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The best in health, wellness, and positive training from America’s leading dog experts

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Why Do Dogs Roll on Their Backs?

By
John Strassburger
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There could be many reasons why dogs roll on their backs. One thing known for sure is that it feels good, especially on grass. Credit: Smartshots International| Getty Images

Why do dogs roll on their backs? A study published in a 2015 issue of Behavioural Processes determined that rolling over during play was a “combat maneuver adopted as part of an ongoing play sequence.” The researchers found the frequency of rollovers depended upon how long the play lasted. They considered none of the movements submissive, but instead, decided the dogs were either exhibiting defensive or offensive maneuvers during the play. This study debunks the idea that a dog rolling over, or showing their stomach to you or another dog, is a sign of submission.

We suspect there are a lot of reasons why dogs roll and, while behaviorists are amazing scientists, the dogs aren’t talking. One thing we know for sure – because dogs tell us with their body language and the above study says they saw it most during play – is that rolling feels good!

Dogs My Roll Because of Itchy Skin

Some dogs do roll because they’re trying to scratch an itch they can’t reach any other way. This is perfectly normal. The one thing we know for sure – because they tell us with their body language and facial expressions – is that it feels good to them, especially rolling in grass.

Excessive scratching, however, especially to the point of damaging the hair or the skin, could be a sign of a problem, such as fleas, ticks, parasites, pain, or an allergy. If that is the case, veterinary help is necessary.

Dog Roll to Hide Their Scent

Animal experts believe another cause of rolling goes back millions of years – to when dogs were wild and had to hunt for food. They roll in a scent other than their own to hide their own scent, so their prey won’t smell them as they approach.

And usually the smellier it is, the better it is. Other animals’ urine or feces, or even a dead animal, are best for the job of masking.

We know that dogs smell in layers, unlike humans. For instance, when we find a rose that smells like a skunk sprayed it, we only smell the skunk spray. But a dog smells the skunk spray and the rose.

Similarly, a dog can smell a tree that two or more dogs have marked with urine and identify those dogs. And when you see your dog sniffing the breeze, he’s identifying scents familiar and foreign, and dogs have an uncanny ability to smell things, which is one of the reasons they are such an asset in criminal investigations. Dogs enjoy scent, which may be one of the reasons scent games are increasing.

What Are the Best Dog Supplements?

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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The best dog supplements will help keep your dog fit and active.
Keeping your dog fit and at a good weight will go a long way toward maintaining his active lifestyle, but arthritic joints are as inevitable for your dog as they are for us, and a good joint supplement can be money well spent. Credit: Tim Platt | Getty Images

Supplements are a big buzzword for dog owners right now. You name the problem, and you can find a nutritional supplement for it. But does your dog really need a supplement? Except in the case of dogs battling arthritis and needing a joint supplement or some high-performance dogs, probably not.

Best Dog Hip and Joint Supplements

Joint supplements for arthritis have research behind their use. Glucosamine, chondroitin, Boswellia, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, and avocado soy unsaponifiables (ASUs) have clinical backing. Best of all, research is ongoing in this area, so other substances like hyaluronic acid (HA), green-lipped mussels, and MSM are also being researched with promising results. Many canine products are being developed based on decades of research from equine and human supplements.

Joint supplements are expensive, and you do need to feed the amounts recommended or you are just wasting your money, including the required “loading period,” where you may have to give additional product in the first few weeks or so. Be sure to give the product a fair chance to show if it’s helping, which means keeping your dog on the product for at least two months.

Starting your dog on supplements sooner rather than later is wise. Supplements cannot reverse arthritis damage, but some research shows they can help delay its onset. Many owners of dogs who compete in canine sports begin supplementing their dogs early in their careers. For older dogs, in many cases, joint supplements can make your dog comfortable, help to minimize pain and to maximize mobility into your dog’s senior years. For some, however, the arthritis damange may be extensive enough that your dog may require pain medications to keep him active.

Choosing a Joint Supplement

Once you get finish your research and come up with helpful ingredients, you need to consider the many different supplement brands. The National Animal Supplement Council evaluates the products from its member companies to ensure that these supplements do contain what the labels state and to check that the company meets high standards of manufacturing and ingredients. Your veterinarian can guide you as well, but checking for a product with an NASC seal on it is still wise.

Other Nutritional Supplements

While joint supplements do have proven benefits for arthritis, if you’re feeding quality food with an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy on the bag that is appropriate for your dog’s life stage, your dog’s diet likely already covers any nutritional needs. Adding more is not always a good thing. You can even make your dog sick, as it’s important to consider what medications he is on and if there are potentially toxic interactions.

Ask yourself if there is evidence to back up any claims for the product you are considering. Look for a clinical trial or two that followed proper scientific protocols. Better yet, see if you can find one published in a peer-reviewed veterinary journal. Chances are, you can’t, except for joint supplements, as indicated. And always discuss nutritional supplements with your veterinarian.

What is Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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This overweight dog suffers from Cushing’s Syndrome, causing him to experience constant thirst, drink too much water, and have to urinate frequently. Photo by ktaylorg, Getty Images
This overweight dog suffers from Cushing’s Syndrome, causing him to experience constant thirst, drink too much water, and have to urinate frequently. Photo by ktaylorg, Getty Images

Cushing’s disease in dogs, also known as hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), is a syndrome that occurs when the dog’s body is under the influence of too much steroid, whether it be natural steroid produced in the body or steroid medications that were administered to treat another condition.

