It is summer and what better time for your dog to dive into your swimming pool or at a sparkling lake, or playfully bite at the water jets from your lawn sprinklers or garden hose.  When it’s hot outside, there is nothing better than a face-full of cool, refreshing water.  But beware, if your dog… Read more: Canine “Drowning” on Terra Firma

One of the greatest advantages of owning a small dog is the ability to take him onto an airplane with you when you travel.  But there are risks when flying a dog on a commercial flight posed, mostly, by the way dogs are handled by airport employees as well as the dog’s unattended experience in… Read more: Flying the Friendly Skies with Fido

There was a time when dogs simply wandered and meandered the streets without so much as a second look from the populous and owners assumed that, sooner or later, the dogs would come home.  Not so today due in large to a more diligent dog culture and increased compliance with leash laws, a majority of… Read more: The Art of Catching a Dog on the Run

Alzheimer’s disease is frightening.  The loss of your health as well as the part of you that makes you unique is a terrifying idea.  Those who are affected by this disease begin to lose memory, judgment, and orientation in time and to their surroundings, along with their ability to relate normally to the presence of… Read more: Be My Memory – Alzheimer’s Assistance Dogs

Prey drive seems to be the “buzz-word” among dog people these days.  Its text-book definition states it is the instinctual behavior of carnivores to chase and capture prey but is commonly used in describing habits in dog training.  Prey drive is what motivates a dog to give chase to a ball, animals, a car, or… Read more: Understanding and Controlling Prey Drive

You cannot help but smile when you see a happy dog hanging his head out of a car window.  It’s because of this happiness and sense of freedom that makes it hard to convince their owners that their pet will be equally as happy tethered or sitting in a crate.  It is even harder trying… Read more: Securing Your Dog While Traveling May Soon be Law

Back in 2003, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) revised vaccination guidelines, recommending veterinarians to vaccinate adult dogs every three years instead of annually and many veterinarians have changed their protocols in respect to the new guidelines.  The change was implemented after experts agreed with the overwhelming evidence showing annual vaccinations for canine diseases were… Read more: Pet Vaccination; How Much is Too Much?

There are more than 59% of American households with pets and, in the last several decades, they have taken more of a position as a family member and less as property, not only in the eyes of pet owners but in society as a whole.  A pet’s death can be a very traumatic and painful… Read more: In-Home Euthanasia for Pets

It’s remarkable the number of misconceptions and untruths there are concerning remote training collars.  They are a valuable training tool but people are hesitant to use them because of these harmful myths surrounding them. The number one reason why people will not use a remote training collar is the belief that they are cruel, unsafe… Read more: Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Remote Training Collars?

A dog door can be hinged or spring operated or, more commonly, a “flap” which is installed into a door or wall to allow your dog to come and go at will without needing a person to open the door.  Flaps hang from the top of the opening and flap when the dog passes through. … Read more: 4 Steps to Train Your Anxious Dog to Use a Magnetic Dog Door

The demand for pet supplements is on the rise. The market has sustained a 15% annual growth since 2000, making it the $1.3million business it is today, according to the National Animal Supplement Council.  About 17% of pet owners give their cats and/or dogs supplements or so says Simmons Market Research Bureau but all these… Read more: Pet Supplements Should Be an Informed Decision

 Puppies are too much fun, aren’t they?  They’re so soft and warm, cuddly and cute.  And that smell, who doesn’t love puppy smell.  Puppies are perpetual motion, excited balls of energy, so eager to play, learn and obey.  Because they are puppies, we tend to forgive the occasional act of indiscretion or “accident”.  Puppies think… Read more: THE VALUE OF AN OLD DOG IS A LESSON TO US ALL

Each year, almost half of the animals entering animal shelters around th country are strays or lost pets.  Pets can’t tell anyone who their owner is and where they live so how do you find your beloved family member should you become separated? There are about three different solutions to locating lost pets.  One is… Read more: PHONE GPS TRACKING SYSTEMS FOR YOUR PET-ARE THEY A GOOD IDEA?

Up until about 150 years ago or so, dogs worked with humans in mutually beneficial relationships.  They hunted with us, protected our homes, killed vermin, and helped us maintain and care for farm animals.    Only a few rather wealthy people could afford to keep dogs as pets.  These specialized jobs that dogs performed were not… Read more: A Completely Different Use of Dogs

Resource guarding is a natural, normal canine behavior.  For wild animals, allowing other dogs or animals who come along when they are eating – to take their food from them, would mean death for their species.  So how did this natural, normal behavior become so evil that many dogs have died as a result?Before the… Read more: Should “Resource-guarding” lead to Euthanasia? Maybe Not!

Nothing is more profound than grief that can follow the loss of a family member and a pet companion.  But did it come about as an evolutionary function?  A British psychiatrist and an evolutionary psychologist believed that grief did not originally evolve as an emotion response to the death of a loved one, but to… Read more: The Original Function of Grief and Its Evolution…Really!

