I <3 Books

2008

Temple Grandin's story gets her noticed, but her ideas earn her respect. She is autistic, and possibly the most accomplished atustic person working. She teaches at a university in Colorado, and advises industries that work with animals on humane practices. She also writes books. Due to her autism, she claims, she can understand the behaviour of animals. Being more instinctive, sensitive, and tactile, closer to many animals than humans, Grandin has a legitimate basis for her claims.

She uses her knowledge to advise people on how to best treat their pets. The section on dogs is, obviously, of particular interest. Dogs are wolves. Study wolves; know dogs. Most wolves though, she says, are studies in captivity. Studying unrelated wolves in captivity is no different than imprisoning a bunch of disconnecte humans to study for broad conclusions about human interaction. It would be unrealistic. Wolves in the wild, she says, are not pack animals that seek dominance. They only seek dominance when in captivity with wolves they don't know - not unlike humans in prison. Wolves in the wils are family based animals. The defer to the older, often parental, wolves. The wolves have no more thought of seeking dominance than a son would have of overthrowing his father. As a result, don't raise your dogs as though you are the alpha wolf, raise them as though you are a parent - with respect and compassion. Brilliant stuff. Briliant. Lots more in the book.