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What's worse than a skunked dog? One that has rolled in rotting fish carcass.

A Fish Story

What’s worse than a skunked dog? A dog who has rolled in a long-dead, rotten salmon carcass. Rolled in it at length, luxuriously, with relish while ignoring the calls and whistles of her foster provider—even after being abandoned by the other dogs, who did heed their owners’ calls.
These three dogs are well practiced in leash recall which kept them calm and under control instead of chasing a strange cat.

An Open Letter to the People with the Cat

Dear people who were out walking with their cat in the Oroville Wildlife area a week or so ago when you saw a lady and three off-leash dogs emerge from the woods. I am so sorry that we startled you
Rehoming a dog is never easy, but sometimes it seems like the worst possibility.

Rehoming Your Old Dog

Rehoming a dog due to loss of income, loss of a home, or another extreme circumstance is understandable. In other scenarios it's less clear if rehoming is the best option.
Three adorable dogs on a Thanksgiving Hike.

Grateful for Dogs on This and Every Thanksgiving

It goes without saying that on a holiday devoted to gratitude, that I am grateful for my dogs. While they are occasionally a source of concern they are daily a source of amusement and affection, companionship and comfort.
Dog park rules are often listed on signs like the one displayed here.

Dog Park Rules

I am a fan of dog-park rules, and I, too, have taken pictures of the posted rules at every dog park I have ever visited, in an effort to see how different communities have responded to the people and dogs there.
These simple recipes provide a simple way to remove skunk smell from a dog.

The “Magic” Skunk Formula is Science, Not Magic…

Decades ago, a chemist named Paul Krebaum (may his name be honored forever) cracked the chemical code of the stinky, sulfur-containing substances called “thiols” that are in the musk that skunks spray to defend themselves. Krebaum harnessed the power of oxidation, formulating a solution that changes the odorous thiols into odorless acids. He shared the recipe with a workplace friend who had been complaining about the smell of his cat, who had been skunked. Soon, other scientists heard about the formula and it went viral!
Ethical dog food is an increasing concern. Does it affect your pet food buying?

Do Humane Certifications Influence Your Dog Food Buying Decisions?

Whole Dog Journal applaud any efforts made by food producers to buy and use humanely raised meat sources in their products. Do humane certifications or humane claims influence your buying decisions? Please tell us why or why not!
A golden retriever in a pumpkin cap goes trick or treating door to door with a pair of kids.

Have a Happy (and Safe) Halloween with Your Dog

Halloween can also traumatize dogs, or cause them to go missing (all those open doors and distracted door-answerers!). Here are some tips to make sure your Halloween is a safe and happy day for your dog.
Shelter dogs need the care of volunteers to find their forever homes.

Help Needed (at Your Local Shelter)

A couple of weeks ago, I took apart the Great Dane-sized crate that’s been living in my office and said I was taking a break from fostering. And then, as these things tend to go, I found myself putting the crate back together again.
Otto is a handsome boy and vaccinated for parvovirus.

How often do you vaccinate for parvo?

AAHA recommends that adult dogs who have received those core puppy shots be revaccinated a year after the last puppy vaccinations, and every three years thereafter. This is a somewhat reduced schedule from decades ago, when most veterinarians would recommend giving all the core vaccines to every adult dog annually.
Books are beloved stores of information for dog training, and for dog owners.

Sorting Through My Books

Keeping my book collection to only three tall shelves has taken ongoing effort. At least once a year, I’ve had to give the shelves a critical pruning, throwing away titles that contained either incomplete or poor information and donating to my local library books that were of good quality, but not something that I planned to refer to again and again.
Dogs like people grow more frail as they age, and it is heartbreaking to see.

Assessing Frailty in Dogs

If we’re lucky, our dogs live a long, healthy life and, when their bodies wear out, they close their eyes and make that journey to the bottom of the Rainbow Bridge. Unfortunately, a simple death like that is rarely the case leaving owners judging quality of life.

Latest Blog

How to Have a Happy Retirement

A good friend recently gave notice that he wanted to retire from a job he’s had since he was just a tiny puppy. My dog Woody’s best friend Samson, who has never weighed as much as five pounds, has been going to work with my friend Leonora since he was a 3-week-old foster puppy—and recently, he started telling Leonora that he doesn’t want to go to work any more.