Article Analysis Essay: Old Dog, New Tricks

Introduction

I choose this article because I like studying the behavior of dogs. I always stare at dogs, asking myself so many questions about them; for example, I am always interested in knowing why they are so loyal and lovely even, while humans do not give back kindness. However, Owners tend to be so rude to them. Dogs normally show their unconditional love to humans when frustrated (Michigan State University, 2019). I found these aspects very interesting to study besides admiring dogs. I am also curious about how dogs feel when they do not have a parent concerning their mood, personality, and feelings.

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Prior Knowledge

I previously knew that dogs have a significant relationship with human beings mostly concerning having and exhibiting moods and personality. These characteristics have the potential of shaping the manner in which they adjust to situations which usually change over time. Chopik and Weaver (2019) argued that this relates to the scientific knowledge that the personality traits of every individual are susceptible to changes when going through considerable changes in life. All animals exhibit this behavior, therefore, dogs could also show such traits. This has a significant connection to ownership in that parenting offers dogs conditions which could possibly be lacking in the situations resulting from dogs lacking owners. Besides, the parenting approaches of the parents to their dogs also have a role to play in the personality traits of the pets. Parenting is also effective in determining the occurrence of other situations like the level at which the dogs are active as well as their responsiveness.

Concepts

The course concepts related to the news include adaptation and independence. Adaption is one of the most evident concepts in the news story. The changing personalities of dogs depend on the environment in which the leave and the conditions affecting them. However, for them to fit properly to the new environments, they need to adjust and fit the conditions experienced in the current environment (Chopik & Weaver, 2019). This behavior constitutes the natural science concept of adaptation which manifests when an organism is able to fit the changing life conditions. Interdependence is seen based on the relationship between dogs and human beings. Both need each other to survive. This is most practical with the dogs who live in homes in which they have parents. Humans need them as pets and help them enjoy the social aspects of life; these include, recreational activities like going hunting. The dependence on the dogs on human beings occurs since they need their parents to provide all they need. This contributes to the level of affection that they need to have a proper personality. It, therefore, follows that both the dog and the parent need each other hence the existence of interdependence between them.

Question

What is the impact on the personalities of dogs that do not have an owner or (parent)?

Importance of the Question to a Natural Scientist

A natural would find the question important to understand how parenting affects the personalities of dogs. Michigan State University (2019) observed that a scientist in question can research the question whose findings may be related to past research. A further comparison can be made to understand the related natural science concepts. For instance, a scientist may wish to know if evolution occurs; this can be investigated if dogs used to behave the same in the past. The conclusion from such a study can be used to inform the society regarding the need for parenting for the best experience that the pets need.

References

Chopik, W., & Weaver, J. (2019). Old dog, new tricks: Age differences in dog personality traits, associations with human personality traits, and links to important outcomes. Journal Of Research In Personality, 79, 94-108. doi: 10.1016/j.jrp.2019.01.005

Michigan State University. (2019, February 22). Good dog? Bad dog? Their personalities can change: Like humans, dogs' personalities likely change over time. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 8, 2019, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190222125218.htm