Counter conditioning and desensitization (CC&D) involves changing your pup’s association with a scary stimulus from negative to positive. The easiest way to give most pups a positive association is with very high-value, really yummy treats. I like to use chicken – canned, baked or boiled. Here’s how CC&D works: Determine the distance at which […]
Does your dog growl or bark when other dogs approach their food bowl, bones, or a coveted spot on the sofa? Do you have to feed your dogs separately to avoid a conflict? Is resource guarding between your dogs causing you stress and anxiety? Resource guarding is a common behavioral problem, especially in multi-dog families. […]
Anyone who has a pet realizes that one of the most difficult days of their life will be when the animal passes away. After all, our pets are more than just animals that share our homes, they are part of the family. When you really stop to think about our relationship with those animals, it […]
A girl needs her beauty sleep – and according to a recent study, she’s more likely to get it with a dog lying next to her than a human. Animal behaviorists from Canisius College set out to explore the impacts pets have on human sleep quality. They collected data from 962 women living in the United […]
Have you heard about lick granulomas? If your dog already has one, you may already know how difficult they can be to treat. If you have never heard of them before, what do you need to know in order to prevent your dog from getting one? What is a lick granuloma? What causes them? How […]
Have you heard the buzz about coconut oil? While its popularity has recently exploded for human use, it may also benefit our pooches! Coconut oil is composed primarily of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), also known as good fats. MCTs are metabolized quickly, so they’re a great source of energy. Keeping in mind that you should […]
Most dogs that bite are wagging their tails! We have all heard the old adage, a wagging tail on a dog means the dog is happy, right? This is a myth! A wagging tail does not always mean that a dog is approachable, much less friendly. I don’t know how many times I have heard […]
Dog ears come in a variety of shapes and sizes, much like the different breeds themselves. However, rather than cherish their dog for how they’ve naturally come into the world, some owners think it’s a good idea to engage in ear cropping to get a more “desirable” appearance. This tends to happen often in breeds […]
Thanksgiving, for most families, is all about the bird. Hours go into the roasting and basting, and once the feast is over, there are turkey sandwiches, turkey potpies, and turkey casseroles to make. In the midst of all of that leftover turkey, it is tempting to slip our dogs some meat, or even to make […]