Top 5 signs your dog needs ‘warming’ food
Did you know the ‘temperature’ of your dog’s diet can impact everything from their health to their energy levels and even their emotional well-being? According to Eastern Food Therapy (EFT) our bodies run either warm, cool or neutral and eating specific foods can help correct any imbalances. For dogs that run too cool, a warming diet is the answer. Tip: A healthy dog has neutral energy, which means they will be alert, active and happy. The top 5 signs your dog has too much cool energy are: Frequent Colds and...
How Your Pet Parenting Style Affects Your Dog’s Behavior
It’s not only kids who are being molded by their parents’ ways. Researchers at Oregon State University found that different pet-parenting styles affect the patterns of their dogs’ behavior. We broke down the three different pet-parenting styles addressed in the study and how dogs respond to them. Authoritative dog owners Dogs with authoritative owners, who were characterized by high expectations and high responsiveness to their dog’s needs, were the most secure, social and sensitive to social context. They were also...
Farm Animals Go Unprotected During Disasters, And Millions Die Because No Laws Protect Them
When natural disasters strike, animal shelters can find themselves overwhelmed with pets, while dealing with reduced or damaged facilities. There are federal resources that support the rescue and care of household pets, but many other animals are being left behind to face a horrific death. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has several Individual Assistance programs designed to support disaster survivors and household pets, under the >PETS Act passed in 2006 shortly after Hurricane Katrina. This law requires that states...
Your Guide to Camping with Dogs
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How To Train an Aussiedoodle
An Aussiedoodle is a hybrid of an Australian Shepherd and a Poodle. Aussiedoodles were first intentionally bred in North America in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Aussiedoodles are extremely intelligent, energetic dogs. They aren’t for couch potatoes, but they can be great for active families who want a companion for long walks, running and hiking. They have a life expectancy of 10 to 13 years. So, if you want a playful, loyal, athletic dog, an Aussiedoodle can be the right dog for you. Aussiedoodle personality traits To understand how...
New Help for Dogs with Cancer
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 1 in 4 dogs will, at some stage in their lives, develop a tumor, and almost 50 % of dogs over age 10 will develop cancer. But efforts are underway to help pets improve life quality and expectancy — and help owners cope. Three organizations helping your dog with cancer: The Pet Cancer Foundation The Pet Cancer Foundation officially launched in October 2022 and next year seeks to invest $2.5 million in research for earlier cancer detection in pets, $1 million to...
A holistic healthcare plan for senior dogs and cats
Following this 5-point holistic healthcare plan will help your senior dog or cat stay well and live longer. As a holistic veterinarian, I like to divide my patients into three populations based on age. The first stage is puppyhood and kittenhood (until animals are 12 months old), then adulthood (five to ten years depending on breed). Finally comes the senior or geriatric stage, which lasts from around eight to ten years until death (usually 15 to 20 years, depending on breed and species). Dividing the population in this fashion allows me to...
It’s Time for Holiday Pet Photos and Greeting Cards Featuring Your Favorite Fur Babies with Santa!
The holidays are upon us, signaling the need for involved pet parents to get on the stick and start thinking about photos with Santa or greeting cards featuring their fuzzy little pride and joy. If you’re dying to create lasting images of your fur kids sitting on Santa’s lap or group shots to be sent out as Christmas cards, don’t wait until the last minute like last year and flub it. There are places you can go besides the mall to get pictures taken with holiday backdrops and props to add to your photo album. Photo:...
Buster The Trampoline Dog From The Iconic John Lewis Commerical Has Died
The iconic dog from the 2016 John Lewis trampoline Christmas commercial passed away at 12 years old. Biff the boxer played Buster in the popular commercial and quickly became a fan-favorite. Photo: YouTube/ProTrampolines In the commercial, Buster can be seen jumping on a trampoline on Christmas morning, bursting with joy and enthusiasm. You can see the commercial for yourself below: [embedded content] Jan Patten, Biff’s owner, started the dog his own Instagram account where she could share updates about him for his fans. While Biff...
