Search Results for: dog food
Do Dogs Get Colds?
As humans, we’re prone to getting colds once in a while. The sniffles, stuffy noses, sneezing, and all-around feeling of malaise that come with colds is certainly not pleasant. And we all know that colds are highly contagious and can easily be spread from one person to another. That is, after all, how people get …
Why Your Dog Needs a Benebone
I’ve always walked past the Benebone section in the store without paying it much interest. The bones aren’t flashy or exciting, like Nylabones (which we love), and they’re a little more expensive than the typical synthetic dog bone. But there they were, those humble bones, when I walked by them the other day. I finally …
How to Plan a Vacation with Your Dog
It’s that sweet time of year again when the cities are hot, the beaches are crowded, and the travel sites’ colorful images scream “book me”! But if your family happens to include a certain furry, four-legged canine member, vacation packages are usually not an option as they rarely allow dogs. Traveling with a dog requires …
Should You Spay vs Neuter Your Dog – Pros and Cons
New dog parents find themselves wondering whether and when they should have their canine companion spayed or neutered. Is it time to spay your new female pooch? Or neuter your male canine companion? Knowing when to spay a dog, especially when they have already reached adulthood can be harder to determine. Excited about bringing your …
How to Manage IBD in Dogs
Nothing frustrates a dog parent more than arriving home and being greeted with a smelly wrecked living room or kitchen, courtesy of your pooch. Like humans, dogs don’t mean to make gastrointestinal messes. The main culprit is IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disease. IBD leads to unpredictable and uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. If your …
Kidney Failure in Dogs: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Did you find out that your canine companion is suffering from kidney failure? As a dog ages, kidney failure becomes more prevalent. Like humans, a dog’s kidneys maintain an average concentration of salt and water in his body. They balance substances in the dog’s blood and filters body waste as urine. Dog kidneys also aid …
How to Throw a Birthday Bash for Your Dog
This summer, my Jack Russell Terrier, Jake, turned 13, which is 68 in dog years. Usually, I give my pets a special meal to commemorate their birthdays, but this year was different. It’s not everyday that a pup enters his teen years. So, I decided to throw him a birthday party. Pets are family and, …
7 Common Skin Problems in Dogs and How to Manage Them
There are few issues that plague dogs (and their caretakers) more persistently than problems with the skin. Although some breeds are more prone to skin problems than others (my shih-tzu, for example), all dogs are susceptible to a wide array of skin conditions ranging from a simple flea allergy to a full-fledged case of sarcoptic …
The Best Dog Water Bottle
Like so many dog lovers all over the planet, I’ve always loved bringing my dogs with me to explore the outdoors. Whether we’re doing grueling mountain hikes or long river-floating trips, it’s always been fun to have a dog’s companionship. But something I have always worried about is this: how do I most effectively bring …
15 Dog Friendly Things to Do in Wisconsin
Known as “America’s Dairyland” for its milk and cheese production, for its sports teams (NFL’s Green Bay Packers, MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, and NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks), and for being the home of authors Laura Ingalls Wilder and Aldo Leopold, the state of Wisconsin is also noted for its natural beauty, outdoor adventures, urban events, wineries, and …
What Did Your Dog Just Say? 15 Bark Sounds and What They Mean
Some dogs bark due to boredom, loneliness, or lack of exercise. Others bark incessantly to get attention or release stress. My dog barks to annoy me. Just kidding. The truth is, no dog barks just to drive us insane. Dogs bark for many different reasons and now, thanks to some pretty cool studies, we are …
Why Your Dog Totally Needs a Handheld Pet Massager
Dogs are often hailed as great stress-relievers for humans. Along with getting lots of sleep, good food, regular exercise, and the occasional massage or spa therapy, we humans get all kinds of advice on how to keep our stress levels down. Add dogs to the mix and you get a super-relaxed human: research shows that …
Can Dogs See Color? (Plus, facts about your dog’s vision—and yours—that may surprise you.)
Here’s a familiar scenario: you and your dog Fido walk into the backyard to check your garden, but your garden’s progress also impresses the neighborhood rabbit. There it sits, nibbling your lettuce. You point him out to Fido, hoping the dog will chase the freeloader away. The rabbit freezes as Fido looks left, then right, …
Can Dogs Detect Earthquakes? How to Prepare and Help Your Dog Cope After an Earthquake
On a wonderful, run-of-the-mill Fourth of July holiday with fireworks earlier this month, Southern California was hit with two consecutive, horrible earthquakes. Just before the first earthquake, being a SoCal resident, our pets began to bark, squack, and whimper. My dog immediately jumped up, only to begin barking at us with a ferocity and sense …
Idiopathic Head Tremors in Dogs: Should You Be Concerned?
When Capa, my Labrador Retriever mix, sat in his chair with his head bobbing up and down uncontrollably, it freaked me out. My dog is healthy overall, and I wasn’t told about any health problems or chronic conditions when I adopted him. Still, here he was with his head shaking as if he had developed …
How to Teach Your Dog to Sit the Right Way
It’s the very first thing you teach your new puppy to do. In fact, many puppies start to learn it on their own! The all-important “sit” command. However, some dog owners actually teach their puppy how to sit incorrectly. Even worse, some dogs never actually learn what “sit” means, they just sort of guess what …
How To Help Dogs Suffering From Trauma
Dogs are life long snuggle buddies and forever friends. They comfort you in times of need, celebrate your accomplishments and, know how to give some sloppy kisses. They are faithful, loyal and, good companions. From sled to service dogs, these animals have shown their value to us. Generations of strong, healthy breeds have shown the …
The Best Multivitamin for Big Dogs
Call me clueless, but I only recently found out that you can actually find out which vitamins and minerals your body is lacking by having blood tests done. A healthcare provider ordered a comprehensive set of labs for me, and I discovered that I was severely deficient in several vitamins and micronutrients, including Vitamin B, …
5 Signs Your Dog May be Jealous and What You Can Do About It
Jealousy in dogs can be quite common, especially if they are used to being the centre of attention. Naturally, dogs can be territorial. When they believe something is theirs and they do not like sharing, it can cause jealousy. This could be with a person, toy, food or anything else that they associate as their …
The Best Grain-Free Treats for Dogs
A few years ago, grain-free was all the rage. I remember feeling bad for my German shepherd, Bella, because I couldn’t afford to buy her grain-free dog food and figured I was probably poisoning her system. But while it’s never good to buy dog food that’s stuffed with corn- and wheat-based fillers (especially if the …
How to Help Your Dog Recover from Jet Lag
Dog boarding facilities are extremely popular these days, allowing pet owners to travel – whether for quick weekends or extended holidays – knowing that their pets are being well-cared for while they’re away. But many pet owners also like to take their dogs with them on their travels when feasible. Nowadays, in fact, more and …
Is Your Dog Autistic? Possible Symptoms and Treatment
With the rise of autism in current times, do you find yourself wondering whether your dog could have autism? Does it make you worry when you notice your canine companion unwilling to play, cuddle, or reluctant to do just about anything? Veterinarians have been trying to figure out the occurrence of autism-like symptoms in puppies …
8 Brilliant Tricks to Teach Your Dog
In the world of trick training, there are hundreds of tricks you can teach your dog and a wide variety of skills needed to perform those tricks. Some are flashy, like a performing animal in a circus, and others might require the development of a particular skill such as nosework, coordination or precision-based training, to …