Dr. James Serpell – Expert on human-animal interaction, author, Professor, Director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society.

If you own a dog, I can almost guarantee that at one point you have found yourself having an entire conversation with them.  You have sat down with your dog, just as if you were talking to your spouse, and told them all about your day.  You have told them your deepest secrets, you have told them your biggest regrets.  You have taken them with you on vacations and you let them sleep in your bed. You have brought them into every facet of your life.  In essence, they are family.  And you know what?  This seems completely normal.

The fact is, in the eyes of many, the domestic dog is more human than animal.  So with that in mind, don’t you think you should know more about your family member? I mean, most parents won’t have a baby before they read 9 different baby books, why should it be any different for your furry friend.  It doesn’t need to be.  Tune in to this week’s episode as we teach you all about man’s best friend.  We get answers to some of the most puzzling doggy questions such as why they try to lick your mouth and how emotional are they.

Welcome to the show Dr. James Serpell.  Dr. Serpell is an expert on human-animal interaction, specializing in our relationship with the modern day domestic dog.  Dr. Serpell is a Professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also directs the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society. He also serves on the editorial boards of animal welfare, applied animal behavior, and human-animal interaction publications. Dr. Serpell is the author, editor, and co-editor of several books including “The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behaviour and Interactions with People”  and “In the Company of Animals: A Study of Human-Animal Relationships”.