New research shows that, contrary to popular belief, it is, in fact, possible to over-boop the nose of a puppy.
In a study that spanned the course of 16 months and collected data from more than 142 puppies from around the globe, a specially-tasked research study by the Bismarck Alliance for Responsible Canine Ownership (BARCO), found a direct correlation between the number of boops given within a 24-hour time period and the puppy’s behavior within its pack.
“The primary concern is that repeated booping can actually cause irreparable damage to the human-canine hierarchy within the home,” says Lead Researcher, Carolyn Harvey. “What happens is, a puppy is supposed to be at the bottom of the pack, but every boop sends a message to the him that sort of moves him up the pecking order,” Harvey explains.
“We found a correlation between the number of times a puppy’s nose was booped and how spoiled he or she would become. Behavior changes like refusing to come when called, an increase in jumping up on furniture, and begging for food at the dinner table were all noted as setbacks in a puppy’s training, and we attribute those setbacks solely to over-booping. Next thing you know,” Harvey continued, “the puppy thinks he’s in charge and you’ve lost all control of the fluffy little so-and-so.”
The study found that genetics play a major part in a puppy’s propensity to become over-booped.
“More refined breeds, like Rotties and Dobies, for example, seem less likely to fall under the spell of a heavy-handed booper than goofy breeds like your Labs and your Golden Retrievers,” Harvey explained. “The most vulnerable breeds, however, are the newer poodle-mixed breeds, or what the American Kennel Club (AKC) refers to as ‘doodles.’ It isn’t because these breeds are weaker in any way, quite the contrary,” she says, “the poodle in them makes them smart as a whip. It’s the humans who are weaker.
“What we found is, these breeds are so fluffy and their faces tend to look like teddy bears, especially when they’re young. People can’t help themselves from booping their little noses. They boop and boop and boop, and – because these dogs are so dang smart – they quickly learn that the booper is no longer in charge… that they can do anything they want, resulting in the re-ordering of the pack hierarchy.
“The puppy’s human essentially becomes the b*tch of the house, running themselves ragged by waiting on the puppy hand and foot,” Debi Karter, CEO of BARCO added. “We found that in nearly 35% of cases, the puppy’s human had to quit working outside the home in order to let the puppy in and out and in and out all day long, at the puppy’s every whim,” Karter continued.
Harvey says the best way to avoid over-booping puppies noses is to never start, if at all possible, and to stop immediately if you’ve already started. “It’ll be hard,” Harvey warns, “It’s harder than quitting smoking, and some people even say it’s harder than getting off alcohol and street drugs.” But scientists agree that the benefits far outweigh the painful process of putting a stop to over-booping.
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About the Author
Kristan Braziel is the blogger behind Bring Mommy A Martini: a funny blog about family, travel, home decor, and DIYs for people OK with loose instructions and a few F-bombs. Not afraid to make a fool out of herself for a laugh, Braziel shares her counter-intuitive approach at dealing with life’s messy moments. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes troubling, but always honest, her posts will have you laughing and crying and nodding as you think, “Oh sweet fancy Moses, it’s not just me.” You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram @bringmommyamartini, and Twitter @kristanbraziel.