Chase is a sweet seven-year-old pit bull mix. He relates well with other dogs, children, and people. Chase loves attention and giving many hugs. At his previous home, Chase was an outdoor dog and is now working on house training. Come out and meet him he is looking for a happy forever home.
Dear readers, I hate to admit it, but I am lousy at directions and I need GPS to navigate. Interestingly, dogs may have a built-in compass and are able to sense the Earth’s magnetic field allowing them to access a universal reference frame. Like a built-in GPS.
Original research on the subject explored why dogs preferred to eliminate aligning with the north-south axis of the Earth’s magnetic field. I have observed this phenomena first hand, as I was my dog’s official poop scooper. It always seemed that our dogs were fussy about their drop spot.
In recent studies scientists discovered that canine eyes contain cryptochrome 1, a light-sensitive molecule that reacts to the magnetic field when stimulated by light. Birds, whales, dolphins, turtles, honeybees, and mole rats have this also. It is how they navigate.
Researchers tested if and how dogs used the magnetic field by attaching video cameras and GPS trackers to their collars. They walked the dogs to a new area that separated them from their owners. Their job was to find their way back to them. During this task, researchers identified two types of problem solving behavior: tracking and scouting.
A dog retraces its original route when tracking by using the scent track. If the scent track was weak, the dogs wandered. Not all the dogs found their owners. Scouting involves returning along a completely new route without backtracking. When going the wrong direction, dogs self-corrected by stopping, turning, and running about 50 feet on the exact north-south axis aligning with the Earth’s magnetic field.
This compass run allowed the dogs to get their bearings. Amazingly, all the scouting dogs found their owners.
As research progresses, I am sure there will be more proof that the magnetic compass exists. I am just waiting to get mine installed. Oh wait, I have one; it’s a cell phone. Now all I need to do is remember to take it.
LOOKING FOR A HOME
Adorable kittens ages 15 to 20 weeks. There are seven boys and five girls in a rainbow of colors. All our babies need foster homes. Call 775-7500 for details.
IN NEED OF
Garage sale items for Sept. 9-10. We need gently used appliances, furniture, treadmills, and miscellaneous items. We don’t need clothing. Call at 775-423-7500 to have your items picked up.
Fancy Feast kitten wet food.
Cat litter for our guests’ comfort.
Aluminum cans. If you have cans to pick up, give us a call (775-423-7500) and we will come get them. You can also drop them off at CAPS.DON’T FORGET