Exploration #2 (Map-making) Adam

I am a dog owner, and the houses on either side of my residence also contain dogs. While there are no fences or physical barriers between our homes, our dogs have created their own barriers that they understand. From the data that I have been able to ascertain over the course of the past week, my dog Julio seems to be the foremost aggressor and continuously disrespects the unofficial boundaries. Perhaps this is because he is male while the other two dogs are both female. This is only a guess as I am no expert in the science of canine territoriality. However, as my map clearly illustrates, Julio has made his mark many times over on enemy territory, disrespecting the terms of the neutral zone agreement. The Black Lab Delilah has taken note of this aggression and begun to retaliate, but we have yet to see much of a reaction from Emma the Collie. Territoriality is something that dogs take very seriously, and this map is a document of the ongoing war between them. Just as General Robert E. Lee examined battle maps of various territories during the Civil War to find out where the Yankees had last attacked, if Julio, Delilah or Emma had access to this map, they could strategize their next move more efficiently. As humans, this map has limited uses outside of fulfilling general curiosity. Perhaps it could be used by a landscaper to find out why the grass seems to grow thicker in certain spots than in others. It could also be used by parents so they could inform their children where not to roll around in the grass. At its heart, though, this is a theoretical map intended for the use of dogs in battle.

3 Responses

  1. I thought this map was very clever! It shows how dogs perceive certain space to be theirs and they compete with other dogs nearby to establish dominance/power. I don’t think the map has much practical use, but it suggests things about the breeds of dogs and their tendency to commit an “act of aggression,” and could prove useful as a part of a larger study.

  2. Very interesting idea for a map. Plotting animal territoriality is an engaging concept and equating it to a sense of battle takes it in a more “fun” direction.

  3. i found this map to be very humorous and fun. It gives a very detailed illustration of where it is safe and unsafe to walk. This map is very different in its idea from the other maps posted and shows the author had some fun with the assignment.

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