The most common symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs include:

  • Excessive thirst (polydipsia)
  • Excessive urination (polyuria)
  • Excessive hunger and eating (polyphagia)
  • Excessive panting
  • Muscle weakness
  • Abdominal distension (“pot-bellied appearance”)
  • Thinning hair coat or balding (alopecia)
  • Slow hair regrowth
  • Thin skin
  • Blackheads (comedones)
  • Lethargy

In addition to these symptoms, dogs with Cushing’s disease are prone to high blood pressure (hypertension), urinary tract infections, chronic skin infections, concurrent diabetes, thick skin plaques called calcinosis cutis, and blood clots (thromboembolism). Because ligaments become weaker, anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) in the knee may tear or rupture. Stomach ulcers may eventually develop in untreated dogs.

Fortunately, Cushing’s tends to be quite slowly progressive, so it will likely be months, or even years, before a dog with the syndrome suffers many of these symptoms.

Adrenal function needs to be just right

Natural steroids, also known as glucocorticoids or cortisol, are essential hormones produced by the adrenal glands that play a role in metabolism, immunity, the stress response, and other important bodily functions. Underactive adrenal glands, producing too little steroid, create a life-threatening condition called Addison’s disease in dogs. Overactive adrenal glands, producing too much steroid, results in Cushing’s disease in dogs. Life is definitely best when adrenal function is just right!

The preferred term for Cushing’s disease or hyperadrenocorticism in dogs is “Cushing’s Syndrome,” as Cushing’s is complicated, with four different types all causing the same set of symptoms:

  1. Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). This is the most common form of Cushing’s disease in dogs, responsible for 85% of cases. It is caused by a tumor (usually benign) in the pituitary gland creating too much adrenal-stimulating hormone, which then results in overproduction of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Since the pituitary gland is very close to the brain, occasionally neurologic derangements can occur, depending on the size and type of tumor.
  2. Adrenal tumor. This type of HAC happens when a primary functional tumor forms in an adrenal gland, resulting in overproduction of cortisol.
  3. Iatrogenic HAC. This is caused by administration of steroid medication, either oral or topical, and is clinically indistinguishable from naturally occurring Cushing’s disease.
  4. Atypical HAC. This happens when a missing enzyme results in build up of cortisol precursors (sex hormones) resulting in the exact same symptoms as all the other forms of HAC.

Diagnosis for Cushing’s

No test for Cushing’s disease in dogs is perfect, but the one most heavily relied upon is called the low dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST). This is a “challenge” test, where the dog is given a dose of intravenous steroid, and its response to that challenge is measured. Due to the negative feedback systems responsible for maintaining balance in the body, a normal dog’s natural cortisol production will be suppressed when the brain recognizes extra steroid in circulation. But if a dog has Cushing’s disease, his overactive adrenal glands don’t have the capacity to suppress their cortisol production.

This test requires an 8-hour stay in the hospital, with a baseline blood sample drawn before the steroid is injected, and additional samples drawn at four hours and eight hours post-injection. Dogs without Cushing’s disease will have very low cortisol levels at four and eight hours. Dogs with Cushing’s disease will still have elevated cortisol levels at four and eight hours, since they are unable to suppress cortisol production.

The LDDST test can be a bit pricey. There is a less expensive, less invasive preliminary screening test you can do first, in hopes of avoiding the cost and stress associated with the LDDST. It is called a urine cortisol:creatinine ratio (UCCR) test. It is performed on a urine specimen you catch at home during a time of low or no stress for your dog (stress results in false positive results). And here’s the deal: If the UCCR test is normal your dog does not have Cushing’s disease. However, if the UCCR test result is abnormal, it means only that your dog might have Cushing’s, and you need to go forward with the LDDST after all.

Determining the type of Cushing’s

Once your dog has been diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, the next step is to determine whether it’s PDH or an adrenal tumor. While there are additional blood tests that can be performed, most clinicians recommend an abdominal ultrasound as the next step. With PDH, both adrenal glands are typically symmetrically enlarged. With an adrenal tumor, one adrenal gland is usually enlarged by tumor, and the opposite gland is small. Ultrasonography can often identify neoplastic (cancerous) changes in the architecture of the affected gland as well.

For iatrogenic Cushing’s, a good history is of the utmost importance. Is the dog taking oral steroids? Is topical cortisone being applied chronically for dermatologic disorders? Is the dog owner (or someone else in the household) using topical cortisone products on themselves that the dog may be licking? To confirm iatrogenic Cushing’s disease, an Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone Stimulation Test (ACTH Stim) must be performed. This is another “challenge” test. This time, a baseline blood sample is drawn, and ACTH is injected, with a post-injection sample drawn one to two hours later. Dogs with either normal adrenal glands, or PDH or AT, will show a spike in cortisol production after this adrenal stimulation. If the symptoms and history fit, and the ACTH Stim shows no spike in cortisol levels, iatrogenic Cushing’s is the diagnosis and the external source of steroid needs to be slowly withdrawn. Slow withdrawal is important, as the adrenal glands will have become a bit sleepy since there’s been plenty of steroid floating around, and they need time to ramp back up to full function.

If all of this isn’t complicated enough, let’s talk about Atypical Cushing’s disease. These dogs have all the symptoms of Cushing’s Syndrome but their diagnostic tests all come back normal. When this happens, the final stone to overturn is to test for Atypical Cushing’s, which requires an ACTH Stim test with measurement of sex hormones before and after stimulation. A spike in sex hormones after ACTH stimulation is indicative of Atypical Cushing’s.

