Essential Oils for Dogs: The Pros and Cons

Essential Oils are growing in their popularity as an alternative treatment for humans and their pets.  It is a booming industry and there are a wide variety of different products and oils available on the market from a huge number of different suppliers.  There is often a lot of anecdotal claims of oils being a …

Dog Swollen Lymph Nodes? Here’s What to Do

Dog swollen lymph nodes usually indicate that there is an underlying infection or disease that your dog’s body is trying to fight off.  Whilst it can often be something simple to deal with, it can also be an indication of something more serious so understanding what the lymph nodes are, identifying when there are enlarged …

Doggy Dementia: What are the Signs and How to Handle It

As your dog gets older you may start to notice a number of age-related conditions appearing.  A lot of these can be managed to ensure that your dog still has a good quality of life. One such condition is doggy dementia.  Owners can be truly heartbroken if their dog gets this diagnosis but, with the …

Why Is My Dog Scooting? How to Deal with Anal Gland Problems

If you have ever seen your dog scooting their bottom across the ground it may look funny but actually, dog scooting is a sign that your dog is in discomfort and that some action will be needed to ease this discomfort. Many people think that this dog scooting behaviour is a sign their dog has …

Best Dog Winter Gear – How to Help Your Dog Manage in Extreme Snow

Snow days can be great fun for you and your dog, but dealing with consistently harsh and long winters can take its toll.  If you have to have your dog out in extreme snowy conditions regularly, then there are certain bits of kit that will make walks much more enjoyable for you both. We have …

10 Dog Grooming Tools You Will Wish You Had Considered Sooner

If you have ever had a shedding or long-haired dog, you will be familiar with some of the challenges of managing their coat.  Whether it is dealing with copious balls of fluff that require twice-daily vacuum cleaning (see our article for best vacuum cleaners for dog hair) or keeping on top of mats and tangles …

Tripawds: Helping Your Three-Legged Dog Live Their Best Life

If you have a dog that has an accident or illness (often bone cancer or some other type of bone disease) that requires them having to have a leg amputated it can be extremely distressing for both you and your dog. Sometimes, even when amputation is being recommended as the best course of action, owners …

The Best Healthy Dog Treats

Dog obesity is a huge problem across the Globe.  In North America alone, a 2017 report from The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) estimated that 56% of dogs are obese. This is truly shocking and many owners do not even realise that their dog is too fat and that they are doing their pet …

How to Choose the Best Training Treat Pouch

We are advocates of positive dog training techniques.  Teaching your dog using force-free, scientific and positive methods has been shown to be much more effective and kinder than harsh and aversive techniques and it also helps to create a stronger, happier and more trusting relationship between you and your dog. Food rewards can be great …

10 Awesome Gadgets for the Tech Loving Dog Owner

The world of technology is expanding rapidly and there are now a whole host of gadgets that are available for those tech geek dog owners too.  Even if you are not a collector of all the latest gadgets there are some extremely practical and useful products out there that could really benefit both you and …

22 Essential Items to Get Before Bringing Home Your New Puppy

When you are bringing a new puppy or rescue dog home it can be difficult not to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of products available on the pet store shelves.  Often you can come home with a car full of items, half of which you never even use. We hope that this article gives …

Xylitol: What Is It, Where Is It Found and Why It Is so Dangerous for Your Dog?

Xylitol is a product that is becoming increasingly popular for use in a number of common human food products and household items.  Unlike the much talked about chocolate though, the dangers of this product are little known amongst the wider dog community. We hope that this article will provide you with some useful information and …

Mastering Crate Training: How to Crate Train Your Dog

Crate training can be a contentious issue in the world of dog behaviour and training.  Some people will be aghast if they see a crate in your home, exclaiming that it is cruel to imprison your dog in one! Crate training is NOT cruel – when done properly! If crate training is introduced carefully and …

Tug-Of-War Myth:  Why Playing Tug with Your Dog Is Not a Bad Thing

Has your dog ever shown an interest in playing a game of tug with you but you have quickly nipped it in the bud because you have heard that playing games like that may encourage your dog to become aggressive? Games of tug often satisfy your dog’s natural urge to pull and chew on things  …

Therapy Dogs and Service Dogs: What Are They and Why Are They Important?

