feasibility assignment

Taming an Akita

Neutering and training to reduce aggression

Name, title

Date

Primary Reader(s):

Primary Reader(s), title(s)

Secondary Reader(s):

Secondary Reader(s), title(s)

Figure 1 My Dogs Winthrop (left) and Calypso (right) are 200lbs of fun and trouble when they work together.

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mIntroduction

Unfortunately, when we look at magazines now a days, women tend to have a straight nose, bigger breast, small waist, and a big booty with a lighter complexion if possible. The ideal women for a black man should look like a slim hourglass.

Because of the magazines, black rapper’s music, and television, it looks to me like the body of a woman should look like Barbie dolls with big bottoms. These views make women have a certain physical image. What about women who aren’t as slim as society defines what a woman should look like? Because of the way media impersonate women, a lot of women tend to run towards plastic surgery to change their physical appearance.

I personally would like to change the way media makes the world view women. The recommended solution is to find a way to stop plastic surgery and make every human being accept and love themselves in and out. They should accept each other not because of their physical physiques but their pattern of thoughts.

Objective

Through my research, I want to find best answers for my solution. My research should provide specific details of how to make human being learn how to accept themselves physically and emotionally. Also, though my research, I want to prove that it’s best to accept the way your physical appearance is by having self-confidence instead of letting the views of how our bodies should look like affect you, or running towards surgery. In addition, I want evidence that using plastic surgery can result into the worst decision chosen especially if you don’t have money.

Methodology

I will take about a week to interview people and look online to find out why a women in the black community should look a certain way.

Original Plan

I will search on Google on is the ideal women for black women and how many women turn to surgery to become an ideal women. Google should help me find the reason why many women turn to surgey and why.

I’ll interview 2 women who bleached and chaned turned to surgery and 2 women who haven’t turn to surgery or bleaching their skin yet. These are the questions I feel are interesting in understanding why people turn to plastic surgery:

· Do you think you are beautiful?

· What should be a woman physical appearance look like?

· Why?

· Do you think you are one?

· Do you think about changing any part of you and why?

Revised Plan

I only interviewed one person, who bleached her skin and is in the process of getting her breast done.

1. Do you think you are beautiful?

A: Now I do, but I will be more beautiful once I get my breasts done.

2. What do you mean by “now I do”?

A: You see, I changed my skin complexion. I used to be very dark skinned but in my culture (black), light skinned women are considere more beautiful.

3. What should be a woman physical appearance look like?

I believe a light skinned women with at least a firm “c” cup breast size, small waist and big breast is a how a women should look like. Chic

4. Why?

Come on! Did you ever hear the song “right above” “Beautiful black woman, I bet that b*tch look better red” your complexion is important and your body.

5. Do you think you are one?

6. Do you think about changing any part of you and why?

I also looked online what is the physical appearance men like in women?

Results

Internet research provides useful studies and surveys. Their experts surveyed trainers and dog owners, providing training and neutering insights.

Neutering

Many websites explain that dogs exhibit calmer temperaments, claiming the dog’s reduced testosterone (the initial cause of aggression) reduces aggressive behavior. [footnoteRef:1]Yet Google search results don’t prove spaying/neutering reduces aggression in aggressive dogs. In fact among females, spayed dogs show more aggressive behaviors than intact females (see Figure 2). [1: Note. From “Title of the Article/Web Page,” by Author 1st initial. Last Name and Author 1st initial. Last Name. publication/update date, Title of the Book/Journal/Website. By Publisher, Copyright year. Reprint with Permission.]

Figure 4 Spayed Females are more Aggressive

Spaying female dogs increases aggression than before they were fixed.

The neutered males may appear less active and less aggressive, but they may still be responsive aggressive (responding aggressively to situations and/or others’ behaviors by proving dominance).

Experts on PetDefense.com and SaveOurDogs.com explained aggressive actions may be in response to varied situations: fear, anger, self-protection, food, maternal protection; these learned responses are not erased by surgery[footnoteRef:2]. [2: Smith 271]

The reduced testosterone caused by neuter surgery is a reduced aggression toward other male dogs. This is particularly true when the dog is in a mixed gender group. When female dogs are around, particularly females in heat, male dogs are driven to aggression from the urge to mate.

Neutered male dogs still exhibit this behavior somewhat, but the severity and frequency of the aggression is often greatly reduced. Some dogs don't do well around smaller dogs, cats or other pets. These dogs have a naturally high prey instinct, causing them to view the smaller animals as a potential meal. Neutered dogs have a significantly lower prey drive than their intact counterparts, making it easier to teach the dog good behavior around smaller animals.

Training

Primarily, professional training should make an aggressive dog less reactive to “provoking” situations and more responsive to commands. While hundreds of trainers discuss dozens of techniques, a handful of experts clarified aggression causes. Expert websites such as the Animal Behaviors Research Institute point to the owner training and conditioned learning.

