Does it sometimes seems like your dog knows exactly what you’re saying? Research has long shown that dogs respond to intonation and emotion in human speech, but a new study by PhD candidate Victoria Ratcliffe takes a deeper look into the canine brain. Ratcliffe and her team reported their findings in the November 26, 2014 … Read more
What is it? Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a lentivirus (“slow virus) from the same retrovirus family as feline leukemia virus, though it differs from feline leukemia virus in its make-up and effects. Where is it? FIV is found in cats worldwide. In the United States, 1% to 3% of healthy cats are infected with … Read more
So you want to take your dog to the dog park? That’s a great idea, but know what you’re getting into. A lot of myths surround the dog park, and you should address them before letting your dog (and yourself) into one: • My dog is friendly. o Some dogs are friendly to everyone. Some … Read more
It can sure seem like your dog feels guilty when he cowers after chewing up one of your slippers, but what’s really going on in his brain? We certainly like to imagine that our dogs feel joy, guilt, sadness, and love – and this tendency to attribute human emotions to non-human animals is called anthropomorphizing. … Read more
Among the many things you might be thankful for this Thanksgiving, consider your pet! Here are a few reasons why you might want to give thanks for your dog or cat: They’re funny. Dogs and cats can always find ways to make us laugh, even in our worst of moods. They keep us active. A dog is … Read more
Those puppy dog eyes are always hard to resist, but on a holiday in which we celebrate how thankful we are? How much harder is it to resist your four-legged best friend? Well, the good news is, a little turkey to share is fine. Boneless, skinless and 100% cooked is perfectly fine to chop up … Read more
Raw food diets are defined as feeding domestic dogs primarily raw meet, edible bones, and organs. A typical raw food diet would consist of muscle meat still on the bone, organ meats, vegetables like spinach and broccoli, raw eggs, apples, and some dairy. Racing greyhounds and sled dogs have long been fed raw food diets. … Read more
We have all heard of diabetes for humans, but did you know that your dog can get it, too? Diabetes is a disease caused by the lack of insulin or lack of response to it. Some forms of diabetes are inherited, but you can help prevent it by exercising your dog regularly and preventing obesity … Read more
What happens to pets when their owners go off to serve in the military or required a prolonged hospital stay? In the absence of willing and able family members or friends to take care of your furry friends, foster programs such as PACT for Animals is a great foster program that might be able to … Read more
Though it’s nearly impossible to read your dog’s body language with 100% accuracy, there are many reasons why you might want to get a better understanding of what your dog is communicating with her stance, posture, or gestures. For example, knowing and reacting to your dog’s body language can help with reaching training goals, anticipating … Read more