Therapy dogs are used in a wide variety of environments and circumstances but, broadly speaking, they are dogs whose presence is designed to help alleviate stress, promote feelings of well-being and sometimes help with a process of rehabilitation or healing in humans other than their owners. Physical contact with dogs has been shown to help …

Best Vacuum for Dog Hair – Best Vacuums for Pet Hair Reviewed

Looking for the best vacuum for dog hair? Believe it or not, though, a shedding dog breed can create a ton of excess hair in your home every day, no matter how frequently you groom them.  Having a hoover that can handle the rigours of cleaning up after your dog can become a big deal. …

20 Dog Training Books Every Dog Owner Should Read

Looking for the best dog training books? Sometimes it can be really useful to have a handy point of reference from a respected source that you can use to help build up your dog training and behaviour knowledge, or it could be that you have a specific skill that you want to work on or …

Best Dog Training Equipment Reviewed

Looking for the best dog training equipment? Even if you have the most well-behaved dog on the planet, it can benefit them to have some basic training.  Not only can it be great brain food, helping them to stay stimulated and entertained, but it can also greatly increase the bond between you and your dog. …

20 Best Gifts For Dog Lovers

It can often be a challenge coming up with gifts for dog lovers. Birthdays and other special occasions.  If you have a friend or family member that is a dog owner and dog lover, fear not, there are lots of unusual, quirky, practical and distinctive gift ideas out there. We have pulled together a list …

The Best Dog Supplements to Augment a Homemade Diet

Dog supplements are a huge business these days.  There are all sorts of vitamins and minerals that can serve as a supplement for dogs available in pet stores and online, and some make claims of miraculous healing and preventative properties.  For owners that may have a sick dog or one with a particular ailment, sometimes …

Dog Limping and When to See a Vet

Is your dog limping? Have you noticed that your dog seems to be limping?  It may not be something you need to panic about but, depending on the severity of their lameness and other environment and physical conditions, it could be something that requires veterinary intervention. They are many causes of limping in dogs – …

The Best Dog Chews

The dog chew market is BIG business.  There are lots of great chew toys out there but it can be hard to know what the best thing to give to your dog is. What is safe, what is good for them nutritionally, what is best for their tummy and your purse?  In this article, we …

How to be an Eco Friendly Dog Owner

In a world where looking out for the environment and being socially responsible is becoming increasingly important, we as consumers are starting to become more aware of the importance of buying ethically.  This is starting to trickle down into the world of dog products and we are beginning to see more and more companies providing …

10 Best Tough Dog Toys

Every dog is different with what they like to play with.  Some dogs love indestructible dog toys and treat them like little babies, carrying the indestructible dog toys around like a comforter,  taking them to bed and occasionally nibbling on their ends. Other dogs love something they can chew on, they may have very strong …

18 Incredible Dog Related Careers

When we think of a career working with animals we often think of low paid jobs or years of hard study.  It is true that some careers working with animals are not the best paid, but who needs lots of money when you are doing something so vocational, that you love and that is so …

10 Smartest Dog Breeds in the World

Looking for the smartest dog breeds? It is actually really difficult to rate a dog’s intelligence.  Whilst there have been a number of studies on the smartest dog breeds, most of these concentrate on how trainable a dog is.  So, this list has been pulled together to give us an idea of some of the …

20 Tips for Helping Your Dog Cope Better with a Car Journey

You have a new dog and you can’t wait to take them to your favourite hiking spot or on a camping trip.  You get all organised and ready to go and then your dog is terrified of getting in the car.  You keep trying until they get themselves really stressed out. Eventually they are in …

Dog Obesity Is More Common Than You Think: Tips for Helping Your Dog Lose Weight

What is the most common killer of dogs?  Would you be surprised to know that it is obesity-related problems? The Statistics Are Concerning Just look at the statistics and there can be no denying this worldwide trend.  The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) reports that, in 2017, an estimated 56% of dogs in North …

Fleas: How to Keep Your Pet and Home from Getting an Infestation

It may not be something you have given too much thought to but, let me tell you, having volunteered with a number of dog rescues across Europe, dealing with a flea infestation, is not only icky but it can be extremely detrimental to the health of your pet and possibly even your wider family.  They …

16 Tips for Helping Your Dog Cope with a Hot Summer

It can be really exciting when the warm weather comes around and it may seem like there could be nothing better than getting out to enjoy a long walk and some warm sun with your dog.  Often people forget that it can actually be quite a risky time for your pup if you don’t help …

How to Choose the Best Dog Harness

Looking for the best dog harnesses? You are going through your list of To Dos for your new puppy/adopted dog and you are feeling overwhelmed.  You have the collar and leash right at the top of the list but then someone asks you if you have a harness. You thought that a collar was enough. …

When Is It Appropriate to Use Dog Coats or Other Clothing for Your Dog?

