemsn

Or this one from the Daily Mail

Findings from a growing body of research show that when our animal companions fit our lifestyle, and meet our needs, we can enjoy:

• increased self esteem
• decreased loneliness
• increased happiness
• better able to cope with social rejection compared to non-pet owners
• more physically active

This meaningful social support we get from our animal companions can vary between animals and also between people (ie.I dont feel the way about your cat that I feel about my dog, and how I feel about my cat might be different again), but when things are optimal, the attachment and benefits to people can be as significant for us as a best friend or close family member. Thats AMAZING!

I decided to take Rudy for a special walk along the river this morning to actively take time out to stress down - partly because its Stress Down Day today and partly because I would have anyway. It was a quiet morning, we only saw one other person. We saw loads of birds, a small mob of kangaroos, and we stopped several times just to watch the river and share the moment. I spent a lot of the walk thinking about a family member who left us earlier this year, in the saddest of circumstances. I felt sad. 

Then, my 11 month old puppy would go full goose, zooming around the shallow waters and button grasses and despite the significance of the loss I feel, I laughed at him. 

It felt good. 

We both enjoyed the walk. I returned home feeling more relaxed. Rudys currently asleep next to me, so I reckon he did too.

I hope you find a way to stress less today too. Wed love to hear about how the animals in your life help - feel free to comment below. If youd like to share some of my walk - it went a bit like this:

If you know someone (maybe you!) thinking of getting an animal companion for the first time, be sure to encourage them to do their research properly. Find an animal that will fit their lifestyle and meet their needs, so they too can reap the benefits of a positive relationship. Once you know what youre looking for, consider offering a home to an animal currently in a pound, shelter or rescue group. PetRescue are a wonderful hub resource for Australians, listing animals from many shelters and rescue groups nationally.

If youd like to support the excellent work that Lifeline do, you can donate here

If you or someone you know is depressed, anxious, or may be at risk of suicide, you can get help and support.
Australia:  Lifeline 13 11 14  beyondblue 1300 22 46 36

USA: Contact USA       

Elsewhere

Take care of yourselves,
Mia

Further reading:

McConnell, AR, Brown, CM, Shoda, TM, Stayton, LE, Martin, CE. (2011) ‘Friends with benefits: on the positive consequences of pet ownership’, Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, vol.101, no.6, pp.1239-1252

Anderson, K. A., Lord, L. K., Hill, L. N., & McCune, S. (2015) Fostering the Human-Animal Bond for Older Adults: Challenges and Opportunities. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 39(1), 32-42.

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