Pheromonal Mind Control Mellows Moody Mutts

StefanJ writes "Two researchers at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh have been experimenting with DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) a chemical that calms down dogs. The study described in this press release subjected dogs in a shelter to the hormone. The homeless animals barked less, and reacted better to visitors. I've heard that realtors prepping a house for show sometimes put a drip or two of vanilla extract on a kitchen stovetop, in the theory that this particular scent makes people feel at home. A specific Human Appeasing Hormone would really up the ante. You spray it on elementary school kids when the weather is nice, or when a substitute teacher is due. And on jail inmates. And people in malls who are sitting on benches instead of shopping, the damn freeloaders! Oh, Brave New World, that has such psychoactive scents in it!"

Comments

The diversity of life will get them.

[BrynM]

The idea of a "shopping pheremone" would bring lots of unexpected behavior, I bet. On 99.9% of the population it could work... until that wacko that associated shopping with going on a shooting spree and can't help himself from raiding the sporting goods department. Talk about your "devil made me do it" plea!

"I couldn't stop shooting. Everyone just smelled like they needed to be dead."

People think erratically enough. Pushing behavior in such a casual way is a dangerous thing.

Re:The diversity of life will get them.

[cL0h]

I read in a book on cosmetics recently that humans neither emit nor react to pheromones as animals do. In fact human females are distinct from other primates in that they ovulate secretly (from an olfactory standpoint anyway)

Seriously though...

[l1_wulf]

In all seriousness, think of the practicaly applications for hikers, hunters and trail enthusiasts. Bobcat problem? Bears? Wouldn't it be nice if you happened to stumble upon a normally hostile animal only to find that its disregard of your presence is almost enough to hurt your feelings...

I recommend it

[nmnilsson]

I recommend this spray wholeheartedly.

When we moved to a new apartment three years ago, our cat started peeing (not just spraying) in odd places.
I called the vet, who suggested the spray.
We used it - for about a month - until she stopped peeing and started marking the areas herself (now with her facial scent glands).

Re:I recommend it

[wayne606]

Never had a cat who sprayed, huh?

I tried it with my male cat and it didn't work... Too stubborn I guess.

The way that this stuff works is by converting the urge to mark using spraying (which is not really urine, but an oily substance made by separate glands) into an urge to mark using facial hormones. That's why cats rub their faces on people - to mark their territory.

Re:Already Exists

[drinkypoo]

Or put (slightly) more specifically, it's an assortment of Cannabinoids, THC chiefly among them. However arguably the THC is only a small part of the experience, because Marinol (synthetic THC) doesn't reportedly get you high, or as one might say, provide headchange. It's used to treat severe (as in life-threatening) vomiting and nausea, and to induce appetite. All of this tends to center around HIV+ and Chemo patients.

Anyone have a list of all the (known?) psychoactive compounds in Marijuana? I'd settle just for a list of the cannibinoids.

Anyway you didn't go into the reason why Marijuana qualifies; Because the stuff that makes you high is the hormones of the female plant.