Treatment for Cushing’s

Because Cushing’s disease progresses so slowly, some veterinarians and pet owners will opt not to treat until the dog’s symptoms become problematic. As long as you and your veterinarian monitor your dog’s health closely this is an acceptable approach early in the course of the disease.

Trilostane has become the treatment of choice for PDH. It is a synthetic steroid equivalent that inhibits an enzyme, resulting in suppression of natural cortisol production. Side effects are generally mild (lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea) but careful monitoring is important, as too much trilostane can cause excessive adrenal suppression, which can be deadly. Monitoring requires repeat ACTH Stim tests at the intervals recommended by your veterinarian.

Mitotane (Lysodren) is another treatment for PDH that actually destroys adrenal tissue, thereby decreasing the amount of cortisol that can be produced. Side effects may be mild or severe, and include weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Treatment with Lysodren also requires close monitoring with repeat ACTH Stim tests as inadvertently destroying too much adrenal tissue creates a potentially life-threatening situation, and the damage may be irreversible.

Radiation therapy can be considered for dogs with large pituitary tumors causing neurologic impairment.

For atypical Cushing’s disease, Lysodren is the treatment of choice as it suppresses the sex hormones as well as cortisol. Trilostane does not.

The treatment of choice for an adrenal tumor is surgical removal of the abnormal adrenal gland (unilateral adrenalectomy). This is unfortunately a difficult surgery with the possibility of severe complications (hemorrhage, thromboembolism) both during the procedure and after. The best candidates for surgery are dogs with small tumors with no evidence of tumor invasion into surrounding blood vessels and no evidence of cancer spread to liver or lungs (metastasis).

For dogs who are not candidates for surgery for whatever reason, palliative therapy with Trilostane or Lysodren can help. Radiation therapy is another option for these dogs.

If these treatments and their associated hazards have you shaking in your boots, supplements of melatonin and lignans are a couple of alternative treatments you can try. These are less noxious for sure, but unfortunately also less effective.

Melatonin is a neurohormone produced by the pineal gland; it inhibits certain enzymes resulting in decreased cortisol production.  Flaxseed oil with lignans has anti-estrogen activity so may be useful for Atypical Cushing’s disease. Melatonin and lignans can be used together.

You may read about ketoconazole and selegiline (Anipryl) as alternative treatments for Cushing’s disease. The word on these, however, is that their efficacy is so low you’d really just be wasting your time and money.

Time to think it over

As you can see, Cushing’s disease in dogs is complicated. Treatment options can be scary. The expense associated with treatment and the necessary monitoring adds up quickly. The upside is that Cushing’s disease is typically so slowly progressive that dogs can live with it for a long time before it causes problems. If your dog is diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, talk to your veterinarian about what may be the best option for you and your dog. To treat or not to treat? If treating, which treatment? If not treating, how can you carefully monitor your dog’s health while living with Cushing’s disease? Frequent physical examinations, blood work, urinalysis and blood pressure measurement should be considered. These are all important details that must be given serious consideration in order to make the best decisions for your dog.

Biggest Dog Breeds

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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The biggest dogs in the world were bred for specific jobs, and this affects their behavior in ways you might want to consider.
Keep in mind that almost everything for giant-breed dogs costs more, including food (of course), as well as health insurance, veterinary costs, and even beds (which must be giant-sized, too!). Photo by Nenov, Getty Images

There are a number of dog breeds that routinely tip the scales at 100 pounds or more. Here are the biggest (giant) dog breeds in the world – and why might you want (or not want) one.

Twelve of the biggest dog breeds

You’re probably familiar with some of these breeds. Others may be new to you. This is by no means a complete list; there are many more giant breeds. Note that the average size is just that: average. Many individuals are larger. Keep in mind that females of all breeds are smaller than the males.

  • Great Dane. Average height 34 inches, 150 lbs. Bred to hunt deer and wild boar.
  • Great Pyrenees. Average height 32 inches, 120 lbs. Flock guarding dogs.
  • Irish Wolfhound. Average height 32 inches, 120 lbs. Bred to hunt wolves, also used as war dogs.
  • Average height 32 inches, 175 lbs. Bred as a flock guardian.
  • Pyrenean Mastiff. Average height 32 inches at the shoulder, can be 180 lbs or more. Livestock-guarding breed.
  • Bernard. Average height 31 inches, 150 lbs. Bred to rescue humans and animals in the Alps.
  • English Mastiff. Average height 30 inches, 180 lbs. Bred for guarding sheep and humans.
  • Average height 30 inches, 170 lbs. Bred as a family companion.
  • Neopolitan Mastiff. Average height 30 inches, 160 lbs. Bred as a guard dog.
  • Tosa Inu (Japanese Mastiff). Average height 28 inches, 200 lbs. Bred for dogfighting.
  • Average height 28 inches, 150 lbs. Bred to rescue humans from the water.
  • Boerboel (South African Mastiff). Average height 27 inches, 175 lbs. Bred for guarding homesteads and flocks from hyenas, lions, and other big cats.

