Care

The secret to happy chewing is variety. Be creative… think rubber, plastic, rope, wood, body parts (pizzles, pig ears, cow ears, chicken feet, chicken necks), fuzzy things, leather things, carrots, oranges, and more. There are advantages and disadvantages to each – they can all break, splinter, shred, be ingested – so it pays to have a chat with your vet about what to watch for when you choose your chews. …

Tinctures are liquid extracts that preserve the medicinal properties of the fresh or dried herbs they contain. Alcohol is the most widely used tincture solvent because it extracts fats, resins, waxes, most alkaloids, some volatile oils, and other plant components, which it preserves indefinitely. Vegetable glycerin, a sweet, syrupy liquid, dissolves mucilage, vitamins, and minerals but does not dissolve resinous or oily plant constituents. Apple cider vinegar does not break down plant constituents as effectively…

Almost as soon as I walked into Boomer's house I could tell his owner was nervous. This isn't all that unusual when meeting a new client for the first time. I always have my new clients put the dog in another room so we can get acquainted with each other and have some time to chat without being distracted. Very often, the clients are uneasy during these initial consultations; I've grown accustomed to it. After all, often they have agonized over acknowledging their dog's issues and their decision to call in a professional. But after a few minutes, I could tell there was something more. I'd been called to help her dog with his reactive behavior. She related that he lunged and barked at some people as they walked by. During our discussion, she seemed unusually pensive and was having difficulty making eye contact with me. So I pressed, Is there anything else you need to tell me? Whatever it is

Increasing research proves that animals, including domestic dogs and cats, understand what it means to have an ailment, and can in fact self-medicate with remedies found in nature. Ever catch a dog eating grass, and immediately try to stop them? This is mysterious behavior, since we know grass makes dogs vomit 8 out of 10 times. But what if that's the whole point? As savvy pet owners, we ought to utilize more natural remedies for our pets because they are good for them, effective, and on some level, our pets actually seem to know them better than we do.

Coyotes aren't the only canines that can benefit from the healthy attributes of Rosa species, and in fact, wild roses aren't the only varieties with healing powers. In fact, all species of rose are useful, including domestic varieties in the garden. The astringent tannins contained in the twigs, bark, and roots of the plant help reduce minor inflammations of the skin and digestive tract, making the herb useful in a broad variety of applications. …

Does this collar make me look fat?" This is not a question your dog is likely to ever ask

Would a dog benefit from using medical marijuana? Legally, they're not allowed to, but many believe it could relieve pain the same way it does for humans.

Fact or fiction: If a family member brings the dog my baby's blanket ahead of time

First comes love, then comes marriage … And a dog! For many couples, starting a family means sharing their lives with a dog before the decision to have kids. Later, with a positive pregnancy test in hand, many dog owners worry about how their first baby" will accept the "new baby." From a trainer's perspective

Massage, for dogs? Yes! Dogs, just like humans, usually love a good therapeutic massage. Just like us, they enjoy the relaxation that massage provides and the relief from muscle aches and pains that can come from a day of hard playing, a long hike, or even from just lying around. They don't know about the benefits they're receiving, or that they will soon experience a feeling of well-being and rejuvenation. They just know that someone is touching them in a way that takes away pain and feels really good.

Here are some mistakes commonly made by people trying to convince a reluctant dog to play:

Tug. Fetch. Chase. Search. Most of us love to play with our dogs. Whether we're tugging, tossing a ball or a stick, or playing some other game, one of the great joys of sharing our lives with canine companions is the opportunity to engage in mutually enjoyable activities, i.e., play. However, for dogs, playing with humans is a learned behavior. Dogs who don't have the opportunity to play with humans early in life may grow up with a play behavior deficit – one that can interfere with their ability to connect with the two-legged members of their family in a way that's important and meaningful.