Best Chuckit! Products for Your Active Dog

Growing up with two German shepherds meant that I had to find plenty of ways to keep them active, because with German shepherds, activity equals happiness. Neither of my German shepherds wanted to stick around for hours to cuddle. Instead, they’d bring sticks, twigs, even leaves sometimes, and drop them at my feet and then …

The Best Products for Dogs With Halitosis

Dogs show a lot of affection with their mouths. After all, we all know that when a dog licks you, it probably means she likes you. But dog mouths are kind of…gross. Even if you work to give your dog dental bones and brush her teeth regularly, she still might end up with halitosis—really bad …

Kids Love Nerf Toys – But Will Your Dog Love Them, Too?

Every time I pass the Nerf toy aisle in the store, my son lunges for the footballs and pellet guns. He’s not even three yet, but somehow he knows that Nerf toys are hot in the world of kids. His older “brother,” a high-schooler we hosted for a year, used to leave on the weekends …

Why Every Dog Needs a Retractable Cable Tie Out

On a recent trip to visit with friends at Alaska’s well-known Red Eagle Lodge—which is near the United States’ largest national park, the 13-million-mile Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve—I found myself in a conundrum. I’d brought Eira on the trip because she’s part of our family and deserves to relax and play away from …

Should You Give Your Dog CBD Oil?

Cannabidiol oil, commonly referenced as CBD oil, is the hottest trend on the natural health market these days. One of many cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis plant, CBD is NOT tetrahydrocannibol, or THC, which intoxicates the user. But like THC, CBD is currently being used and studied for its healing properties. It’s known for …

Does Your Dog Stink? Dog Shampoo for Odor Control That Works

My childhood German shepherd, Clancy, absolutely hated getting a bath. She loved going swimming in lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans, and she loved playing with the water that comes out of a hose. But the second she caught on that you were trying to bathe her, she’d sprint back to her yard and make herself …

The Best Puzzle Toys for Your Intelligent Dog

If you have an intelligent dog, you know they can be both a blessing and a curse. My childhood German shepherd, Clancy, was one such dog. She was so smart that she walked my sister and me to school every day and then found her way home alone (we lived in the country) and jumped …

The Best Nylabone Products for Puppies

Ah, puppies. When I brought my Alaskan shepherd, Eira, home as a two-month-old, I couldn’t wait to cuddle up on the couch with her snuggly self. And at first, that’s exactly what we did a lot of: sit on the couch together, letting her get used to my toddler and to her new home. But …

How the Best Retractable Dog Leash Healed my Relationship with My Dog

I brought my Alaskan shepherd, Eira, home the week of my birthday. Even though my toddler hated it when she howled, we all loved our half German shepherd, half Alaska malamute puppy. I started training her right away and was shocked by how quickly she picked up “sit” and “down” and even, sometimes, “stay.” But …

The Best Kong Products for Big Dogs

The best qualities of big dogs—their love of play, their strength, their protectiveness—also make it difficult to find toys that suit them. You can’t just hop over to the grocery store and grab a couple of fluffy stuffed toys. The moment your big dog gets ahold of them, they’ll be destroyed. That’s where Kong comes …

7 Signs your Dog May be Depressed and What You Can Do About It

In the not-so-distant past, people didn’t think dogs were capable of much feeling. They relegated canines to farm dog status, not taking much stock in their pups’ thoughts, feelings, and emotions. People rarely considered the idea that their dog may be depressed. If your dog seems depressed, read on to find out what common signs …

The Best Senior Dog Food for Older Dogs

Let’s face it: dogs age faster than we do, and it’s hard to watch them start to decline in health. Thankfully there are lots of ways to keep our older dogs happy and as healthy as possible as they age. Finding the best senior dog food for an older dog is a huge way to …

Dog Bladder Cancer – Signs of Bladder Cancer in Dogs and What to Do

In this dog bladder cancer guide we walk you through the signs you should pay attention to and when you should take your dog to the vet. The most common type of bladder cancer in dogs is transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). When I was sixteen years old, my family German shepherd, Clancy, gave birth to …

My Dog Almost Got Killed By A Moose. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Eira Vs. Two Moose For most of the month of February and a good chunk of March, two enormous young moose lived on my street. I live in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley in Southcentral Alaska, where thousands of moose roam forests and towns alike. They’re magnificent, gangly creatures, and it’s thrilling to watch them walk right …

Teaching Your Dog to “Say” Yes or No

We all know dogs are smart, but I recently learned that their intelligence goes beyond their ability to quickly learn different commands. Ones like “sit” and “come” and “stay”. My Alaskan shepherd, Eira, learned those within her first week home. But I wondered if there was something more I could teach her. Something that required …

How to Potty Train Your Dog – Without A Crate

When we brought our Alaskan shepherd —the name for a mix of the Alaskan malamute and German shepherd breeds—puppy home at eight weeks old, I thought it would be easy to potty train her. The breeder had told me she already went to the door when she needed to go out. I figured she would …