Things to consider with the biggest dogs

There are some very important things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about adding a giant-breed dog to your family:

  • First and most obvious: They are huge! – and strong. When your giant dog walks past your dining room table his head will pass over your plate. Put serious thought into how you will manage his size in your home. Your 8-year-old child probably won’t be able to take your Boerboel for a leash walk.
  • Socialization and training are A dog this large poses a risk to your personal safety (he can drag you down when walking on a leash) as well as the safety of others. Many of these very big dogs were bred to guard and have a natural tendency to be suspicious of – or even aggressive toward – strangers. Early socialization and ongoing training can help prevent significant behavior problems. And by the way: You must use force-free training methods; they may submit to physical force when they are puppies, but this is likely to instill in them some complicated and not-very-positive feelings about you. As they mature and gain strength and confidence, those feelings are likely to spur them to resist aggressively if you try to coerce them into compliance.
  • Keep in mind that breeds that were originally developed with a certain job in mind, such as guarding or fighting, may have a reduced genetic propensity for affiliative behavior with humans. This means that individuals of that breed may show less interest in interacting affectionately with you or your family. Some of these breeds are quite stoic and somewhat independent (from our human perspective.)
  • Many rental properties have size limitations. As a renter, even if your current landlord allows giant breeds, when you move in the future your housing options may be very limited.
  • Many of these very large dogs have loose jowls and are serious droolers. Be prepared to do lots of slobber cleanup!
  • Giant breeds have shorter life spans than their smaller cousins. St. Bernards average 8 to 10 years; Great Danes, 6 to 8 years; Leonbergers, 7 years; Irish Wolfhounds, 7 years… If you adopt one of these big dogs be prepared for the heartbreak of saying good-bye sooner than you might think.

On the plus side, big dogs can take up a very large space in your heart. Make a wise breed choice for your family, provide your oversized canine pal with the proper training and environment, and you’ll have a heck of a lot of dog to love.

What to Give a Dog for Constipation

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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What to give a dog with constipation depends on how long the dog has been constipated.
A dog who is straining to poop needs veterinary attention. Credit: Elartedejulieta | Getty Images

What to give a dog for constipation at home depends upon how bad the constipation case is. If you suspect your dog is constipated, start by looking at your dog’s anus. Make sure your dog is not suffering from “external constipation,” which happens in long-haired dogs when soft stool collects in the hair around the anus, eventually forming a “plug” which prevents passage of stool, no matter how hard your dog tries. Clean up if necessary.

A dog in pain needs to be seen by a veterinarian. Your dog needs to be seen by a veterinarian if he has:

  • Constipation with no bowel movement for three days.
  • Constipation with pain when trying to defecate, which may be expressed by pacing, circling, crying, hiding, sudden sitting, and looking/licking back at the anus.
  • Constipation with vomiting.
  • Constipation with loss of appetite.

What to Give a Dog for Constipation at Home

If the anus is clear, the dog is not in pain, and it has been less than three days since his last bowel movement, you can consider these dietary interventions:

  • Feed canned food with water added to super-hydrate your dog.
  • If you are not already, add canned pumpkin to your dog’s meals (small dog 1 tbsp; medium dog 2 tbsp; large dog; 3 tbsp).
  • Ask your veterinarian if it’s OK for you to try coconut oil or olive oil and how much to give your individual dog.

Prevent Constipation

If your dog has ever had to have constipation relieved by a veterinary professional, these preventative measures for you:

  • Weight loss for overweight dogs: Overweight dogs have a much harder time completely emptying their colon when they have a bowel movement. They often have a hard time holding their pooping posture long enough due to joint pain or poor fitness, and their abdominal push is typically weaker.
  • Hydration: Dehydration results in drier, harder stools that are harder to pass. If your dog is not a good water drinker, try adding water to his meals and maybe even some canned food which has more moisture than kibble.
  • Exercise: Increased activity and better fitness overall helps keep the colon healthy and helps dogs move their bowels more fully every time they defecate.
  • Probiotics: These are the good bacteria the gut needs to function properly. A happy colon empties better.
  • Prebiotics: These are really just fiber sources. The fiber is the “food” the good bacteria in the gut require to be fruitful and multiply. Fiber also helps form healthy poop that is easier to pass and keeps the colon happy. Pumpkin and psyllium powder are the most popular fiber sources for dogs.
  • You can try the feline hairball treatments available over-the-counter (OTC). These are both lubricating and laxative.
  • You can try the human OTC laxative called Miralax (polyethylene glycol 3350). This works by pulling moisture from the body into the stools to soften them and make them easier to pass. Ask your veterinarian how much to give, which will typically be between 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon per meal depending on the size of your dog and your dog’s history.

Signs of Canine Sebaceous Adenitis

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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Standard Poodle Outdoor
In the Standard Poodle, sebaceous adenitis may be an inherited disease. Credit: Kurt Pas | Getty Images

Sebaceous adenitis is a disease of the sebaceous glands in your dog’s skin. Healthy glands produce an oily substance, called sebum, that helps with hydration and moisture in the skin as well as being a barrier to pathogens.

In sebaceous adenitis, inflammation and immune responses destroy the glands. Dogs with this problem end up with brittle hair that cracks and falls out, leading to alopecia. Seborrhea and secondary bacterial infections are common.

Sebaceous adenitis is a relatively new recognized disease, first noted in 1986. A Swedish study found it more prevalent in the male dogs it was following.

Causes of Sebaceous Adenitis

Sebaceous adenitis is associated with some chronic conditions such as hypothyroidism, but it can be a primary illness with a genetic predisposition. Akitas and Standard Poodles have autosomal recessive inheritance, which means both sexes can be affected, and a dog must have two copies of the defect to show clinical signs. The Doodle breeds also can be prone to this disease. Other breeds can be affected as well with both long- and short-haired dogs as victims. Young to middle-aged dogs are most commonly diagnosed with this skin problem.

