Episode 324 – Naturephilic and Naturephobic Dogs

In Aesop’s fable The City Mouse and the Country Mouse the two animals discover that they lack the temperaments and skills to enjoy each other’s lifestyle  Such differences occur because normally when animals succeed in a particular physical and mental environment, they pass the genetic potential for that to their offspring and then teach them specific survival strategies as part of the parenting process. But sometimes domestic animals aren’t so lucky. Because mass spay and neuter policies target companion dogs and these animals may be transported to environments far different from those in which they were born and for which their genetic predispositions and maternal lessons prepared them, that may not be the case.

In that case dogs of country or city breeding who wind up in the opposite environment may wind up feeling like ducks out of water.