When Games of Catch Become Deadly for Dogs
When the Center for Pet Safety started receiving more and more reports of dogs dying because of toy balls lodging in their throats during...
The Three Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Dog Trainer
The very best trainer for your dog is you. Nothing strengthens the bond between you and your pet like patiently teaching cues — “Sit,”...
Dear Doctor: Dog talk
Q. I keep reading that a smart dog can learn up to 250 words and that some dogs can learn many more than that....
Your First Dog Might Be Your Most Aggressive
A person’s first dog is more likely to behave aggressively than a dog who lives with someone who has already had dogs. That’s the...
Dog-Training Techniques Depicted in Media Spark Concerns
Recent television and online programs showing punishment-based training methods for dogs, including the use of painful collars, are causing animal behaviorists and others to...
Things You Think Make You a Bad Dog Leader (But Don’t)
“In many of my conversations with clients, they are very apologetic about the fact that their dog sleeps on the bed with them,” says...
When the Pica Gets Out of Hand
Thin rubber gloves, the plastic bag the newspaper is delivered in, a piece of fabric, the rubber gasket on a Yeti drink holder…. These...
Words Can Harm Your Dog
You know the jingle, “Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words can never harm me.” It doesn’t apply when it comes to...
Dear Doctor: A look that can’t be denied
Q. My dog has a way of looking at me ever so sweetly — kind of intensely and warmly, and perhaps slightly pleadingly —...
Won’t Perform For Food
If you have a Labrador retriever you can skip this article. There is nothing a Lab won’t do for a morsel of food. That’s...
When the Licking Won’t Stop
You can’t get your dog to stop licking herself. Or perhaps she can’t stop licking you, or inanimate surfaces such as the floor or...
Why Chewing Sticks Is a Bad Idea
We’ve all seen dogs who are perennial stick chewers. No sooner do they get outside than they pick up a stick and start chomping...
