Our dogs love their toys, and many of them have favorite toys. Many dogs are also able to retrieve a particular toy when their owners name it, i.e., “Bring me Bear.” Researchers at the Family Dog Project, a Hungarian academic research institute that studies the behavioral...
This summer's record high temperatures mean that it's more important than ever to keep dogs, cats, and other pets safe from the effects of extreme heat. Seattle Humane has created a helpful video with practical pet summer safety tips. Check it out here to ensure that...
UC Davis animal behaviorist Emma Grigg has shared a few simple tips on how to decipher signs of stress in your dog’s body language in the UC Davis Magazine. Leaning away This can be a sign of fear and stress in dogs. Dogs can lean away from...
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has published a North American rabies surveillance report for 2020. You can access the full report at the JAMA website. Here are a few highlights. The number of wild animals testing positive for rabies in the US stayed consistent...
This adorable pup is 1-year-old Shaka! Poor Shaka was hit by a car and suffered a severe leg injury. Shaka’s family was experiencing financial difficulties, as his human sister suffers from a chronic illness. His family could not afford the full cost of his critical veterinary...
Do you think Lillie knows how pretty she looks posing with those flowers? This adorable Sheltie was in training to be a service dog for her dad when she began to suffer from bladder stones. Lillie needed surgery, but as her mom was laid off from...
The American Veterinary Medical Association has released the new edition of its Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. This resource is based on a survey of over 2,000 US pet owners. Here are some key findings (the full document is available from the AVMA’s store): Overall pet...
With July 4th fireworks just around the corner, now is a good time to remind pet owners to keep their fur kids safe and comfortable during this sometimes noisy holiday. Cats and dogs can experience July 4th celebrations differently, so here are some helpful safety tips...
School-age children have been experiencing high levels of stress in recent years. Stress can negatively affect learning and development in kids. A group of researchers in the UK were interested in how animal-assisted interventions (AAI) with therapy dogs could help alleviate stress in school children. The...
This stylish pup is Zeus! Recently, his mom took him to the vet for what she thought was a broken toenail on his back foot. It was actually a ruptured mass, serious enough to require amputation of his toe. Zeus’s mom is a student at California...
Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs. Some breeds are at higher risk than others of getting some form of cancer, so a new early detection blood test is offering pet owners hope. The CANcer Detection in Dogs (CANDiD) study has been evaluating the...
The experts at PetLink microchips have created a helpful list of tips on finding dogs and cats that have gone missing. Of course, microchipping is key to finding lost pets. Make sure your new pet is microchipped and get into the habit of updating your microchip...
Bringing a very sick pet to the veterinarian can be an upsetting experience for loving pet owners. Vets and vet techs are a caring but busy group of people, which is why some veterinary practices are beginning to offer clients the services of a veterinary...
New archaeological evidence shows that the size of domestic dogs doubled between 8,000 and 2,000 years ago when early European farmers began breeding large livestock guardian dogs (similar to today’s Anatolian Shepard Dog and Great Pyrenees breeds). Dog domestication goes as far back as 30,000 years...
Miniature Poodle Teddy is a rescue dog who was out in her fenced-in yard for a potty break when she was snatched by a coyote! Luckily the coyote let go of her but not before Teddy sustained jaw and skull fractures. Teddy needed extensive emergency surgery,...
A 2 ½-year-old Belgian Malinois named Eva heroically came to her owner’s rescue after she was ambushed by a mountain lion. Erin Wilson was hiking with Eva on a northern California trail when a mountain lion appeared and swiped at her. Eva rushed to defend her...
This handsome fellow is a Mastiff mix named Raven. Raven and his mom recently moved to San Diego not long after the sad passing of another dog in the family. Raven unexpectedly fell ill and needed an urgent splenectomy. Raven's human friends did their best to...
Fleas, ticks, and other parasites can be a source of serious health problems for our pets. Parasite-borne illnesses become a special concern at this time of year when the weather turns warmer. The Pet Disease Alerts website lets US pet owners know about the current threat...
The citizen science organization Darwin’s Ark sequenced the DNA of over 2,000 purebred and mixed breed dogs to study how genetics intersect with breed characteristics. The findings show that while genes are closely associated with physical traits, genetics is not a reliable predictor of any...
The folks at Monrovia Nursery recently posted a helpful how-to list for creating a dog-friendly yard. You can read the full article, along with some suggested dog-friendly plants to consider, HERE. Here are a few highlights to help you create a dog-friendly outdoor space: Make sure...
American Humane has been celebrating Be Kind to Animals Week for over 100 years. For this year's awareness event, the American Humane website has lots of great resources for animal lovers of all ages. You can take the kindness pledge, find ways to celebrate by making...