Looking for the best dog coats? Doggy fashion is a booming business these days.  Pictures of dogs in cute outfits regularly go viral on social media.  Whilst many of these outfits are an indulgence for us as owners rather than for the benefit of our dogs, there are times when dressing up your dog can …

Dog Neutering: The Pros and Cons

Looking to spay and neuter your dogs? Spaying and neutering can be very difficult decisions to make. Dog neutering can be an extremely emotive subject and there can often be strong opinions on both sides of the fence; for and against. I am generally an advocate for spaying and neutering although much of my decision-making …

Ticks: What Are They and How Dog Owners Should Deal with Them

They may freak you out when you first see one, you may panic that your dog is going to become incredibly ill if you find one attached, perhaps you just don’t know what they are.  Ticks are actually an incredibly common problem for dogs and humans that enjoy venturing into the great outdoors but, with …

6 Dog Sports and Their Benefits

There are a whole host of great dog sports that you and your pooch can get involved in.  This article will delve into what is involved in the likes of agility, flyball and competition obedience and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about these subjects. Why would you get involved in a dog …

Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

Ever wondered why does your dog eat grass? Are you finding that everytime your dog goes out into the garden or on a walk they always gravitate towards the grass and they want to gobble it down with great gusto?  Have you heard that dogs only want to do this if they are unwell, have …

What is my Dog Telling me: How to Read Canine Body Language

It is amazing how much a dog communicates through their body language.  Unlike humans, it is so much more than any vocalisations they use may convey. When we think of canine body language we often think of tail wagging, lip curling when growling and a dog putting their hackles up.  It is so, so much …

Dog Parks: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

In principle, dog parks sound like a fantastic idea.  A secure area where your dog can blow of steam whilst having a great time playing with other doggy friends.  It also means you get to socialise with other dog owners that you get to know in the dog park and don’t have to go walking …

Living with a Blind Dog: 12 Tips to Help with Training and Safety

It is a sad fact that dogs in rescue that are blind or have severe sight issues, like deaf dogs, usually have a much harder time being adopted. Don’t forget that humans may rely on our vision more than any of our other scents but dogs are very different, smell is their primary sense and …

The Journey of a Puppy – the Stages of Puppyhood and How to Handle Them

Getting a new puppy is such an exciting time.  All the fun, games and mischief that ensue make it a wonderful period with lots of great memories and plenty of fantastically cute photos to look back on.  It is, however, easy to get carried away with the anticipation and thrill of it all and forget …

Choke Chains and Shock Collars: Why We Don’t Recommend Them

Have you or do you use shock collars or choke chains on your dog?  Perhaps you have had a bad experience and it has changed your mind about using them in the future?   They may get results but at what cost? Being realistic, we do recognise that there can be times when experienced dog …

“My Dog Hates Being Groomed!”: 10 Essential Dog Grooming Tips

For many dogs and their owners, the regular grooming session can become a battle of wills and one that ends up as a real struggle.  It can end up with the dog trying to hide whenever they see the brush coming out and the problems can escalate quickly to the point where there is a …

How to Calm an Anxious Dog: 12 Tips that Work

Want to know how to calm an anxious dog? Living with an anxious and fearful dog can be a challenge.  You often have to make compromises on a daily basis and working towards removing a fearful reaction, whatever it may be towards, can be a long process.  There are no quick fixes. At the same …

House Training a Puppy: 14 Ways to Get it Right

Toilet training or house training a puppy is something that a lot of new dog owners can get frustrated with.  It is not pleasant to come into a room and discover that your new puppy or rescue dog has had an accident on your brand new rug.  Apart from the obvious of not giving your …

Dogs and Children: 11 Tips for a Harmonious Relationship

There are so many times I have watched a clip on Facebook of a child having a “cute” interaction with the family dog and cringed.  This is usually a clip that has gone viral because people love seeing the kid riding the dog like a horse, or being pulled along by the dog’s tail.  Perhaps …

Dog Fireworks Anxiety? 11 Tips to Keep Your Dog Calm During Fireworks

We may love going along to an impressive fireworks display at New Year, Bonfire Night or on the Fourth of July, but for our canine friends with dog fireworks anxiety it can be one of the most stressful times of the year. If you have a dog that does not bat an eyelid at fireworks …

Dog Separation Anxiety – How to Help Your Dog

Dog separation anxiety is fairly common and can result in destructive behavior. In this guide, we share how to break a dog’s separation anxiety based on our personal experiences. How do I know my dog has separation anxiety? Have you come home one day to find that your dog has scratched all the paintwork off …

15 Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe and Warm in the Winter

Annie, my dog, and I are gearing up for a winter season in the Italian Alps.  Whilst I arrange snow shovels and snow tyres for myself, I am also making sure I have all the right gear to ensure Annie has a great time too. If you have a dog, it can be wonderful to …