The Voice of the Dog, invites you to understand and acknowledge that all living beings, biologically, are made up of the exact same matter. Evolution confirms, scientifically, that it is firmly established, human equals animal and animal is equally designed of the same biological molecules. The human culture is one of technology, whereas the animal, remains in its primitive state. What they share in common is procreation.

Babies mature into the adults, created by their social environment, whilst puppies grow-up and mature into the shadow of the human adult, when raised in a human society. The level of which is as varied and mixed as the cultures and nations in which we live.

The behaviour of a dog is linked directly to the person who adopted the pup and raised him/her from birth. A puppy that starts life, being moved from home to home, invariably ends up, confused and often 'on guard'. Self-survival is the only known insight the pup understands to protect his/her life. The first 18 months being the most important time when a dog learns the basic survival skills. The good news: A dog however is never too old to learn new tricks! Aggression in a dog is nurtured through abuse, starvation, instability, by owners who lack the appropriate skills of 'parenting' a dog. Recognising the signs when a dog/cat tries to communicate their needs are ignored and the seeds of trauma and frustration thus is firmly sown. Yes, every ship needs a captain, but the Alpha status and being a 'pack-leader' is highly misunderstood by our human mind. Why? Simply because human interpretation has a problem with observation of the natural state and finds it difficult to comprehend when to listen, because others are contributing, their views are important and perhaps what is being asked, may prove essential. We live in a world where we are so self-engaged that it is very unnecessary, we think, to comprehend the needs of others.

We are a microcosm, living in a macrocosm. The principles of development still remains the same. The ripple effect of throwing a stone in a river applies also to the manner in which we treat our pets and how they mature in adulthood. Do we respect their identity as dogs/cats or are we imposing our human ideology onto them? An angry person will approach a room with a suspicious mind, whereas a person of love will reach out, sometimes seeing the world, naively, through rose tinted glasses. Dogs, live in the moment and are most forgiving. One might even say, they are quite enlightened. At the same time, a dog that has been poked over and over again, experienced trauma after trauma, will reflect this kind of arrogance to which he/she was subjected, through unpredictable behavioural patterns in due course. Depending on the strength of the physical body, the nutrition and nurturing of the mind, provides an animal that is stable, confident and relaxed, even in a new environment. A dog with a weak constitution, will display behaviours of paranoia that can be anti-social and often interpreted as those of unwanted 'Aggression'. Much like humans suffering from a jealous mind, can be controlled and overcome by the green monster hiding in the shadows of their being, display 'out of character' attitudes and conduct, when feeling threatened. The extreme cases can hold devastating consequences. Variations of sickness, plays a role in the type of aggression that is manifested and should be taken into consideration when assessing the nature of a possible ugly attack.

By Mercia Nitzsche, Community Correspondent.