Sometimes, people excuse the fact they don’t walk their dogs by saying the dog is small and/or gets enough exercise running around the house or the backyard.  But what if they’re not getting enough exercise?  Is it possible this lack of exercise is the reason for some of the “restless” behaviors observed in dogs; behaviors… Read more: Want to Reduce Long-Term Stress in your Dog? Take a Walk!

If criminal charges were brought against your dog, what rights does he have?On December 21, 1921, in San Francisco, an Airedale named Dormie found himself the defendant in the courtroom of his honorable Judge Lile T Jacks.  Dormie, it seems, had allegedly murdered 14 cats, however, this particular trial was for the death of “Sunbeam”,… Read more: Can a Dog be Tried by a Jury of His Peers and What About Cha

It’s always a surprise, and a bit embarrassing when a dog trots over and buries his nose in your crotch or up your butt.  When being searched in this manner, it’s hard to keep in mind that he isn’t trying to humiliate you, he’s merely searching for information.  Ever wonder what he’s looking for and,… Read more: Why Is Your Dog’s Nose in My Butt?

There is a very odd case concerning a nine-year-old German shepherd dog named Bela who is to be buried with his owner who died three weeks ago but the problem is…Bela is very much alive and healthy. Bela’s owner left specific instructions with her attorney for how her dog would live out the remainder of… Read more: Should a Healthy Pet be Euthanized to be Buried with The

Research is currently being conducted in an attempt to equip dogs with a computer that could remotely monitor and control with the idea of creating a “Cybernetic Enhanced Working Dog” but the required equipment is bulky and expensive.  The hope is to miniaturize the equipment and make it available to dog owners to, not only… Read more: You Want to Monitor Your Dog’s Activity and Health on Your S

The dewclaw – those short claws or nails on the side of the dog’s foot which doesn’t touch the ground.  They are usually found only on the front paws, rarely on the back paws.  However, rear dewclaws are common in such breeds as the Great Pyrenees and Briards with the Great Pyrenees having a double… Read more: The Evolutionary History of the Dog’s Dewclaw

Ebola, which is short for Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, is a deadly viral infection which has a fatality rate ranging from 50% to 90%.  Every day the news informs us about the rapid spread of the infection and I couldn’t help but wonder whether or not our dogs are susceptible to the virus, and if so,… Read more: Can the Ebola Virus Infect My Dog?

While talking with a friend of mine about our mutual fear of dogs and/or children running up to our dogs when we are out walking them, I was surprised to hear her say she was going to go online and purchase a Service Dog vest for her dog so people would stop asking her if… Read more: Bogus Service Animal Scams are on the Rise

In multiple dog families, the death of a companion is hard, not only on the human survivors, but on the surviving companions as well.  Regardless of how our dogs came into our lives, they form a bond with one another just as they form a bond with us.  These bonds can be quite strong especially… Read more: 9 Ways to Help Your Pet Get through the Grieving Process

Most canine cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors are benign but it is the lesser cases of malignant masses that keep pet owners and veterinarians on alert.  This is why it is so important to monitor your dog and report the development of any newly discovered lumps and bumps.  Catching a small cancerous growth at the time… Read more: Lumps and Bumps – the Brown Spots of the Canine Aging Proces

It is summer and time for your dog to dive into your swimming pool or a sparkling lake, or playfully bite at the water jetting from your lawn sprinklers or garden hose but are you aware of water intoxication?Water intoxication is when the body takes in more water than it can handle and, though rare,… Read more: “Drowning” Out of Water

Have you noticed your once-athletic dog can no longer catch a tossed ball, or your senior pauses at a flight of stairs before descending?  It could be his vision is cloudy due to cataracts that have formed in one or both eyes.Cataracts are opacities that develop in the clear lens of the eyes which is… Read more: Canine Cataracts Know No Breed or Age

“Hey, look at that!”  When someone says that in a crowd of people, you and everyone around you probably find yourself looking in the direction the speaker is facing rather than at the speaker.  Even if you can’t see the speaker, most people will inevitably look in the direction the person was looking when they… Read more: Speak in the Direction You Want Your Dog to Go!

It is established that dogs are beneficial to the psychological and physical health of their owners and these positive effects seem to be particularly marked in older people.  Senior owned dogs tend to require less medical attention and are only 25% as likely to develop clinical depression as if living alone.  There are physical benefits… Read more: You’re Never Too Old for a Dog

Nearly one third of dog owning households in North America are multiple dog homes and nothing is more disturbing than when there is aggressive incidents between the dogs.  It can be dangerous for the dogs and for the human who intervenes to break up the fight, not to mention disturbing for the happiness of the… Read more: What Causes Aggression Among Dogs Living Together?

