This week my friend Michael Short wrote a fascinating piece on A.I and its impact on all our lives.
Now, personally – I’m an analogue dog. I don’t often use fancy tech. But I recognise that technology has lots of potential to improve human and canine lives.
One of the most important ways technology has helped dogs is through GPS tracking devices. These devices allow dog owners to keep track of their pets’ movements, ensuring that they don’t get lost or wander too far from home.
There’s also wearable technology that can provide valuable insights into a dog’s emotional state, and video tech that helps humans check up on us while they’re at work – not every office is as cool as ours, and some dogs have to stay at home.
There are also new ways that technology can help dogs to communicate directly with their humans. Have you seen those mats where dogs can tell their humans what they’re thinking by hitting buttons? Flambo the Dog on TikTok is very good at using one. Since I’m in the business of communication, this is particularly interesting to me.
Maybe technology isn’t so bad?
But technology can be abused, too. Using it ethically and in consciousness of its impact on others is very important. Did you know that some humans put shock collars on their dogs? Shock collars are often misused and can cause dogs to become fearful, anxious, and aggressive towards humans and other animals. They may temporarily suppress unwanted behaviour, but they do so with fear and pain and that’s not fair on any living creature.
Personally, I like to communicate with the humans in my team with a subtle laying of my head on their desk, or a polite paw placed upon their leg, and they like to communicate with me with their pats and kind words.
I wonder how the dogs of the future will request a treat?
Love from Louis x