The Diagnosis

An accurate diagnosis requires a skin biopsy since many dermatologic problems can appear similar.

The Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals has an open registry for sebaceous adenitis in the Standard Poodle. It requires submitted biopsy results. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a similar listing service. Repeated biopsies are recommended for any dog used for breeding.

Treatment

Treatment starts with medicated baths. After shampooing, a conditioner is recommended. This will be a lifelong requirement for affected dogs. Oral therapy is generally required as well.

Sebaceous adenitis is not responsive to corticosteroids. Omega fatty acids, systemic retinoids, cyclosporine, vitamin A, tetracycline, and niacinamide have all been used successfully. Some dogs may be able to have dosages decreased over time, but virtually all affected dogs will require some medication continued for life along with the baths.

Any secondary problems, such as pyoderma, will need to be treated as well.

Most dogs respond well to treatment, but it is imperative to continue treatment, so your dog doesn’t relapse.

How Often to Feed a Puppy

By
Kate Basedow, LVT
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Puppy eats from a bowl indoors
Puppies need to eat more often than adult dogs to maintain blood sugar levels and support their rapid growth. Credit: Jessie Casson | Getty Images

How much and how often to feed a puppy is a matter of making a gradual change as your puppy acclimates to your home and his energy needs increase. Puppies need to eat more often than adult dogs to maintain blood sugar levels and support their rapid growth.

When your puppy first comes home, try to keep your puppy on the meal schedule and food that he is used to eating. Ask his breeder or the rescue you got him from what food he has been eating and how often. You can gradually tweak this feeding schedule to fit your needs, but keeping it consistent the first week or so will help your puppy settle in at his new home.

Most puppies go to their new homes between 8 and 12 weeks of age. These little guys need frequent meals to fuel their growing bodies and ideally should be eating four meals a day. Toy breed puppies often benefit from more meals, as these pocket pups are prone to developing low blood sugar levels. Provide small, frequent meals to keep your puppy happy and healthy.

Growing Up

How often to feed a puppy changes as the puppy ages. Around 12 to 14 weeks of age, you can decrease your puppy to three meals a day. The amount you feed at each meal will continue to increase as your puppy grows.

Keep your puppy at three meals a day through most of his puppyhood.

As Puppy Becomes a Teenager

Sometime when your puppy is 6 to 9 months old, you can decrease to two meals a day.

There is no hard and fast rule for when to make this switch, and some puppies may benefit from continuing three meals a day for longer:

  • Toy breed puppies
  • Puppies who prefer to eat smaller meals
  • High energy puppies who need the extra food

Monitor your puppy’s weight and adjust the amount he eats and the number of meals as needed. Skinny puppies who play hard all the time will need more calories a day, while chunky pups who prefer to lounge and nap will need fewer calories.

Dog Memorial Gifts

By
CJ Puotinen
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Frame with picture of dog, collar and lily flower on white table indoors, closeup. Pet funeral
Losing a pet can be as emotionally challenging as losing a human relative, and personalized memorial items provide solace and comfort in this time of loss. Photo by Liudmila Chernetska, Getty Images

Our dogs’ lives are just too short, and their departures leave us grieving. Personalized memorial gifts are meaningful because they provide an emotional connection that helps keep our loyal companions’ spirits alive and accessible.

Popular memorials

There are many categories of personalized dog memorial gifts. Hand-made creations by talented artists tend to be the most expensive, but are the most likely to reflect a dog’s unique personality and spirit. But don’t discount the emotional impact of an individualized product made by a team of craftspeople, such as name-engraved jewelry, such as a-paw- or heart-shaped charm or pendant inscribed with the dog’s name. These tokens are available at a modest price but can very meaningful to a grieving person.

If you’re looking for an impactful gift for a friend who lost her cherished dog, consider one of the following dog memorial gifts. We’ve included some sample sources; the links are examples only, not an endorsement of any particular product.

  • Jewelry designed to contain a small amount of a pet’s ashes.
  • Hand-painted portraits, digital paintings, or charcoal sketches of departed dogs based on their photographs; try a search for “pet portrait memorial” to find examples in dozens of different styles and media.
  • Custom-made figures or statues that resemble departed dogs.
  • Framed photos with engraved metal plates, customized frames, photo books that show favorite moments in a dog’s life, or blankets imprinted with a dog’s photo.
  • Personalized plaques and stones, such as garden stones or memorial plaques engraved with the dog’s name or a meaningful message, designed for mounting or displaying indoors or out.
  • Keepsake boxes that store a dog’s collar, tags, favorite toy, or other belongings.
  • Urns and ash holders that safely store a dog’s ashes, or keepsake vials or containers that hold a small portion of those ashes.
  • Personalized candle holders or candles with a dog’s name or image.
  • Wind chimes customized with a dog’s name or paw prints.
  • Memorial benches for gardens or parks with inscriptions dedicated to a pet.
  • Planters for growing flowers or shrubs with engraved messages in a dog’s honor.
  • Christmas or holiday ornaments decorated with the dog’s image or name for seasonal display.
  • Memorial T-shirts, hats, caps, or other wearable items printed, embroidered, or air-brushed with the dog’s name or image.

Memorial benefits

Whenever we see or touch a memorial item, it can bring fond recollections and specific memories. Losing a pet can be as emotionally challenging as losing a human relative, and personalized memorial items provide solace and comfort in this time of loss.