Whenever the conversation turns toward the effect of various types of dog training methods on a pet dog’s behavior there seems to be a line drawn between two venues, one being “positive dog training” involving rewards of food and play; the other being “discipline-based training” which uses slip collars, leash tugs and other physical enforcement… Read more: Training Methods and Stress Levels in Dogs

It never ceases to amaze me how owners of an intentionally crossbred dog refers to it as being “purebred”.  A case-in-point would be the Labradoodle which is a cross between the Labrador retriever and the Poodle.  Those who market these dogs refer to them as “designer dogs” to give a hint of sophistication and elitism… Read more: He Regrets His Designer Dog Creation

There was a time when a dog on the loose was common place.  No one batted an eye at dogs wandering and meandering about and it was always assumed that, eventually, the dog would simply go home.  Today, that has all changed.  With a more diligent dog culture and increased leash law compliance, a majority… Read more: There’s an Art to Catching a Dog on the Run

A dog’s aggression towards people is the one most important issues concerning behavior.  Biting is the highest level of aggression and previous studies of aggression in dogs have been largely based upon actual dog bites.  But what about the broader variety of aggressive behaviors including those of lower intensity?A study involving 3897 dog owners from… Read more: Breed, Socialization, Method of Training, and Aggression…It

Have you ever seen a dog cringe and appear uncomfortable when an unfamiliar person reaches out to pet him?  There is a right way and a wrong way to interact with a dog in everyday situations and researchers have only recently explored the best way to greet your dog.  Now researchers are exploring what is… Read more: There is a Correct Way to Touch a Dog

The third most likely reason that dogs are surrendered to a shelter is excessive barking but exactly what is excessive barking?  If you were to ask a municipal bylaw officer to define “excessive barking”, you may be surprised to learn that there is no legal and precise standard to go by.  Furthermore, you may be… Read more: What’s the Standard for Measuring Excessive Barking in Dogs?

Many of us has experienced the situation of owning a rambunctious dog who charged around the house, obeyed no command or escaped through an open gate before you could call the name he suddenly doesn’t recognize.  Yet somehow, these unruly creatures attach themselves to a family member as their best and constant companion.  More often… Read more: Doggie See, Doggie Do – The Great Capacity for Imitation

We all extoll the abilities of assistance dogs when seeing, hearing or reading about their near heroic capacity for taking care of their charge.  This leads many to wonder how one trains such dogs without realizing the function of an assistance dog as well as the capabilities and limitations they bring to their jobs.  Take,… Read more: There Are Limits to What an Assistance Dog Can Do

Many philosophers and some behavior scientists believe dogs do not have episodic memory, therefore, they cannot successfully serve and assist people with failing memory.There are many types of memory so psychologists, who wished to understand this belief, divided memory into large groupings call “explicit” memories which are ones that can be described or called into… Read more: Dogs Have No Episodic Memory…Says Who?

A new analysis suggests that, simply looking at the shape of the heads of various dog breeds, one can determine its intelligence and trainability.  The branch of science called “Physiognomy” is the estimation of the intelligence and personality of people by the shape of their heads and faces.  When referring to someone as “highbrow” or… Read more: Is the Shape of a Dog’s Head Indicative of His Intellect?

Assistance and therapy dogs provide a range of services and they have been increasing steadily over the past few decades.  Now, canine services can add Alzheimer’s and dementia assistance to their list of skills.  We are all familiar with guide dogs for the blind and some of us are aware of hearing assistance dogs and… Read more: Alzheimer’s Assistance Dogs…Genius!

The controversy continues as to whether dogs or cats are the more lovable, therefore, better-loved species.  In North America, there are more pet cats than pet dogs, however, surveys indicate that the affection we have for our pet dogs is much stronger than what we have for our pet cats.  Although scientists have tried to… Read more: Young Children Think Cats are Cute, but Dogs are Cuter!

Have you ever wondered if dogs recognize that other breeds and variations of dogs are the same species as they are?  Dogs have the greatest variability of the domesticated animals when it comes to size and shape.  The colors of their fur ranges in black, yellow, white, and shades of red and orange.  They can… Read more: Does Your Dog Know He’s a Dog and Not a Parakeet?

We know that humans and dogs share many qualities, abilities, and emotional predispositions so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to discover that humans and dogs may also share certain frailties, like substance abuse.  If you’re envisioning dogs slinking down the seedy end of town to buy their drug of choice then hiding in a… Read more: Has Your Dog Been Labeled a “Toad Licker”?

I watched a video online the other day about a dog named Spot; perhaps you’ve seen it.  Everyday, when Spot knows its time for his  master, Buck, to come home from work, he goes to the end of the drive and waits for the familiar sight of Buck’s truck.  Spot is there everyday, waiting and watching but the… Read more: See Spot Wait and Wait and Wait