By: Orvis Staff

Not long after the winter season’s first frost, comes the dry, itchy skin—for people and their dogs. Usually, your best friend is itchy in the winter for the exact same reasons you are, and the soothing fixes are similar. Though you can’t slather moisturizing lotion on a thick coat of fur, there are other ways to help. Read on to learn why your dog often scratches through the winter months, and how you can minimize her discomfort.

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By: Orvis Staff

One of the coziest sights is a dog curled up in his dog bed, or comfy on the couch fast asleep. But what about when your dog can’t get comfortable lying down? Dogs circling before they lie down is normal, but if you notice your dog struggling to get comfortable, lying in an unusual position, or getting up and down frequently, it could be a sign of something amiss—from easy-fix issues to serious health problems. Here are the most common reasons dogs have difficulty lying down and getting comfortable, and what you can do to help:

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By: Orvis Staff

Owning a dog makes life a good measure happier—and messier. Constant fur to vacuum, muddy paws to manage, and full-body fur shakes after rainy walks. But the slimiest canine mess is the dreaded dog drool puddle. Your dog puts your devotion to the test when you sit on a drool-soaked couch cushion, or slide across the hardwood floor on a patch of slobber. The good news is, even if your best friend is a copious drooler, it’s possible to keep the mess to a minimum. Here’s a primer on all things dog drool and how to protect your home from unwelcome goo.

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Written by: Deb German

The single best way to find your lost dog is to outfit her in a personalized dog collar, embroidered or engraved with your phone number, before she goes missing. The reason is simple: the person who finds her is most likely to check her collar or tags first, and call the number on them before making ‘found dog’ posters or fliers, or dropping her at the local animal shelter. That one phone call will lead a good Samaritan instead directly to you, and hopefully your pal will be back in your arms again in short order. A redundant system is better still—adding ID hang tags to your dog’s collar and having her microchipped are smart backups.

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By: Orvis Staff As awful as it sounds, canine pododermatitis is not a disease, but a condition caused by any one or more of a multitude of underlying problems—think of it as a catch-all term to describe an . . .
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By: Orvis Staff

Don’t underestimate the importance of dog paw care. Consider this: especially if he’s a working or a sporting breed, your dog’s feet have an important job to do—same as your own feet. His fleshy foot pads give him extra shock-absorbing cushioning to protect his bones and joints, they help insulate him against extreme weather, safeguard him against rough ground, and protect other soft tissue inside his paws. But they’re not made of cast iron: the pads and the skin between your doggie’s toes, and his toenails, are fairly susceptible to injuries. How best to prevent or treat common dog paw problems? In a nutshell, it depends on what potentially causes them. Read on to learn about the most common dog paw and paw pad injuries, and how to treat and prevent them.

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By: Orvis Staff

A backyard is a dog’s outdoor kingdom, and he surveys every inch of it every day. There are always new scents to investigate, shrubs to mark, and maybe even some grass to eat. Because he . . .
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By: Orvis Staff

Your dog is sniffing happily around the back yard when she suddenly yelps and starts running around in circles. It’s a good bet she had a run-in with the business end of a bee. Dogs are more at risk . . .
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