Do Dogs Understand Words or Emotions?


When your dog looks like he’s paying attantion, what’s he paying attention to?
Photo by Allen, Boise

We all talk to our dogs, all day long. Go get the ball! Off the couch! Do you need to go out? But how much of what we say do they actually understand? I would guess that most dog owners overestimate the effectiveness of specific words, but. . .

Read More

Three Tips to Help Your Dog Get Through Halloween


You’ve dressed the kids and bought the candy, but have you considered your dog’s reaction to it all?
Photo by Tischman Pet Photography via huffingtonpost.com

From a dog’s perspective, Halloween can be a pretty scary time: there are lots of strangers about, many dressed in frightening costumes; the dog’s home is constantly being invaded; and the. . .

Read More

Explained! 6 Puzzling Canine Behaviors


What’s going on inside that pretty little head?
Photo by Paul Fersen

Every dog owner has wondered, “Why does he [or she] do that?” Probably more than once. An interesting article on Care2.com seeks to provide explanations for 6 common dog behaviors, from rolling in. . .

Read More

11 Things Dog Owners Should Never Say


An unfamiliar off-leash dog isn’t rendered safe because his owner says, “It’s okay, my dog is friendly.”
Photo by Emma, Portland

Writing on the Mother Nature Network takes on 11 of the cliches that dog owners often utter about their pets. According to author Jaymi Heimbuch, not only are some of these dangerous, but many of them are simply wrong: “When it comes to dogs, owners sometimes have. . .

Read More

Petfinder: Helping Less-Adoptable-Pets

Martin wasn’t stubborn and reactive…he was in pain!
Photo by Three Sisters Pet Rescue

We’ve all had the bad luck to be misunderstood! A pet that is perceived to have a behavior problem can be difficult to place. Sometimes, however, the underlying problem is medical — and treatable. For example, when Martin, a young Beagle, arrived at Three Sisters Pet Rescue in Cincinnati, Ohio, he’d been labeled “stubborn and reactive”

Read More

Pro Tips: How to Deal with an Unfamiliar, Unleashed Dog


When your dog is leashed, the approach of an unleashed dog can be unsettling.
Photo by Phil Monahan

When your dog is on a leash and under control—say, during a daily walk—and an off-leash dog comes running up, this can create real problems. The leashed dog may become upset or aggravated, and the situation can turn dangerous for both the dogs and the. . .

Read More