EVERYDAY DOGCARE

Dogs in combat zones can suffer hearing loss from explosions, gunfire, even helicopter engines. The hero dog Conan who was brought to the White House several months ago was no doubt subjected to a serious ear-pounding (as well as an injury) when he cornered the leader of ISIS in a tunnel and the man detonated a suicide vest. Hearing protection for military dogs exists, but how well it protects dogs ears is not clear. Furthermore, it is rigid, cumbersome, and hard to put on.

Dogs put up with a lot to accommodate themselves to our world. Yet in many ways we dont consider a world in which theyd feel more comfortable. Its not because we dont care. Its because we dont automatically consider how their senses influence their experiences. With our dogs senses in mind, here are three ways to make living with us better.

Most shelters are happy to have volunteers come and give resident dogs attention by playing with them and grooming them. Dogs warehoused in shelters need extra attention and socializing so that they will look good to potential adopters and also will adapt better to life with people once they make it to a loving home. But theres more to helping shelter dogs than interacting with them directly, and you may have just the talent required. Consider asking a local shelter if it needs help in any of these areas.

If late-night and perhaps pre-dawn walks with your dog are part of your routine, you might consider using LED collars, leashes, and toys to brighten things up. Colorfully lit dog-walking gear will make you and your pet more visible to passing motorists and to each other. At the same time, theyll help illuminate your path as well as make waste clean-up easier in the dark.

In the present climate of divided party politics, one thing agreed upon by every single member of both the Senate and the House of Representatives is that animal cruelty is unacceptable. A unanimous vote by both legislative bodies has passed a bill called the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, or PACT. Violators convicted of an animal cruelty felony will face up to 7 years in prison.

What is the difference between a guide dog and a seeing eye dog? Ive seen both terms used for dogs who help people who cant see, but does a guide dog also help people who use wheelchairs, for instance?

Some dogs seem happiest in cold weather, thrilling to a drop in the temperature and enjoying rolling on their backs in the snow to make canine snow angels. But even though most dogs are covered in fur from head to toe, not all are built for winter. The American Kennel Club says the following dogs need a coat in cold weather.

Your new diffuser emits the calming scent of lavender, your counters and floors gleam from a cleanser suffused with the uplifting odor of peppermint, and youre thinking of placing clove potpourri in the bedroom. But did you know that products like these, all made pleasing with the aromas of essential oils that have taken off in consumer use, could be toxic to your dog, and in some cases even lead to life-threatening reactions?

The unfortunate truth is that even if you use truly biodegradable poop bags proven to break down and return to nature in a relatively short period of time, they will not degrade well in a landfill, where compression and lack of oxygen get in the way of the degradation process. So instead of throwing your poop bags in the regular trash, what can you do to go the extra ecological mile?

Its no secret that dogs are intensely aware of our moods. Now its clear that our stress levels literally course through their veins. Investigators reporting in Scientific Reports found the connection upon examining hair from more than 50 people and their dogs. Hair follicles absorb cortisol, a stress hormone released into the bloodstream.

In the August issue of Your Dog, we discussed that youre never too old to enjoy sharing your life with a canine companion. But even good things can go awry if proper care is not taken to prevent falls, as was made evident in a report by University of Pennsylvania researchers drawn from nationwide data on dog-walking injuries among the 65-plus set. Injuries sending older dog walkers to emergency rooms rose more than 250 percent in the last 15 years or so, from nearly 1,700 in 2004 to just under 4,400 in 2017. Most of the injuries were said to have been caused by a loss of balance that ensued when a dog pulled too hard or suddenly on the leash.

To train your dog to follow cues and perform various tricks, youre going to need food treats - and lots of them, especially when the trick is new or when your dog is a puppy and is getting the hang of learning in general. You might need to give four or five treats in quick succession in order to solidify the follow-through in your pets mind as she repeats the move youre trying to teach. But how does that square with the standard advice not to give your pet more than 10 percent of her calories as treats, since treats are not part of a dogs healthful diet and can lead to nutrient imbalances?