So you are having a hard time saying no to your pooch's liquid brown, blue, amber, golden, hazel, odd eyed gaze are you? You're probably not alone, the phrase puppy dog eyes is around for a reason after all! 

In a clever (and conscious?) evolutionary response to human preference, dogs have learned that certain facial expressions will cause their humans to relate to them with more compassion and favour. A study on canine Paedomorphic Facial Expressions provides fascinating insight into the progression of the domestication of wolves which preceeds the departure of the canine from the canid species.

According to Wikipedia, the domestic dog branched off from wolves approximately 15,000 years ago. Prior to that divergement, it is thought that wolves developed the ability to widen their eyes in an appealing pose in order to better their success with scavenging from the human species that was fast encroaching on wolf territory. 

The incredibly intuitive ability to set its face in expressions which mimic juveniles, meaning both puppies AND humans, wolves were able to more effectively sustain their lives. When the canine species appeared, it apparently inherited this ability and has learned how to work those puppy dog eyes to its considerable advantage! 

In research performed at 4 UK based dog shelters (Portsmouth City Dog Kennels, Wood Green, The Animals Charity and, The Dog's Trust), indicated that greater preference was given to dogs that with a high "cuteness factor". This means that dogs that were capable of approaching human adopters and generating a powerful puppy dog eyed face were more likely to be adopted than their shyer counterparts. 

A staggering statistic supposes that depending on the strength of the facial expression, a dog could be adopted almost 50% faster, from 49 days down to 28 days. Additionally, and off topic, dogs with a high tail wag speed were documented as being slower to rehome. 

With such incredibly scientific evidence with regards to puppy dog eyes, how do you think you'll do with resisting them? Think about it, that warm soft face on your thigh, eyebrows imploringly arched, eyes wide and beseeching, will science make a difference in your response? My guess is no, but feel free to comment below on your puppy dog eye experiences!

Dogs are like children, they need to be coached and monitored for training and behavioral purposes. Investing the required time and energy into your pooch has huge payoffs and, is well worth the effort. Should you choose to half way train or not train at all, it's highly likely that behavioral issues will crop up and become worse over time. Plus the dog might be hard to handle as well! 

When a poor training strategy is used, tempers can flair when Pup does not listen to instruction. No good can come from this! Getting angry at, punishing or, even yelling at Pup yields ZERO benefit and will only result in a fractured and strained human/canine relationship. 

Try to think of the situation this way, you are a guest in a home where no one speaks your language and your hosts let you know in verbal and non-verbal ways that everything you are doing is unacceptable. It won't take long before all you want to do is curl up in a ball with your head tucked under your leg. Living in a home where there are no rules and nothing but angry feedback is a nightmare for any animal and, is completely avoidable. 

As discussed in a previous edition of the PPI Journal, your pooch is hard wired to assimilate to your family or "pack". They will look to their humans for direction and of course, reward. While some may view "treating" a dog as spoiling it, in actuality this training strategy can be the boost necessary to breach the language barrier. As animal advocates and rescuers, our Pack urges all owners to employ force free training and calm voice levels. 

Pedigree recently aired an incredibly moving advertisement that takes the viewer through the stages of a "bad dog" to "good dog". If you're a softy quickly grab a tissue before clicking the link to watch the commercial. The hard hitting message of the commercial is the difference a healthy home and good owner can make in the existence and behaviour of an animal. 

Long term effects of verbal and physical abuse on animals can result in (aside from injury and death) physcological damage and unwanted behaviours such as aggression. An animal driven to the point of no return through lack of training and innappropriate handling are often surrendered or dumped in rural areas to fend for themselves. 

As a domesticated species, dogs are not usually equipped to survive for long in a dumping situation and, if surrendered, may not have an opportunity for rehoming unless an intervening force works with them to provide proper training and rehabilitation from unwanted behaviours. 

It's possible that a misperception of dogs exists in the minds of some. An assumption that the canine species is able to endure being shouted at or struck by it's owners is an absolute fallacy that rescuers are working hard to dispel. 

Many animals are rescued on a daily basis from situations of abuse and/or neglect. Most are able to turn their lives around with the assistance of a community dedicated to the health and well being of animals in need of a new start in life. In the eyes of your friendly neighborhood rescuers, there are no "bad dogs". We see through the fear and aggression, the silence and the pain. We see the "good dog" in them all.