The President’s Choice® SuperDogs® enter the arena of science and discovery for nine days of exciting shows and educational presentations focusing on dogs and their place in the global community at the Ontario Science Centre (770 Don Mills Road, Toronto).   Taking place during March Break (March 10-18, 2012), this exciting daily program consists of SuperDog shows at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., and a series of learning labs addressing the subjects “How to Pick a Dog,” “Human/Dog Communication,” “Training,” and “What Makes a Dog a Dog?,” at noon and 2:30 p.m.

A crackerjack cast of experienced trainers has been assembled from all across Canada for what promises to be a lively set of entertaining shows.  Their expertise will energize the learning labs as well, as they reveal the foundations of the historic bond between people and dogs, especially as it plays out on the personal level where choice, caring, and companionship underlie the creation of a meaningful long-term relationship between a master and his pet.  “How to Pick a Dog” addresses the basic issues of timing (are you ready for a dog?), selection (what kind do you want to get from the many available breeds and why, and what do you look for?), sources (do you buy from a breeder or pet store or do you adopt from a rescue group?), and commitment (what are the dog’s needs and how do you reconcile them with your own lifestyle?).

The fundamentals of the inter-species bond come to the fore in the learning lab on “Human/Dog Communication”.   Subjects under consideration are barking (what is barking, and how does it vary in tone and frequency with respect to protection, emotion, and need?), posture, tail movements, facial expressions, scent marking, and interaction based on gesture and eye gaze.  The subject of “Training” takes the interplay between humans and dogs a step further.  What makes dogs inherently trainable?  Is it a function of intelligence and breeding?  What techniques or training regimens best serve the results you wish to achieve?  Finally, the learning lab program deals with the evolutionary implications of canine existence: “What Makes a Dog a Dog?”.  Dogs evolved from wolves.  How do we know, and when did it happen?  What modifications have occurred in dogs’ anatomy as aggression was bred out of them?   What accounts for the development of acute canine senses, especially hearing, vision, and smell, and how do humans take advantage of these special powers? 

The three daily SuperDog® Shows, in conjunction with the four educational labs, demonstrate on a grand scale just how special the relationship between people and dogs really is and how it continues to grow in all areas of our lives together.  Join us at the Science Centre during March Break for a unique and memorable presentation.