Many dogs are thrilled to ride in the car. Others, not so much. There are a few reasons a dog could develop an aversion to car rides: It could be a learned behavior. Maybe the first few times your dog rode in the car ended in uncomfortable visits to the vet. You dog may be … Read more
Symptoms Dogs will commonly scratch and rub at their ears and shake their heads when they have an ear infection. It will almost look like the dog is trying to shake sand out of their ears. You may also notice an abnormal smell and redness in their ears. Causes Most infections are caused by yeast … Read more
As your dog ages (and sometimes for other causes), he may lose his eyesight. You may observe him being clumsy around the house and fearful of things he used to be used to. Petting him may make him fearful because he can’t see as clearly. A preemptive way to help with this is to make … Read more
Dogs with certain characteristics – such as friendliness and confidence – can make wonderful therapy dogs. To become a therapy dog, the dog must be registered with a certification organization. If they meet the organization’s requirements, they will be enrolled in training classes. In these classes they will learn essential commands such as “sit,” “stay,” … Read more
Driving onto campus Thursday, March 13 I was behind a jeep with two beautiful black labs. As I looked at the vehicles ahead of us I noticed a common theme- at least a handful of the vehicles had a dog as a passenger. I hadn’t recalled seeing anything in the campus newspaper or the University’s … Read more
Have you heard of the Havachon, the Maltipoo, the Pomsky or the Bugg? Those are all “designer” dogs that have been bred in an attempt to achieve a specific set of characteristics (either physically or internally). You may have heard of the “hypoallergenic” dog – the Maltipoo being an example. However, just because you mix … Read more
A “therapy dog” is broadly defined as a dog trained to provide comfort and assistance to people with physical or mental illnesses, elderly people, victims of natural disasters, etc. There are 3 categories of therapy dogs: Therapeutic visitation dogs – these dogs visit hospitals, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities to lift the spirits of and … Read more
There are many myths associated with a dog howling at the moon, but the truth is that there is no actual relationship between the presence of a moon and a dog howling. Dogs howl at more than just the moon, here are some common things that provoke the mysterious howl: Being left alone for long … Read more
When you first adopt your dog, things seem easy enough. It sounds simple enough to get food, get a leash, some toys, some flea medication and a bed. Once you get to that canine bedding section, however, you might be in for a little surprise. There are big ones, small ones, padded ones, cooling ones, … Read more
Cats purr using the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles. They purr with a frequency of between 25 and 150 Hertz, a frequency range which, according to investigations, promotes healing and higher bone density. Although a cat’s purr is often associated with contentment, many cats purr during mores stressful times, such as during visits to the vet. … Read more