This has been a challenging week for me. I caught a little cold over spring break, and it took almost the entire week to feel better. Dante has been more vocal also; he wants to play all the time. Maybe he could sense I wasn't feeling well. He seems to be a little more protective at this new home too. I bought him some new toys and a giant fuzzy ball he loves! Hoping he stays entertained while I grind away at all these courses. He and I both will be ready for the end of the semester for sure! 

On a personal note, my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next week, so we are planning a big party to honor their commitment to each other! Should be a great time reconnecting with old friends and family we haven't seen in a while!

 Back for the second half of the semester and I have to say, although I was catching up on schoolwork and unpacking the rest of my boxes, I was able to enjoy a little bit of rest and a short trip with my daughter for her final high school spring break! While we were away, Dante was able to get cuddles from my 19-year-old son who recently moved into his own place, so he was a super happy pup! We moved from a fairly chaotic environment to a very quiet and peaceful home, and with that, I have noticed a change in Dante. I would like to think he has found the peace my daughter and I am, but part of me questions if he is bored or having a difficult time adjusting. He seems to sleep a lot more, and require more treats...  Not sure, but I will continue to love on him and spend as many hours a day playing with him as possible. We may just all be in the recovery phase of the last chapter... Can't wait for the next beautiful time in life! Oh, and I bought Dante the cutest Lion Mane!

                    With the emergence of AI and machine learning come many questions for gaining a better understanding of the world we live in. Humans have lived with canines for centuries and some researchers believe they were domesticated in “Siberia 26,000 – 19,700 years ago by Ancient North Eurasians.” (“Domestication of the Dog,” 2024) Due to the long-standing intimate bonds humans have developed with canines, communication with the species is a fascinating field of study. By better understanding how and why canines communicate, humans can harness the species for scientific benefits, for example, service animals to help people with emotional or communication disorders.

                         Currently, there are differing opinions as to canine vocalizations and whether there is intelligence behind the sounds, or simply a response to stimuli. Most researchers do agree there is a uniqueness to canine vocalizations, but the debate of intent still exists. Because machine learning is an emerging technology, research in this area is limited, but there have been some studies focusing on breed variations, wolves vs domesticated canines, emotion, and intelligence behind the vocalizations.

                         It is important to expand on this research because of the implications concerning daily interactions as well as medical interventions with canines. Canines are a large part of society and understanding and interacting with them can bring incredible benefits as well as enhanced safety around the species. For example, if vocalizations were understood, humans would be able to better recognize warning signs from aggressive canines, preventing bites or attacks. Another example would be in the case of a person with a communication or emotional disorder being able to employ a service animal to alert to a medical condition they have. By better understanding canine vocalizations, combined with machine learning technology, a device would be able to interpret the canine vocalization back to the person, allowing them to better understand their service animal and potentially save lives. This research is also important for canines. Suppose the owner of a canine is away, and a dog-sitter is unfamiliar with the canine. With the use of a device trained to the specific canine, the care would be greatly increased for the canine.

               Is it possible for a teachable machine to interpret the reason Canis lupus familiari is vocalizing based on a variety of audio files? It is believed that a teachable machine will be able to determine and output the reason for Canis lupus familiari vocalization and provide a percentage indicating the confidence level of the model with its prediction. It may be discovered during the research, that the teachable machine can recognize additional variations in vocalizations for the same events and environments. There is a chance the teachable machine cannot differentiate the sounds depending on the environment or the event.

 What a week! I sold my house and moved into a new townhouse with my daughter and Dante. Very exciting and exhausting all at the same time. As much as I thought I would be able to manage 6 classes and a move and a separation, I unfortunately wasn't able to get everything completed on time. Here's to new beginnings with healthy habits and routines. 

Dante is adjusting well; all the new sights and sounds are stimulating for him. He seems very peaceful here and loves it when I have the front door open, and the screen closed so he can watch the neighborhood! He doesn't bark much yet, but it has only been 2 days. He tends to be more vocal with the front door open, so I'm grateful the weather is so wonderful!

I have the essentials settled and now it's back to the grind before spring break!