Dogs

Scientists have been left dumbfounded after wolf puppies raised in their care exhibited a totally unexpected ability to retrieve a ball much like a domesticated dog, shedding light on how the early stages of dog domestication may have played out.

Sparking new dogs versus cats arguments, a study is suggesting exposure to a pet dog over a child’s first years can be linked to a lower risk of developing schizophrenia as an adult. The same correlation was not seen in children raised with cats.

Military personnel are often exposed to loud noises, such as when they're in helicopters. And while human soldiers wear hearing protection, the same can't be said for their "working" dogs. A new garment has been designed to address that problem.

​Yes, you're right. GoPro does already make an actioncam harness-mount for dogs (as does Sony, for that matter). The currently-crowdfunding PetNow system, however, offers a few additional features for people wishing to see the world from their canine's perspective.

​We've already seen several dog-like quadruped robots, which move by walking with their four backward-bending legs. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University are now getting in on the act, with their artificially-intelligent (and dog-headed) Astro robot.

Among other things, trained dogs are capable of sniffing out bombs, locating buried survivors at disaster sites, or assisting the physically challenged. They can't, however, always see or hear their handler's commands. A new vest is designed to help, as it relays gentle vibrational cues.

A new study examining the anatomical differences between dogs and wolves revealed dogs recently evolved a very small facial muscle allowing them to raise their inner eyebrow. This muscle was not found in wolves, suggesting dogs rapidly evolved this extra tissue to better communicate with humans.

​​The collagen-rich properties of fish skin have seen it gain some serious utility as a tool for treating burns. Veterinarians have now used a new form of this approach to bring a severely burned Rottweiler back from the brink of death.

​If you're like most dog- or cat-owners, you don't like leaving your critter at home alone all day. As a result, we've seen several robotic pet-entertaining devices recently hit the crowdfunding platforms. While some feature cameras or treat-dispensers, GomiBall keeps things simple.

​Although it's certainly best if dogs are trained to relieve themselves outdoors, there can be situations – such as if they're left home alone all day – in which they've just gotta go inside. Created by Austin, Texas-based Newton's Box, Inubox is designed to let them do so without any mess.

​If you own multiple dogs and/or cats, then you may be familiar with the problem of one animal "stealing" food from another's bowl. Italian artificial intelligence firm Volta has set out to keep that from happening, with its pet-recognizing Mookkie.

​If your dog has ever taken off on you, then you'll know the frustration of trying to figure out where they've gone. And while there are already pet-tracking devices, they definitely have some shortcomings. The Findster Duo+ system takes a unique approach to getting around those limitations.