When Do Puppies Look Their Cutest?
Wolves are raised by their mothers and fathers until they are two years old. Not so, dogs. Their mothers are done with them at weaning, around the time a puppy is about 8 weeks of age. Perhaps thats why theres such a high mortality rate among pups not living as pets; more than 80 percent of dogs die in their first year of life without human care. But not to worry - there appears to be an across-species evolutionary process at work that helps helpless, newly motherless puppies get adopted into human homes. It involves a young dogs peak adorableness.
Big Dog Little Dog
My town has a Facebook page where people go to post announcements or ask questions. When I said on it that I was writing an article on what to do if a big dog attacks a little dog and asked if anyone had stories to share, the responses started flying. A particularly dramatic one came from Todd Alvey, whose 40-pound mixed breed was attacked by two dogs who must have weighed 100 pounds each, he says.
When a Big Dog Attacks a Little Dog
Julie Kembels 14-pound dog Abby is a scrappy little thing. The poodle-Cavalier King Charles spaniel-golden retriever mix loves to chase squirrels (that she never catches) and is happy to run off by herself and then come back to Ms. Kembel or her husband, Bob, once she has had her fill of predatory excitement. But not if theres a big dog around.
Your Newest Shopping Companion: Your Dog
Who among us hasnt felt at least a twinge of guilt when leaving the house to go shopping and watched the beseeching, or even forlorn, look of a dog about to be left alone? Wouldnt it be great, you might think to yourself, if stores would just loosen their policies so your well-behaved pet could come along with you?
Its Tick Season – Every Single Month of the Year
First the bad news. The geographic distribution of ticks that can infect dogs (and people) with Lyme disease is spreading. The Northeast has had the problem from the outset, and no area of the U.S. is completely Lyme disease-free, but the Companion Animal Parasite Control Council now says theres going to be an increase this year, with Lyme disease making its way to areas that have not been of particular concern, like the Midwest and the Southeast.
Dear Doctor: Yes, the Dog Needs the Operation
My 11-year-old Lab mix was having trouble breathing, so I took him to the vet, who diagnosed pneumonia. But now the doctor is saying he has to have an operation to correct some trouble in his voice box, which caused the difficulty breathing in the first place and also led to the pneumonia. Does that make any sense? How could a problem with the voice box lead to labored breathing or pneumonia? I have gone to this vet for years but now fear she is trying to bilk me.
Few Deaths from Dog Attacks Each Year, and Theyre Largely Preventable
Exceedingly few people die from dog bites or other types of canine attacks. In fact, very few people die because of altercations with animals of any kind. In a study released in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine this year, researchers combing data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found that during the eight years spanning 2008 to 2015, only about 200 people a year died from unfortunate interactions with animals. Farm animals like horses, cows, and pigs, along with other mammals that included cats and raccoons, were responsible for the most deaths to people - 72 per year. Next came deaths from venomous animals - not snakes so much but, rather, hornets, wasps, and bees. They resulted in an average of 60 deaths each year.
A Museum Devoted to Dachshunds
Plan a trip to Bavaria, and perhaps visions of Hansel and Gretel-style houses, Black Forest Cake, and cuckoo clocks will dance in your head. But dachshunds?
City Dogs, Country Dogs – Theres Something for All of Them
Cant think of new fun things to do with your dog this summer? Why not take her to Barnes & Noble with you? Or Macys? Or Tiffanys, for a little bling?
Overheated Cars, by the Numbers
The number of dogs who died in overheated parked cars during the last week of May 2015: 11, according to Veterinary Pet Insurance.
Score One For the Dogs
A Massachusetts man who abused his dog so viciously that the animal had to be put down will serve eight to 10 years in prison for his offense, followed by a two-year probation upon his release. He also is never allowed to own a dog again.
Dog as Wingman
Guys in search of a relationship, forget spending grueling hours at the gym in an attempt to make your body more buff and therefore more attractive to women. Just get a dog. Research published in the journal Anthrozoos: a multidisciplinary journal of the interactions of people and animals, found that men with a dog have an easier time getting a womans phone number.
