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It's that time of year again: when rising temperatures lure dogs and dog owners to bodies of water, intent on cooling off, and when the water itself becomes dangerous to drink or swim in. The dangerous element, a toxic substance often called blue-green algae

Have you ever met a dog who is fun, smart, and friendly ¬– but who seemed to have no real interest in humans, or at least, you in particular? Perhaps this sort of dog is right for some occupations, and perfect for some people, but for me, a dog with affiliative" behaviors is a must. I like dogs who like people! I'm not alone

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in the highly unusual (for me) position of being in a strange city and ready for my flight home more than an hour before I needed to go to the airport. So I killed time by asking my phone to direct me to a nearby pet supply store. Some national chain stores populated the list, but then I recognized the name of a small, regional chain, Centinela Feed. I hadn't been to one of those stores before, but I knew that the folks who own the chain are also behind Lotus Pet Food. They had invited me a few years ago to tour and take pictures and video of the canning facility they built, where they make Lotus's canned foods. But I hadn't had time on that trip to visit any of their stores.

A short blog post today, to remind myself (and perhaps others) of something so simple I forget it all the time: When a dog is having trouble learning something, pose the question" differently!Case in point: I'm fostering a puppy

Many of us feel sorry for the animals" when we visit a shelter's adoption row and look upon the faces of the dogs who desperately need homes. But those are the lucky ones – the ones who have been assessed and deemed "adoptable." There are many other dogs in shelters who may not be so fortunate."

We've all seen them: online pleas for donations on charity fundraising sites, supposedly to benefit a person or pet in need. Sometimes it's a fantastic cause, but please be aware that sometimes, it's a scam! I recently saw a short article on the website of my local TV news channel, telling the story of a dog who had been reported missing in February, who was found in late April, trapped in the basement of a home that had burned to the ground some time ago. The Lab-mix had apparently survived by drinking rainwater, but there was no food, and she had lost nearly as much body weight as she possibly could and still survive. She was reported to be more than 60 pounds when she went missing, and was down to 26 pounds when found, not much more than skin and bones. Dramatic photos accompanied the article, including one of the dog still trapped in the basement.

Once in a while, I hear of a unique idea to support a great cause that really grabs my attention. In this case, it's movies going to the dogs… more specifically, the Ruff Cuts Film Festival, a canine-themed event founded in 2014 by Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV). Taking inspiration from great film events such as Banff, Sundance, and Cannes, the Ruff Cuts Film Festival puts a new twist on the idea and features dog-themed independent films. Founder Peggy Law established the festival not only as an annual fundraiser for the non-profit SDV, but also as a way to celebrate the amazing relationship between people and dogs.

Enjoying the mild spring weather, I was working with all the doors and windows in my house open. So when my dogs, who had free run of the house and backyard, started to bark at something, I looked out the window and saw a stray dog wandering around the front yard. He's about 50 pounds, some sort of Kelpie/Cattle Dog-mix. I got up and went out the front door, and he ran off down the street. I almost started to look for a leash and treats, but I was busy, on deadline, so I went back to work. Ten minutes later, the barking started again, and there is the dog again.

The May 2015 issue of Whole Dog Journal contains two in-depth articles about the venomous snakes in North America that are potentially dangerous or deadly to dogs. The main article discusses the rattlesnake vaccine and antivenom treatments, as well as practical tips for avoiding snakes and emergency first-aid for snake bites. The second article discusses snake-avoidance training methods that do not involve shock collars. Subscribers to the WDJ can check out these articles and more at wholedogjournal.com -- and in the hard copy of the magazine, in their mailboxes now.

Sorry if this is the fifth time in the past year that we've run a reminder in either the magazine, the blog, or the Facebook page, but here goes: To give your dog the best chance of survival in a car accident, you really have to have him or her in a crate that is solidly fastened into the car, or seat-belted in a proper harness, one that has been independently crash-tested and approved by the Center for Pet Safety (CPS).

My stepson and daughter-in-law have a son, who will be three years old in May. Their whole family moved to my town a year ago, so I've been spending a lot of time in my new role as Nana. When my own son was about the same age as my grandson, my mother accomplished the lion's share of his potty-training over the course of a single weekend, using M&Ms as rewards for going in the potty." So I feel a certain amount of responsibility to "pay it forward" to my stepson and his wife

My friends and family members, close and extended, often ask me questions about dogs. What sort of food should we feed our dog? Where is the best place to adopt a dog? What's the best breed? How do we train her to stop barking? Should I get the rattlesnake vaccine? Oh, and what's the best food to feed our dog? (I get that last one a lot!)RARELY do my family members and friends listen all the way, or take all of my advice. And I know I'm not alone; I'm sure it's the same with doctors and lawyers and therapists and car mechanics; people hear what they want to hear and do what they want to do. But when someone I know – a civilian, not a dog person" – does listen