The Author competes in various dog sports, occasionally volunteers to foster dogs, enjoys endurance sports (XC skiing, running cycling, swimming) and once had a chess rating close to 2300. His research interests involve signalling pathways, apoptosis and related fields. Currently trying to master Chinese chess (Xiangqi)
http://scienceabstracts.wordpress.com/
“I keep my theories on the tips of my fingers so that the merest breath of fact can blow them away.” — Faraday
“they are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but sea.” — Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
“It has a 100% cure rate for……” — A Pseudoscientist
“Science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking.” — Carl Sagan
“I have approximate answers, and possible beliefs, and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I’m not absolutely sure of anything, and in many things I don’t know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask why we’re here, and what the question might mean. I might think about a little, but if I can’t figure it out, then I go to something else. ” – Richard Feynman
Science and Dogs 
I love your quotes, but would like to know who the author is! And thanks btw for liking my paper on aggression! 😎
Agree with Joyce Kesling. I love your blog, but wish you would tell us your name, educational credentials, and location.
As I am thoroughly undiplomatic when confronting stupidity and I am just beginning of my research career, I wouldn’t want my passion to affect my professional future.
I like your blog a lot. Like several other people here I would love to be able to put a name on your authorship, but I understand your reasons – as I understand it, it is to be able to write freely without the need for career political self censorship.
Maybe you could make up a pen name? That has some value – e.g. it feels better to quote a person and communicate with a person than a generic study field such as ‘Science of Dogs’. I know it is technically the same thing, but you know we humans are not rational creatures;-)
I think you’re right. I’d do the same if I was you. Not sure quite how to contact you, but hope this gets to you. We are running a survey looking at the relationship between how we feed our dogs (raw, home cooked, moist/tinned, dried kibble) and their health and behaviour. Currently we have just over 700 responses but we we’d like many more. Can you help? We are retired professionals – between the two of us we have a degree in psychology, one in companion animal behaviour, and one in accountancy (in case you think we’re just playing at this!!) and now we have the time to do this. We’d really appreciate support. The survey can be accessed through our blog below. Thank you in advance, and we love your posts.
I write a blog about dog science as well. Most of the links (right hand column) are to journal articles. I am a science writer who writes about (decodes) the science scientists publish in academic journals, including canine genetics, health and domestication. You might like my blog, but then again, it sounds like you might not… doctorbarkman.blogspot.com
Thank you for visiting and following my blog. I don’t have any pets just yet, but your blog is interesting anyway! I shall drop by again soon!
I’m so interested in your blog! Thanks for checking out my post. I have something I wrote on dogs a while back, maybe you’ll like it:
http://thrillseekingbehavior.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/somebody-get-on-this-for-me/
Thanks for stopping by my post- I don’t have a dog but I have an extremely intelligent cat who needs some discipline here and there so will be applying your tips that way lol
Cheers, Skyxx
https://www.eff.org/wp/blog-safely
Hi there,
I have a dog science blog also, http://wolf-to-woof.com (my specialty is dog evolution but also evolution in general) but it hasn’t been active recently because I got side-tracked by my second-most favourite animal, the polar bear.
My polar bear blog – http://polarbearscience.com – has been doing very well (closing in on 60,000 views in just under a year).
Here’s what I did about the issue of “confronting stupidity” – I don’t take comments. I don’t have time for moderating comments, as I have a full-time job.
However, I do have a “comments and tips” form so that people can contact me. This works amazingly well – folks send me kudos, tips and references, alert me to errors/typos, etc. and I can respond to them privately. If something is important enough to warrant it, I update the post with a comment reflecting it. If it’s OK with the commenter, I add their response as an “update.”
I have not yet had a single ‘stupid’ or negative comment in just under a year. However, I have still met and corresponded with an incredible number of interesting folks around the world. I think the trolls won’t bother if they can’t see their stuff in print and the reaction it gets.
It might be worth a try, if dealing with comments is your primary concern. I figured if I wanted my posts to be treated as ‘science-worthy’ people needed to know who I was. It’s worked for me. Two of my posts have been picked up by the National Post/Financial Post http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/06/12/junk-science-week-now-we-have-too-many-polar-bears/
Anyway, all the best to you with this. A friend who knows of my interest in dogs sent me the link, so word is getting out.
Susan
If there were a death penalty for web design, whoever decided on that awful shooting-star effect would fry.
I don’t think you know very much about the world of purebred dogs. If you did, you would not be writing in such a way to discredit serious breeders and the breeds. Do the dog world a favor and start going to dog shows and meet the serious breeders. Your knowledge is textbook – that is all.
Your ignorant reply tells me you know nothing about dog breeds. I am specifically focusing on physical traits that result in poor health. Many of those are well documented and it’s usually breed fanciers who refuse to accept there is a problem.
Just wanted to say I love your blog! I see a lot of my thoughts in your writing. It’s kinda awesome. =) Thanks for putting yourself out there.
-Jenn
Hi,
I’m doing a Leverhulme funded artist’s residency at the Royal Veterinary College in London, England. One of the things I’m looking at is anthropomorphism and brachycephalic dogs in particular. Please have a look at this painting of a pug I finished recently: http://www.geoffreyharrison.co.uk/photo_12288461.html
It would be great to hear from you if you are interested in my work.
All the best,
Geoff.
Just discovered your impressive blog . . . and I’m shocked – shocked, I tell you! – at the similarities between us: Although I am certainly much older, I have a master’s degree in behavioral psychology (Western Michigan University – studied under Jack Michael and Dick Mallot); I’m a former USCF rated master (2223); a blogger and a seriously skeptical science-based-everything buff. So way to go, you have a new regular visitor!
Thanks, SJ. Looks like we might also share philosophical similarities.
http://perrystreetpalace.com/about/