The Doberman is a medium-large, highly trainable breed with a colorful origin story dating to the 1880s. While running the dog pound in Apolda, Germany, Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann began mixing breeds, looking to create an intelligent guard dog to protect him in his other role as local tax collector. There’s no consensus on which… Read more »
Cats and dogs can live peacefully together, but getting off on the right, er, paw, is much easier than trying to smooth out already ruffled fur. Here are a few tips… Go slow. For the first week or so, let your cat and dog coexist without meeting, getting used to each others’ presence and smell.… Read more »
Happy 2020 folks! One of my goals for this year is to diversify our content and make it more widely accessible. I’ll be working on more in-depth and consistent blog posts, and am hoping to branch out to teaching some classes online as well. You should be able to subscribe to be notified when new… Read more »
Bad breath is a common but highly treatable problem in dogs. The smell, caused by bacteria in your dog’s mouth, stomach, or lungs, most often signals a dental or gastric issue. Sudden or unusually foul breath, however, can indicate serious illness. In all cases, a visit to the vet is important. Don’t assume that unpleasant… Read more »
Guide Dogs Probably the best known assistance dog is the guide dog. We’ve all seen a Lab (or Golden Retriever or German Shepherd) wearing the special harness while carefully guiding their blind owner across the street or down the sidewalk. Here are three interesting facts about guide dogs you might not know: A guide dog… Read more »
Is one-of-a-kind diversity a contradiction in terms? No, that’s just dogs for you. Canis familiaris is the only species on the planet that contains the extreme variety of the Great Dane and the Chihuahua, the Dachshund and the Rottweiler, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Bernese Mountain Dog. There are, give or take a few, four… Read more »
Ask first, greet later. Always ask the guardian’s permission before you let your dog meet another dog. The other dog might be shy, fearful, leash reactive, or—who knows?—in training to learn better greeting manners. This goes doubly for dogs in off-leash areas: If the other dog is on leash, there’s probably a reason. Call your… Read more »
We humans have been “taking the waters” for our health for thousands of years, and over the last decade, more dogs have been getting their paws wet for the same reason. Canine hydrotherapy (also called aqua or swim therapy) is essentially warm-water swimming and/or massage for curative purposes—and it’s very effective. Many veterinarians recommend hydrotherapy… Read more »
How often have you found yourself thinking your dog is sad because he gazes at you with mournful eyes? That a sigh signals boredom? We’re prone to anthropomorphizing animals. It’s hard not to, because our ability to imagine what a dog might want is limited by our knowledge of a dog’s experience of the world.… Read more »
Common practice. All dogs instinctively want to lick their wounds. The reflex was a sound one—once. Healing saliva. The idea that canine saliva contains healing properties is widely held; it appeared in the myths of some ancient societies such as Mesopotamia. Is it fact or fiction? Well, it’s somewhat factual. Dog saliva is slightly bactericidal… Read more »
To a dog, a baby is a very strange creature—tiny, roly-poly, emitting coos and gurgles, and kicking and grasping at everything. What’s more, a baby is an attention magnet and a routine changer. Once baby arrives, life as Fido knew it is never again the same. Some dogs take this in their stride; others struggle… Read more »
Unsafe chewables. Don’t let your dog chew on things like leashes, rope, or garden hose, which can cause intestinal obstruction. Chemicals. Keep all household toxins (bleaches, detergents, disinfectants) well out of reach of your dog—also insecticides, human medications, pool chemicals, paint thinner, and automotive products like antifreeze and radiator fluid. Don’t use chemical cleaning liquids… Read more »
