Pets

Study Finds -  A recent survey ranks America’s most popular dog breeds not by their looks, but by their manners – and the results are pawsitively intriguing. In a dogged pursuit of canine truth, the survey of 5,000 American dog owners, commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by Talker Research, sought to rank the behavior of the 25 most popular breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. The study, which could be described as a “Who’s Who” of the dog world, evaluated our four-legged friends on their ability to follow commands and their overall temperament. In a victory that will have Labrador lovers wagging their tails with pride, the ever-popular Labrador retriever claimed the top spot as the best-behaved breed overall. On the other end of the leash, the Siberian husky found itself in the doghouse, ranking as the worst-behaved breed.

Before Husky owners howl in protest, however, it’s worth noting that the study dug deeper than just overall behavior. Under the “following commands” category, dog owners were asked if and how often their dog barks at others, jumps up on people, begs for food, and how well they follow commands when off-leash in public. When it came to following commands, the muscular Cane Corso proved to be the most obedient, while the stubborn Dachshund was found to have selective hearing. 

NPR -  New research shows that cats exhibit behaviors associated with grief, such as eating and playing less, after a fellow cat or dog in the household died.