Fieldwork
I love dogs, but more importantly, I love learning about the dog-human relationship and how that varies amongst cultures. My true passion lies in studying free-roaming dogs and observing their interactions and behaviors. It’s those observations that have how allowed me to truly understand the needs of the modern dog.
I’ve had the great fortune to travel to many places in this world. Those journeys have allowed me to note the various existence of dogs and how they differ amongst Western societies and developing countries. You’d be pretty amazed at my findings the stark contrasts.
Some of my studies include:
- The impact that culture has on the human-dog relationship.
- Capturing moments of human-dog coexistence, cohabitation, and collaboration.
- Studies on the existence of free-roaming dogs compared to domesticated unrestricted dogs.
- The evolution of dogs and their historic purpose and how that differs today — and potentially tomorrow.
- The differences in aptness between free-roaming dogs and companion dogs, in their abilities to thrive, tolerate, and their levels of anxiety, aggression and arousal.
- A comparison of survival skills amongst restricted and unrestricted dogs.
- A study of sociability and play.
- What exactly is enrichment, and how does it exist between wild and domestic dogs?
- Measuring happiness in dogs.
I’m intrigued by the utility of today’s modern dog. I’m especially interested in how certain breeds are bred for certain purposes and how they thrive and are enriched by living the life that they were bred to live out.
Take the mountains of Italy Farmers, to this day, continue to use Livestock Guarding Dogs, or LGDs, to protect and guard their livestock against prey. I haven’t yet personally observed this, but I have personally observed a variety of other working dogs such as Search and Rescue, Detection, Hunting, and Herding dogs.
Recently, I had an amazing opportunity to follow the work of a rescue organization called Partners! Canines. Based out of Raleigh, NC, this organization works closely with Northshore Animal League America to help save the lives of highly adoptable puppies and dogs from high kill shelters. The dogs are transported to New York where they are placed in permanent, life-long homes in less than 2 weeks. The organization transports upwards of 65 dogs every two weeks. Check out the video above to learn more about this experience.
