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Joan Merriam

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Joan Merriam lives in Northern California with her Golden Retriever Frankie and Maine Coon cat Indy, both rescues. She’s lived with dogs for most of her life and has been writing a syndicated newspaper column on life with dogs since 2012. As a freelance writer, she’s authored three books and numerous articles on everything from animals and aging to politics and popular culture. She also teaches Communication Studies at a California community college.
Australian cattle dogs are considered one of the healthiest dog breeds.
Health

Identifying the Healthiest Dog Breeds (and a Few Myths Busted)

Joan Merriam 0
Search and rescue dogs play a vital role in first response after a disaster or major incident.
Dogs with Jobs

Extraordinary Canines: The Dogs of Search and Rescue

Joan Merriam 0
Canine MRIs have played a role in better understanding what dogs think about.
Behavior

Do Dogs Think? (and other curiosities about the dog brain)

Joan Merriam 1
How do you help a dog cope with the loss of another dog?
Behavior

Do Dogs Grieve the Loss of Another Dog?

Joan Merriam 7
Scientists have proven that dogs can smell cancer with implications for early dectection.
Human Focus

Can Dogs Smell Cancer?

Joan Merriam 0
Dogs may take their food to different places in before they eat it.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Take Their Food to Different Places?

Joan Merriam 0
Why dogs circle before they lay down is an unexplored mystery.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Circle before Lying Down?

Joan Merriam 0
Dogs dig for a variety of reasons, instincts, stress, or just because they enjoy it.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Dig?

Joan Merriam 0
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?

Joan Merriam 0
Dogs that suck on, chew, or lick blankets may be seeking a sense of security.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Suck on Blankets?

Joan Merriam 0
Why do dogs like belly rubs? A combination of emotion and instinct.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Like Belly Rubs?

Joan Merriam 0
Why does your dog sit on you? Most likely affection.
Behavior

Why Do Dogs Sit on You?

Joan Merriam 0

Latest Blog

A beautiful golden retriever puppy given as a Christmas gift.
Blog

Dogs Should Not Be Gifts!

Nancy Kerns 4
I’ve given a few private lessons to a client who received an 8-week-old Golden Retriever puppy as a Christmas present. This man is retired, a recent graduate of cancer treatments, and lives alone. His young adult children apparently thought he needed a companion and bought him the puppy as a gift.
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