Articles: dog behavior

I concede I am getting a bit obsessed with comedian Dew Lynch talking about his dog. Sometimes, as he points out, people (not the dogs) you meet at dog parks make little sense.

Retractable leashes are downright dangerous. Here’s what I hope is well thought-out story which explains why I believe dogs would be better off if retractable leashes were literally banned. Stand-up comic Drew Lynch does a far better job of getting the point across. Between the laughs I can sense that Lynch understands dogs, and no…

Some pets are like the Grinch; they just don’t appreciate the Christmas spirit. Everything in their lives can be upside down at this time of year. The family is busily trying to attend to last minute shopping, and frazzled attempting to keep up with the kids’ Christmas parties. Meanwhile, you’re running to catch sales at…

Should Michael Vick be named as a National Football League (NFL) Pro Bowl captain? There are two relevant questions. First, on the field, football pundits suggest his career hasn’t been consistently stellar for a length of time. Which brings me to the second and far more important question, his career was interrupted by a jail…

Thanksgiving is fun family time, or it can be. Here are tips to de-stress pets, to ramp up fun and to keep them safe and out of the pet emergency room. Dumpster diving and counter surfing is dangerous sport for dogs – turkey and chicken bones can be a choking hazard. These bones can easily…

Participating in the North American Veterinary Community Institute with boarded veterinary behaviorists Dr. Kersti Seksel (who turned me on to kitten socialization classes) and Dr. Karen Overall was the greatest learning experience I’ve ever had. And Dr. Overall is hand-down the best teacher I’ve ever had. Dr. Overall also participated in the book Decoding Your…

Halloween has the doorbell constantly, the door opening and closing with creatures that smell like humans but look like zombies or Avengers can be scary for many pets. Here are tips for dealing with Halloween anxiety. Pheromone Fixes Preparation should begin a week or so before the ‘howliday.’ Plug in pheromone diffusers in rooms the…

I saw another one of those TV commercials just a few days ago about feeding the wolf inside your dog, and coincidentally received ‘junk email” regarding prey-based feeding of dogs which touted a well-known diet. The email indicated how much our dogs are like wolves, but said nothing about the myriad of ways which they…

Q: “I have a 12-year-old Jack Russell. I have been living with my 98-year-old mother for seven years. I work but my mother was able to be there with Jack even though she did not walk him or take him out. Still, Jack was still there. Now my mom has had to move into assisted…

International Dog Day is August 26. Saying goodbye to a pet is difficult. Saying thank you is what I want to figure out how to do. Around 25 years ago, I had learned our 15-year-old Brittany, Chaser, had cancer. One month, the same X-rays showed nothing. About four-weeks later,  her lungs are filled with cancer.…