According to the Animal Behavior Research Institute, several owner actions increase a dog’s aggression. “The highest frequency of aggression occurred in response to aversive (or punishing) interventions, even when the intervention was indirect (see “Lists of Bad Owner Behaviors”)[footnoteRef:3]. These results highlight the importance of using positive reinforcement and other non-aversive methods when working with dogs, especially dogs with a history of aggression. Non-aversive methods, which focus on rewarding desirable behaviors and changing the dog’s emotional state, work well for reducing aggressive behaviors. [3: The Institute surveyed owners of aggressive dogs. Surveyed owners admitted to behaviors listed and admitted the actions may cause aggression.]

The International Journal of Applied Research[footnoteRef:4] tested the owners’ contribution to dogs’ aggression/dominance. After a study comparing aggressive dogs with good owners and controlled dogs with bad owners, researchers determined that the more aggressive owner increased the aggression in his/her dogs. [4: http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol2Iss1/DODMAN.htm]

Lists of Bad Owner Behaviors

· Hitting or kicking the dog

(41% of owners reported aggression)

· Growling at the dog (41%)

· Forcing the dog to release an item from its mouth (38%)

· “Alpha roll” —forcing the dog onto its back and holding it down (31%)

· “Dominance down”—forcing the dog onto its side (29%)

· Grabbing the jowls or scruff (26%)

· Staring the dog down—staring at the dog until it looks away (30%)

· Spraying the dog with water pistol or spray bottle (20%)

· Yelling “no” (15%)

· Forced exposure—forcibly exposing the dog to a stimulus-such as tile floors, noise or people- that frightens the dog (12%)

In contrast, non-aversive methods resulted in much lower frequency of aggressive responses:

· Training the dog to sit for everything it wants (only 2% of owners reported aggression)

· Rewarding the dog for eye contact (2%)

· Food exchange for an item in its mouth instead of forcing the item out (6%)

· Rewarding the dog for “watch me” (0%)

Discussion

Luckily, my spayed female Calypso shows few signs of aggression. However, the studies showing increased or continued aggression make me pause. It means fixing a dog does not lower aggressive behaviors despite the lowered testorone. This hesitation is confirmed

Winthrop, the unfixed male, shown passive dominance: marking his territory, hording his food, and warning other dogs away from his areas. His dominance is shown by challenging other dogs and smaller animals. And these actions appear maternally protective.

· He knocks down dogs who are not obeying their owners.

· He bites dogs who display angry or aggressive actions (barking and growling, for example)

· He holds down dogs who are “too close” to his owners or his sister, Calypso.

Because his is a responsive (learned) aggression, Winthrop’s behavior may not improve after neutering.

Furthermore, professional training may achieve results only if the owners are retrained. Surprised, I identified several of my actions on the Bad Behavior list. Some activities I thought were playful, like rolling the dog over or grabbing his/her muzzle. Other actions, I believed, were commanding such as growling and yelling “no”.

The research indicates my dogs are basically trained to sit, come, etc., but otherwise, they ignore commands in critical situations. That means they are poorly trained. Since I am poorly trained as well, professional training will benefit my dogs and me.

Conclusion

After reviewing my research, Winthrop will not be neutered. Neutering’s results seem inconsistent and fail to resolve the problems, reactive aggression. On the other hand, professional training for both dogs and me will help identify difficult situations and appropriate responses.

Annotated Bibliography

“AR Extremist Myth: Neutering Stops Aggression.” Pet Defense: Animal Law. 15. Jan. 2009 Blog. 12 Nov, 2012.

Bradshaw, John W.S., Emily J., Blackwell , and Rachel A., Casey. “Dominance in domestic dogs -- useful construct or bad habit?” Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, May/June 2009, 135-144. Print

“Disagreeable People prefer Aggressive Dogs, Study Suggests” Science Daily: Science News. 22 May, 2012. Web. 13 Nov, 2012.

Egan, Vincent and Jason MacKenzie. “Does Personality, Delinquency, or Mating Effort Necessarily Dictate a Preference for an Aggressive Dog?” Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2012; 25 (2): 161 DOI: 10.2752/175303712X13316289505305 Web. 13 Nov, 2012. Print.

Herron, et al. “Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2009; 117 (1-2): 47 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.011

“Impact of Mandatory Spay/Neuter on Working Dogs.” Save Our Dogs : Advocating on behalf of working dogs. 23 Jun, 2009 Web. 12 Nov, 2012.

Pérez-Guisado, Joaquín; Muñoz-Serrano, Andrés. “Factors Linked to Dominance Aggression in Dogs.” Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2009; 8 (2): 336-342. Print.

Plataforma SINC. "Dogs Are Aggressive If They Are Trained Badly." ScienceDaily, 1 May 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. Print.

University of Bristol. "Using 'Dominance' To Explain Dog Behavior Is Old Hat." ScienceDaily, 25 May 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.

University of Pennsylvania. "If You're Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study." ScienceDaily, 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.

Yin, Sophia. “New Study: Popular techniques can cause harm.” Animal Behavior Resources Institute. 2012. Web. 12 Nov, 2012.

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