Best of all, memorial gifts are designed to last, helping our pets’ memories endure. Well-designed memorials are aesthetically pleasing, so they are always appropriate.

Fall Allergies – and Planning Ahead 

By
Nancy Kerns
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Itching is the number one symptom of allergies in dogs. If your dog has seasonal allergies, think ahead and take action before she starts destroying her skin in a vain effort to relieve the itch! Photo by photo-vista.de, Getty Images
Itching is the number one symptom of allergies in dogs. If your dog has seasonal allergies, think ahead and take action before she starts destroying her skin in a vain effort to relieve the itch! Photo by photo-vista.de, Getty Images

My dog Otto (now resting in peace) used to get a flare-up of allergies every spring. His body knew before any human in our area was aware when the first plants in our area started flowering and producing pollen. It would start with mild scratching – a distracted, half-aware scratching of his tummy with a hind paw as he stood and gazed off in the middle distance. But within a week of the first appearance of that behavior, I’d catch him chewing at his flank in earnest, and I would start taking the steps I’d take every year to reduce his exposure to the pollen that started blowing around and covering our cars, lawn, and decks: limiting his time outside, rinsing his feet and ankles with a hose and wiping his coat with a damp microfiber cloth when he came in from his daily constitutional around our property, putting a clean sheet over his dog bed every day, and increasing my vacuuming and mopping the floors in the house.   

I’d also put a note on my wall calendar, indicating when I first noticed him scratching. I stored the old calendars on a shelf for years after each year passed – so I was able to prove that it was always in early March when I first saw Otto starting to react to higher pollen counts. (By the way, a hard-copy calendar that’s dedicated to just your dogs is a GREAT way to keep track of any symptoms your dog may experience throughout the year – and WDJ’s 2024 calendar is dedicated to the memory of Otto. I’m just sayin’. The calendars are available for purchase here.)   

However, spring is not the only season that triggers environmental allergies in dogs. Some dogs are unaffected by tree or grass pollen, but suffer mightily from mold or fungal spores, and it’s these that I suspect my sister’s mostly white wire-coated Jack Russell-mix is affected by each fall. Daisy just started rubbing her itchy body raw, and my sister just asked me if I would make a veterinary appointment for her. (A prescription for Apoquel has been a life-saver for the pink-skinned little dog each fall for the past few years.) The temperatures have been sinking, there is more moisture in the air, and mushrooms and other fungi have started sprouting in the woods – and likely in the shady, irrigated parts of my sister’s yard, too.  

But, judging from the only available appointments I could get at any of the three veterinary hospitals I have relationships with, my sister’s dog is not the only one who suffers from fall allergies; not one of the three has an available, non-emergency appointment within the next month! 

Here’s another use for those calendars: If you know your dog has had the same health problem at the same time of year more than once, make yourself a note on your next year’s calendar about a month prior to the anniversary of your dog’s last episode, reminding you to make a veterinary appointment close to the time you might expect another episode. If my sister had a vet appointment scheduled for early September each year, she could avoid having to watch Daisy itch and scratch and rub for a month while waiting for her after-the-fact appointment and administering the usual not-very effective Band-Aids: lots of baths and wipe-downs, Benadryl, topical treatments, and perhaps a cone or cone alternative.  

Choosing the Best Shampoo for Puppies

By
Kate Basedow, LVT
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0
golden retriever puppy in shower
Keeping suds out of your dog’s eyes and ears and using the best puppy shampoo are key to a successful, safe bath. Credit: alexsokolov | Getty Images

If you’re battling fleas with your puppy, check the label on any product before using it on your puppy, as many of them are not safe for young puppies under 12 weeks old – especially if they’re small-breed puppies. Check with your veterinarian because you are also going to need flea-control protocols. One bath will not end flea infestation.

The best flea shampoo for most puppies under 12 weeks old is Dawn dish soap, as it is safe for most dogs and will kill adult fleas on their body. It doesn’t repel fleas though, so you will need other flea control measures to remove the fleas from your house and bedding. Remember, though, dishwashing soap is not pH formulated for use on a dog’s skin, and it can dry their skin. Only use dishwashing soap in urgent situations.

Choosing the Best Puppy Shampoo

When looking for a shampoo for your puppy, consider these two things:

  1. The shampoo should be formulated for dogs.
  2. You need to be able to keep the suds out of your puppy’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Dog skin and human skin are not the same, so using a shampoo made for dogs is ideal to prevent drying out your puppy’s skin.

Most puppies will do just fine with any dog shampoo, so don’t hesitate to grab a bottle from your pet-supply store. For puppies with sensitive skin, an oatmeal shampoo is great to soothe and moisturize. Everyone has an opinion, but one of my favorites is Burt’s Bees for Dogs Oatmeal Shampoo, and I have used it on dogs of all ages.

If your dog will be competing in conformation when she grows up, you may want to switch to a shampoo specifically formulated for her coat type when she is an adult. A fabulous line of high-end dog shampoos and conditioners is the #1 All Systems. My dogs have a harsh coat texture, so I use the #1 All Systems Crisp Coat before shows.

Best “Emergency” Shampoo

Puppy covered in poop and no time to run to the store? Don’t worry. Dawn dish soap is safe for most dogs and will get your puppy back to clean.

