Mixed Results from Reaching Out to Pet Food Companies About DCM
Long-time WDJ contributor Mary Straus and I are working on some articles about the cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy that have been discussed in...
Why Play Is Important For Dogs
I read a recent
article in The Atlantic about
some scientists who taught rats to play hide-and-seek as part of a larger study
about the neuroscience of play....
Always Be Prepared for Emergencies
We had a little practice fire drill here last week. I mean,
there was an actual fire, and the mandatory evacuations that were ordered were
close...
Beware of harmful algal blooms (HABs)
There are many global environmental disasters that I am
concerned about in a big-picture way, but at this time of year, the one that I
am...
What Did My Dog Swallow?
A couple nights ago, I awoke in the middle of the night to
that one sound that no dog owner can ignore: that lurching sound...
Does your dog have a rock solid recall?
Someone sent me a link to this news story about a Texas dog owner being caught on video (taken inadvertently by a neighbor’s Ring...
When Is the Right Time for Euthanasia?
I have a number of friends (and a family member) who have
dogs who are nearing the end of their days. I’m noting and processing...
Interesting Reads for Dog Lovers
It’s probably self-evident that most writers and editors
enjoy reading. We read professionally, and also for fun.
Lately, though, my reading has been getting in...
Plan ahead to socialize your puppy early!
Recently, I witnessed an older couple struggling to carry a
crate into a puppy kindergarten class. Once inside, they opened the crate and a
large and...
A Perfect New Home For My Foster Dog Odin
When, back in March, I scheduled a week-long vacation for
early July, I of course had no way of knowing a huge, dog-related story was
going...
Update on grain-free diets and DCM cases in dogs
On June 27, 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an update to two previous advisories regarding dog food and dogs...
Skunks and Fireworks Are NOT a Dog’s Best Friends
My senior dog Otto has never liked fireworks, but he’s never been a total wreck around the Independence Day holiday, either. He will pant...
Latest Blog
Spay Surgery Is Not Required to Stop Canine Reproduction
While estimated numbers for 2023 and 2024 won’t be available for another year or two, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the number of euthanized pets will be far higher than the lowest historic counts.