Care

I have some good news to report and some bad news. First, the good news: Happy Dog Toys is really on to something. Their products are highly appealing to playful people, so much so that they can’t wait to go try them out with their dogs. The bad news? None of the three interactive toys I tested performed quite as well as their packaging suggested.

Every pet supply store and catalog sells commercially produced recreational chew bones. But there are some things you should know before your dog gnaws one. All the manufacturers whose representatives were willing to be interviewed told us that their companies obtain raw products from American slaughterhouses, and some (such as Abbyland Foods) get bones from their own slaughtering plants.

Oh the joy of romping on a sandy beach! Splashing in the surf! Wind blowing in your hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand and the cry of gulls! You and your best friend together regardless of weather.Sounds romantic and it can be. Most dogs love the beach. If your pup is one of them, you certainly want to give him the opportunity. Besides, you can have a lot of fun, too.

Foxtail" is a generic term that's often applied to several species of wild grasses

You don’t want your dog to be a bully OR a victim on the playground. That’s why it pays to supervise and manage your dog’s social life at the dog park. Play and socialization can mean the difference between a dog who is friendly toward other dogs, and one who is shy, anxious, or even aggressive.

Dandelion offers a broad spectrum of medicinal and nutritional applications that can be freely accessed and safely employed by anyone. Contained within its leaves, roots, and flowers is a myriad of medicinal actions: diuretic, diaphoretic, cholagogue, alterative, astringent, antimicrobial, analgesic, immunostimulant, and nutritive, just to name a few.

but it is a bit pricey. They will start flying soon; for more information

Herbalist Greg Tilford shares his recipes for building a dog's defenses against fleas. Although they prefer a warm, humid climate, fleas can thrive virtually anywhere, even places where they seemingly have nothing to eat. When food (like your dog) is not available, fleas will feed upon the bodies of each other as they lay in wait for a larger meal, nestled within the ground covers, carpets, and cracks they call home.

That night, I learned that hiking and camping were two distinctly different activities for this young dog. The biggest problem arose when he decided that my little tent was something to be avoided at any cost. Leaving him alone outside of the tent was not a safe option, and it was too cold and damp for me to sleep outside with him. I set to work convincing him that our tent really was an okay place to be. After what felt like hours of coaxing, he finally joined me inside the tent. Throughout what remained of the night, he woke me up by growling at every little nighttime noise.

Beef hides and hooves, pig ears and snouts – Do you know which of these animal products are good for your dog, and which are dangerous? Walk down the right aisle in any pet supply store and you can't miss them: row upon row, bin upon bin of preserved and processed animal parts, all intended for your dog's chewing pleasure. First, there are the rawhide products – perhaps the least visually objectionable stuff on display. Most pet stores carry many varieties of rawhide chews, including flat discs, round rolls, twisted and braided chews, and fanciful items such as rawhide footballs and food bowls.

One of our primary responsibilities as caretakers of our canine companions is to keep them safe. There seems to be an endless host of hazards just waiting to take advantage of a breach in our defenses and attack our unsuspecting pals. If you've owned dogs for any length of time, you've probably encountered your share of those hazards and vowed not to make the same mistakes again. It's easy to become paranoid and want to shroud your four-legged family members in bubble wrap to protect them. But how much protection is reasonable? How do you keep your dog safe and still let him enjoy his life as a dog?

Some (though certainly not all) holistic veterinary practitioners sometimes use unconventional diagnostic methods. Whole Dog Journal describes some of these tools, from the nearly ordinary to the truly far-out. Every system of medicine has something to offer, even if it’s hard to explain just what it is and how it works.