Herding Balls for Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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2
Herding balls for dogs are virtually indestructible and let dogs exercise their instincts.
When buying a herding ball for unstructured play, buy a size that is too large for your dog to hold in his jaws. The fact that he can’t pick it up will drive him to push it instead. It took Boone only a second to figure that out. His favorite is the 10-inch Indestructible Ball from ht-pet.com; I haven’t allowed him to play with the 6-inch version. Photo by Nancy Kerns

A herding ball is a large, sturdy ball that is designed to be pushed around – not picked up – by a dog. Herding balls are not meant to be fetched, though there is a sport that rewards a dog’s ability to intentionally direct the ball toward you, or into a goal, on your cue. Dogs may use pressure against the ball with their noses, mouths, paws, and/or legs to send the balls rolling across a field at top speed, or by using their shoulders or hips to body the balls around turns, through gates, or into a soccer-net type of goal. The activity can be fantastic fun for athletic, energetic dogs.

However, you may not be able to accurately predict whether your dog will enjoy a herding ball; I couldn’t! It turns out that Woody, my fetch-obsessed Pit/Lab-mix, could not care less about balls that are too big to pick up and carry in his mouth.

The moment Boone touched a hard plastic herding ball and realized he couldn’t pick it up in his mouth, he grabbed at it in playful frustration. The harder he tried to pick it up, the faster it rolled away from him, which prompted him to chase it. And the faster and more wildly it rolled, the more ways he found to push it – with his nose, his open mouth, his chest, and the front of his legs. In contrast, when my other dog touches these balls and learns that they can’t be picked up in his mouth, he immediately and completely loses interest in them. What will your dog make of them?! Photo by Nancy Kerns

In contrast, Boone, my fuzz-faced mutt who fetches only in order to run away with the fetch item, hoping that someone will chase him – that dog developed new life goals within a millisecond of coming in contact with a herding ball. (He aspires to set land-speed records for ball herding and ball-herding obstacle courses.)

What’s even more extreme than “obsessed”? That’s Boone and herding balls – and you know how it is when someone you love immerses himself completely in a new hobby? – you get some real enjoyment from indulging their newfound passion. I’ve been buying all sorts of herding balls for Boone to try out, and together we’ve developed some strong opinions about these toys.

Here’s what I’ve learned about herding balls over the past month of spoiling Boone with a wide variety of the toys:

How are herding balls made?

Boone stands between a 34-inch and an 18-inch exercise ball (an 8-inch ball is in front of him). Boone is about 24 inches tall at the shoulder; if he were competing in Treibball (a herding ball sport), he’d play with the biggest ball here. Photo by Nancy Kerns

Herding balls are made with a variety of materials – and it’s likely that your dog will strongly prefer some materials to others. Some herding balls are made with hard, impervious plastics, in order to make it impossible for a dog to pick up the ball in his mouth (herding balls are meant to be pushed, not carried!). But even different types of hard plastics have a different feel – a slightly different hardness, if that makes sense. Out of two top-selling hard plastic herding balls, Boone has developed a passion for one ball and utter disdain for the other; go figure. You can guess what your dog might like most, but you’ll probably have to try a few to find out.

Hard plastic herding balls are not inflated; they are molded in a globe shape that cannot be compressed. They roll faster than balls made of other materials. They are highly resistant to damage from the dog’s teeth and claws (and crashing into brick walls and sidewalk edges), though the softer hard plastic can develop gouges and micro-ridges that are sharp enough to cut a dog’s nose, lips, or tongue as he pushes it at speed. I’ve occasionally had to use sandpaper to smooth the surface of Boone’s favorite.

This is a 6-inch Virtually Indestructible Ball with 5lb. Samson. As small as this ball is, it’s hard! The kind of tough herding balls that are ideal for larger dogs who like to herd are not particularly safe for tiny dogs.

Other herding balls are made with a thick, dense material that has a rubbery feel. Like the hard plastic balls, these balls are not inflated, but they can be grabbed, picked up, and compressed by a big dog with a strong jaw; fortunately, they pop back into a globe shape immediately upon being dropped.

These balls don’t roll as quickly as the harder balls, but neither do they develop the kind of scratches and gouges that the hard plastic balls do. If a big dog who aggressively chews toys was left alone with one of these balls, it could get chewed up.

The last type of ball is the only one used by dogs in herding-ball sports, though they are not made for this purpose. Rather, they are the kind of large, soft, inflatable balls that are used for human exercise and yoga. Some dogs enjoy pushing these bouncy, slightly yielding balls to the exclusion of all others – and some dogs can’t resist biting (and popping) them. I’m looking at you, Boone!

How big are herding balls?

boomer ball
This is the Boomer Ball from Company of Animals. It’s made of “virtually indestructible” polyethylene. These balls are highly scratch-resistant
– but the hardness made them less appealing to our canine tester (your dog may have a different preference)

Herding balls are made in a variety of sizes – and the size of the ball affects how safe it is for your dog to play with. In the sport of Treibball, where dogs push soft exercise balls toward their handlers on cue, care is taken so that the balls used do not measure less than 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) below the dog’s shoulder, in order to prevent injuries. It’s thought that dogs are subject to far more injuries when they are bending low to push the balls.

However, the balls that I give to my dog for unstructured play are nowhere near that size – and, as I watch Boone careen all over my property in wild pursuit of the ball, I can see how the activity could lead to injury. Chasing the small herding balls definitely poses a risk of injury to dogs like Boone; you will have to decide whether the fun and exercise is worth the risk for your dog.

I’m not sure I would want a very small dog to play with any of the hard balls, no matter what size. If even a very small hard ball bounced and hit my friend’s 5-lb dog Samson, I think he’d get hurt.

