Are You Ready for This?

In addition to being joy-spreading, frolicsome, heart-stealing little creatures, puppies are also a great deal of work, and preparation is key to making your puppy’s entry into your life a success all round. Buy puppy equipment. At a minimum, you will need: Food (everyday meals, chews) and bowls. Puppy crate. X-pen or baby gate. Kong… Read more »

We Can’t All Be Social Butterflies

We all want our dogs to play nice with other dogs—and shouldn’t it come naturally? Dogs are social, after all. So why does an otherwise sweet-natured canine buddy turn into a killjoy at the park? Well, dogs can be introverts, too. Like humans, they can have bad days and they occasionally form instant dislikes to… Read more »

When You Can’t Get Fido Out

The difference between a well-exercised dog and one who hasn’t gotten out for a few days can be striking. Where’d my nice-mannered, calm companion go? And who does this whirling dervish belong to? Sometimes you just can’t get the dog out—inclement weather, personal or public health conditions, or canine injury can all get in the… Read more »

SUP with your pup!

If you and your dog both love water, stand-up paddle boarding (SUPing) is a great way to enjoy the water with your best friend. SUPing is an easy sport to master and has the added benefit of not requiring a large investment in equipment—just a board and a paddle and you’re good to go! Well,… Read more »

5 Training Tips for Easier Walks

Use the Best Equipment. Walks should be enjoyable and pain-free, for you and your dog both. Use humane no-pull equipment that employs natural counter-balance approaches to curb pulling without the use of pain or the risk of tracheal damage. There are many choices on the market these days. Ask a positive reinforcement trainer to help… Read more »

West Paw Flash Sale! + 10% Off Everything Else

We’re having a last-minute West Paw Flash Sale – 20% off all in-stock items. Order deadline: Deadline to complete order is Sunday, July 5th at 6pm PST. Picking up: Local contactless pickup is off of Maytown Road in Olympia on Tuesday evening, July 7th, or Saturday, July 11th between 10am and 12pm. Ordering: If you’d… Read more »

5 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Busy

Dogs get stir-crazy, too. If yours is climbing the walls and driving you to distraction, here are five ways to help him chill. Lots of exercise. “A tired dog is a good dog” is a cliché for good reason. It’s easy to be well-behaved when you’re sleeping off a good run. If a run isn’t… Read more »

Let Them Sniff

We all know dogs require daily exercise to thrive. But in the rush to provide our canine companions with a good cardio workout, we may be overlooking another equally important need: The need to sniff. Sniffing is central to a dog’s experience of his environment. Consider the daily dog walk. As we put one foot… Read more »

Did You Know: The Most Popular Dog Names?

Of all time, female: Molly, Bella, Daisy, Maggie, Lucy, Ginger, Bonnie, Sadie, Sophie, Lady Of all time, male: Max, Jake, Buddy, Jack, Cody, Charlie, Bailey, Rocky, Sam, Buster Today, female: Bella, Luna, Lucy, Daisy, Lily Today, male: Charlie, Max, Bailey, Cooper, Rex Naming trends: The steady stream of Marvel movies has seen over 30% more… Read more »

Dogs in the Workplace

One of the hardest things about living with dogs is leaving them behind every day for the office. Those puppy-dog eyes can really do a number on a dog lover. Fortunately, more and more workplaces welcome dogs. That improves the lives of dogs, their guardians, and the company’s bottom line. Employers report reduced absenteeism and… Read more »

Seizure-Alert Dogs

Service dogs most often bring to mind guide dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the deaf. Seizure-alert dogs serve their people by warning of an oncoming seizure, allowing time for safety precautions like lying down, taking medication, or proactively calling for assistance. The ability to sense an oncoming seizure appears to be strongly… Read more »

We Are What We Eat

We are what we eat. It’s a common saying about human nutrition, acknowledging the critical link between our health and our diet. And it’s true of dogs, too. The question of canine nutrition has garnered increasing attention over the last couple of decades, bringing an ever-burgeoning pet food market in its wake. The choices are… Read more »