Why Alpha Dog Training is Outdated
Outdated practices and philosophies of dog training, such as dominance training or the need to be the “alpha” pack leader persist, despite being debunked by modern science. Let’s take a brief look into the history of dog training to understand where practices like alpha dog training originated.
Can Dogs Get Bird Flu?
Bird flu is making the news a lot lately, and you may wonder if dogs can catch bird flu. Also called avian flu or referred to as H5N1, this virus has the potential to expand its horizons beyond birds to humans and other mammals. As of this writing, no dogs have become clinically ill or died from this recent strain of H5N1 bird flu.
Questions to Ask When Adopting a Rescue Dog
The fun part of adopting a rescue dog is figuring out which one speaks to you. Here are some questions you should ask that will help you to figure out which rescue dog is the right one for you.
How to Safely Lift and Carry a Dog
The ability to pick up a large dog requires more than just strength. You need to use the proper technique, understand canine anatomy, and pay careful attention to your large dog’s comfort and safety.
MSM for Dogs
MSM is methylsulfonylmethane, a naturally occurring compound of sulfur, carbon, and oxygen it is is included in most dog arthritis supplements for good reason. It works and has research backing up its use.
Does My Dog Need Electrolytes?
Humans and dogs have different needs for hydration and electrolyte balance. Most healthy dogs do not require added electrolytes in their diet under normal circumstances. Understanding how dogs regulate their hydration and when electrolyte supplementation is truly needed can help you make informed decisions, especially during times of illness or extreme exertion.
Is the Pavement Too Hot to Walk My Dog?
Dog walks are the highlight of the day for most dogs. But what about when it’s hot and humid, with the sun beating down on that black asphalt? How do you know if it’s safe to walk your pup then?
How to Get Mats Out of Dog Hair
An abundance of grooming tools flood the market for dogs who battle hair mats. I urge you to do your due diligence if you prefer to handle much of your dog’s grooming yourself. All tools are not right for all dogs, making research and listening to user reviews very important. Also important, as you will see here, is keeping up with mats and grooming.
Adequan for Dogs
Adequan is an injectable medication for the treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs. It is a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD), meaning it can reverse some of the damage that occurs in arthritic joints.
Nystagmus in Dogs
If your dog’s eyes are rapidly moving, seeming uncontrolled, your dog may be suffering from nystagmus. It’s usually part of vestibular disease, which is common in older dogs.
Using Dog Sign Language in Training
Do you use hand signals to communicate with your dog? You should! When dogs know both hand signals and verbal cues, they are far more likely to respond to the hand signal than a verbal cue. A study published in Animal Cognition shows that “while dogs respond to both gestural and verbal requests, gestures are more salient than words.”
Is Chicken and Rice Good for a Dog?
A chicken and rice diet is a common home remedy for dogs experiencing digestive upset, especially diarrhea. The bland combination is typically palatable for...
Puppy Separation Anxiety
How do you help a puppy with separation anxiety? Well, note that true separation anxiety in a puppy would be rare. Most puppies suffer...
Is That a Hot Spot on My Dog?
Hot spots are localized areas of inflammation and infection of the skin. These raw, inflamed, and sometimes oozing lesions can appear suddenly and worsen quickly if left untreated.
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Don’t Adopt Littermates
STOP! Don’t do it! Whether the idea of adopting two puppies just occurred to you, or you had been planning to adopt two all along, every trainer I’ve ever met would advise you to think twice and adopt just one. Because training and socializing littermates well is more than twice as difficult as training and socializing one puppy.