Olympic-class athlete, best friend through thickets and thistles, hunter extraordinaire—the German Wirehaired Pointer is a dog of many distinctions. This exercise junkie needs vigorous daily mental and physical stimulation to thrive, and when he gets it, the GWP is mellow at home with his human(s), happy to snuggle up and watch reruns. An all-weather, off-road,… Read more »
Treats are an essential part of doggie life—ask any dog. Not only great for every teachable moment and training session, treats can help you build a positive reaction in your dog to something new or scary. But by definition, treats are delicious and desirable, and treat makers often achieve this with extra fat, salt, and… Read more »
Flyball is a team sport for dogs; the canine equivalent of a relay race. Dogs sprint over a series of hurdles, trigger a spring pad to release a tennis ball, catch the ball, and dash back. It’s a spectator-friendly sport, as popular with hobbyists as with serious competitors. Flyball is the perfect energy outlet for… Read more »
These days, the concept and merit of animal assisted therapy is well known and accepted, even if large-scale research studies on the emotional aspects of the topic are still relatively scarce. It’s hard to pinpoint when the therapeutic potential of animals was first recognized, but many credit Florence Nightingale, an influential figure in the development… Read more »
Puppies are great. They spread joy, provide endless entertainment, and most could win cuteness contests all day long just by existing. But puppies are also fast-growing, potentially havoc-wreaking little learning machines. Nature packs in as much information intake as possible in those first few months and if you’re not prepared? Your puppy may learn all… Read more »
Genetically speaking, dogs and wolves are almost the same: more than 99% of their DNA is identical. How big a difference can that one percent really make? Well, consider this: Humans share up to 98.9% (depending on which model of comparison is used) of genetic material with chimpanzees. Fabulous as chimps are, it’s safe to… Read more »
Teaching your dog to go lie down on his mat or bed on cue gives you a wonderfully versatile tool in your doggie management box. Say you want to work at your desk and not have him underfoot. Or you are cooking and would prefer not to trip over a hopeful canine tracking your every move around the kitchen. Maybe guests are visiting for dinner and they aren’t the belly-scratching kind. There’s no shortage of scenarios where it might be handy to have your dog politely lying on his mat, out of the way of the two-leggeds. Here’s how to train it:
It’s human nature to get sentimental about the past. When we imagine dogs’ lives 100 years ago, what likely comes to mind are idyllic scenes of working dogs herding sheep on green pastures or bouncing alongside horse-drawn fire engines (thank you, Disney). We forget—or never learned about—the popularity of dog fighting, the widespread animal cruelty of the 19th century, or the out-of-control stray problem that saw thousands of dogs rounded up and killed in inhumane ways. Today, fewer dogs do the jobs they were bred for, but they enjoy endless advantages never afforded their forebears.
Stress relief. The verdict is in: dogs are better than vacations. The affection and loving acceptance we get from dogs are among the most effective soothers of human stress. Lower blood pressure. Whether through the increased exercise of daily walks or the above mentioned stress relief, dogs have been shown to reduce high blood pressure.… Read more »
Your Chihuahua may love Boxers and your Rottie mix may adore Dachshunds. But when little and big play together, keep close watch. Big dogs can unintentionally harm small dogs—and on the rare occasions when friendly play escalates into a scuffle, the smaller dog is at risk for serious injury or death. If you let your dog play with very differently sized dogs, supervise vigilantly.
Formal dog training as we know it originated during World War II. Before that, dogs had been working household members and their behavior was largely shaped through organic learning from older dogs. Only when soldiers needed to train large numbers of dogs to assist in warfare did compulsion training arise and, when the war… Read more »
The kid-and-dog combo can be a winner, but often presents a number of challenges—for example keeping everyone happily occupied at the same time. One way to pull that off is to arrange games and activities that kids and dogs can enjoy together. Here are some ideas to get the fun started.