Rewarding fun

bounce-n-play
This is the Bounce-N-Play ball from Jolly Balls. It’s made of a material that feels like a cross between dense foam and rubber. Dogs can puncture
this material, but the ball pops back into shape afterward.

If you have a sturdy and energetic dog who likes to chase things and play with toys – particularly, if you have a dog who is a herding breed or a herding breed-mix, consider buying him or her a herding ball for recreation and exercise. Bringing my dog and one of these balls to a large, grassy sports field is now our favorite thing to do.

In fact, Boone is having so much fun with these toys that I am now using play time with one as a reward for his quick compliance with other cues. When he’s barking at a passerby at the far end of my two-acre property, nothing gets him back to me faster than the words, “Hey Boone! Where’s your ball?!”

Material TypeProduct Maker / Name Maker’s WebsitePrice Sizes/ColorsNotes
Hardest plasticBoomer Ball
Company of Animals
Broomfield, CO
Amazon.com		$15 to $35 from Amazon.com4 sizes (4", 6", 8", 10"), 2 colors, (blue, red)Made in China of “virtually indestructible” polyethylene. These balls are highly scratch-resistant – but the hardness made them less appealing to our canine tester (your dog may have a different preference).
Hard but not impervious plasticVirtually Indestructible Ball
HT pet
Bellevue, OH
ht-pet.com		$13 - $40 from ht-pet.com3 sizes (6", 10", 14"), 3 colors (blue, orange, red)Made in USA of a hard but unnamed plastic. These balls do scratch and need occasional sanding to remove sharp ridges that can develop from biting and rough play. Boone has been playing with the 10-inch ball for a month solid; this is his absolute favorite toy.
Hard but not impervious plasticPush-n-Play
Jolly Pets
Streetsboro, OH
jollypets.com		$11 - $49 from jollypets.com4 sizes (4 1/2", 6", 10", 14"), 3 colors (blue, red, purple)Made in USA. 10-inch and 14-inch sizes are made with a plug that allows you to fill the ball with sand or water, to make it heavier and harder to push. These, too, are made with a hard but not scratch-resistant plastic. Maker notes, “Excessive use may cause tooth wear” (that’s wear on the dog’s teeth!).
Thick, rubbery “Jollyflex” materialBounce-n-Play
Jolly Pets
Streetsboro, OH
jollypets.com		$13 - $23 from jollypets.com3 sizes (4 1/2", 6", 8"), 3 colors (blue, bubblegum, orange)Made in the USA of a material that feels like a cross between dense foam and rubber; the maker says it’s recyclable. Dogs can puncture this material, but the ball pops back into shape afterward.
Thin, flexible, rubbery materialExercise Balls
Made/sold by countless companies 		$20 to $85Any number of sizes (about 20" to 38"). Any number of colorsWhen buying, look for product claims that the ball is made in a way that is “burst resistant if punctured” and “deflates slowly.” One we bought (Trideer Extra Thick Yoga Ball/Exercise Ball) made those claims, and while it popped/tore more easily than we thought it would, it didn’t explode or scare the dog when he bit and punctured it.

Team Force-Free

By
Nancy Kerns
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0
Whole Dog Journal Editor-In-Chief Nancy Kerns

I’m not sure exactly what started it, but it seems that there is a big public fight about dog training currently being fought in the digital ether. On one side we have Team Sometimes You Have to Use Force, and on the other we have Team No You Absolutely Do Not. Unfortunately, as with so many of the divisive matters of today, I’m not sure that any of the arguments are going to cause any miraculous changes of hearts or minds.

I’m firmly in the camp of Team No You Absolutely Do Not – but I don’t want to fall into the same trap as many of my friends, trying to talk about the rationale for my membership on Team NYADN. The best way to change someone’s mind, I think, is to see a master animal trainer at work with a species of animal that you can’t use force, fear, or pain with.

Over the years, attending various dog-training conferences, I’ve been lucky enough to see people train goldfish to dunk tiny underwater basketballs through tiny underwater basketball hoops on cue; try that with a shock collar! I’ve seen trainers who taught a wide-awake, unanesthetized hippo with an abscessed tooth to hold her mouth open wide on cue so that a veterinary dentist could drill and fill the tooth; she did it in exchange for bits of melon. I met a trainer who taught a completely unrestrained elephant in a state of musth – a condition in male elephants characterized by aggressive behavior due to a periodic rise in reproductive hormones – to blow bubbles in a bucket of antiseptic, thus self-treating a deep and painful wound in his trunk. Apples provided the incentive for his veterinary-care parlor trick.

And, of course, I’ve seen many trainers and veterinary behaviorists who specialize in treating canine aggression work with those dogs without ever causing the dog to behave in an aggressive manner. It takes skill, patience, and a whole lot of treats, but when you see it happen for yourself, it’s so moving. When you see a wary, reactive dog learn the basic precepts of communication with a handler, gain trust that he won’t be hurt or forced into a situation he can’t handle calmly, and transform into a soft, relaxed dog who can make socially acceptable choices in response to situations or humans or dogs who scare him – well, suffice to say that if you endeavor to see such a trainer work with such a dog, I feel certain that I will see you at future Team NYADN meetings. I’ll be eager to share how much more we can accomplish with dogs without force or fear.

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A couple of days ago, I received a text from a dog-training client, wondering about a video she had just watched—and which she linked in the text. “Is meat meal bad for dogs?” she asked. She followed that message with, “I get that she’s selling her own pet food, but is it (meat meal) that bad?”
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