Lifestyle

The balls that rose to the top of our review are ones that survived months of playing by fairly aggressive chewers without much more than cosmetic damage – and that the dogs themselves returned to play with again and again. There were a few balls included in our review that the dogs almost never selected to play with; for some reason, they were less engaging than the others.

where the dogs helped with herding dairy cattle

happy in a "forever home" where he is loved

The term “recovery collar” is becoming the standard term to refer to what has been called an Elizabethan collar, a pet cone, or more humorously, a lampshade, a pet radar dish, and, of course, the misnomer “cone of shame.” There is no shame in needing help! The term Elizabethan collar is still heard frequently, but because it tends to be shortened to e-collar and because that’s also a shortened version of electronic collar, the phrase is falling out of use for this application.

Before you embark on a trip with your dog, think of her individual preferences in addition to yours. It's wonderful when your dog is easygoing and gets along with everyone. Our dog is one of those - she greets all humans and other dogs (and even cats and rabbits!) with a happy tail wag and sniff. But your dog may not be as social, so determine realistically the sort of places and times where your dog will be most comfortable. Is there a particular path or trail that is less populated at certain times? If your dog is reactive, maybe it's time to work on some counter-conditioning and desensitization before embarking.

Using a harness for dogs instead of a collar has huge benefits. There are many types of dog harnesses out there, and finding the best adult dog or puppy harness might seem like a daunting task. This Whole Dog Journal review of harnesses does all of the trial and error work of finding a quality harness for you! For dogs who pull on leash, WDJ strongly prefers harnesses over choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, and even flat collars and head halters.

For 20 years, Whole Dog Journal has upheld its reputation as a leader in dog companionship and care information. We take our mission statement seriously, and we've gained a lot of respect for that over the years, bringing us more and more new readers every month! However, now we'd like to share with our readers both new and old three aspects of the dog guardianship world you will NOT find in Whole Dog Journal.

Thank you for your article on prison dog training programs (Jail House Dogs

If your dog has arthritis or is recovering from an injury or has a condition that restricts her range of motion, a variety of assistance devices ranging from simple to sophisticated can help her live a more comfortable, active life. Steps and ramps are affordable, portable aids for dogs who need help getting onto or off of furniture or into and out of vehicles. For dogs with neck or spine injuries or osteoarthritis, elevated food and water bowls may help reduce pain (or anxiety about pain) from reaching down to eat or drink from low bowls.

According to that book that everyone has been talking about for over a year (The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up), we're all supposed to get rid of stuff that doesn't bring us joy. You may have been working on that, or not. That's your business. Our business is telling you about stuff that will bring you and your dog joy! Or, at the very least, keep him safer and more comfortable. That's something to be joyous about, in our book!

Whole Dog Journal has never published a dog gift guide before. But after spending three days at Superzoo, a gigantic trade show for pet-industry retailers, we came home with so many dog product samples of chew toys, dog bowls, winter jackets for dogs, dog beds, and different toys for dogs that we had to share some of the best with you. We hope you get some ideas for great dog gifts for the dogs and dog owners you love.

My husband Brad and I like to think we keep a pretty clean house, but sometimes we're amazed at how much hair and dirt...