Clever Deaf Puppy Learns Sign Language In Just 8 Weeks
Animals are smarter than we give them credit for, especially dogs. Both old and young dogs alike can learn new tricks, and dogs can even learn new languages! Photo: YouTube/SWNS Seven-month-old Rafa, for example, has been learning sign language and picked up nine signs in just 8 weeks! According to SWNS, 41-year-old Jo Le Page welcomed Rafa into her family back in June, but she didn’t realize the pup was deaf at the time. After having Rafa for a little bit, Jo realized something was off. Eventually, she put the pieces together and...
UCLA Researchers Identify 65 Species Capable of “Laughing”
Considered one of the most natural impulses in human beings, laughter is both spontaneous and contagious. Babies exhibit the behavior before they can even talk or walk. It comes naturally to us, but we seldom associate it as a trait among animals. But in 2021, researchers at UCLA were able to identify 65 different animal species capable of making what are called “play vocalizations,” or what we humans think of as laughter. Photo: Pixabay/R_Winkelmann Laughing Cows, Not Hyenas Some of those vocalizations we’ve been aware of...
How One Sweet Puppy Shot and Left for Dead Beat the Odds and Went on to Steal Hearts
Devoting your life to the welfare and care of the most vulnerable among us is not an easy task. But you don’t get into it because you think it’s going to be. It’s more of a calling that you don’t necessarily even recognize at first. It can just sort of sneak up on you, and before you know it, you’re in and spending the better part of each day trying your hardest for those that have come to count on you. That’s what it’s like in animal advocacy. You love animals, and you’re passionate about their...
5 Effective Exercises To Engage Your Dog’s Mental Muscles
Exercise is required for any type of dog. Regardless of its breed or age, every dog needs some kind of exercise to maintain its health, both physical and mental. It’s probably more common for anyone to think about physically demanding training when it comes to exercising your dog, but it doesn’t always have to be! Here Are 5 Exercises Your Dog Needs For Mental Stimulation Behavior Training PHOTO: Pixabay/Andrés Carlo This might not come as a surprise, but behavior training stimulates your pet’s brain as the constant...
Special Needs Kitten Abandoned By Mom Gets A special Helmet To Protect His Brain
A tiny kitten in Southern California was gifted a second chance at life thanks to a Good Samaritan. The Good Samaritan found the 2-week-old kitten, Otter, and his sister, Bunny, after they’d been abandoned by their mother. According to GeoBeats Animals, both kittens were in terrible condition when they were found. Photo: YouTube/GeoBeats Animals Bunny was missing parts of her legs and Otter was missing part of one leg and suffering from a hole in his skull! Beyond those major ailments, both kittens were sick and flea-infested....
The Andean Cat Is Going Extinct, Here’s How We Save It
The Andean cat is one of the rarest and least-known cats in the world. Measuring up to two feet long, 14 inches high and between 8-13 pounds, the Andean cat is distinguished by its ash grey and yellowish-brown facial markings, InHabitat reports. The cat’s ears are rounded and stick up, while their long tails stretch 70% of their body length to help them balance on the mountainous Andes terrain. According to Animalia, this elusive creature lives exclusively in the Andes Mountains and Patagonia steppe, where climates are harsh and food is...
Man Puts Together 118 Care Packages And Donates Them To Animal Shelter Workers
Working at an animal shelter is taxing work. It can be rewarding and joyful, but also exhausting and heartbreaking. Having to work with and care for animals that are neglected, abused, abandoned, and more is not for the faint of heart, and that work is often underappreciated. Photo: Wikimedia Commons To give back to animal shelter workers, Bryan Tsiliacos came up with a thoughtful way to make a difference in their lives. Bryan decided to do something nice for animal shelter workers as part of his commitment to do 30 big acts of kindness...
Excited Corgi Runs Circles After Seeing Snow For The Very First Time
For people who live where it snows, winter weather is just another part of life. But for those who live in more temperate climates, like parts of California, snow can be something new and exciting. Growing up, my coastal town in the California redwoods rarely experienced snow. We lived close enough to the mountains that we could drive to it, though, and we’d take weekend trips to go skiing or sledding. Photo: Pexels/Pixabay One year, I took my dog, Jax, along for a snow trip. It was his first time seeing snow and I had no idea how...
5 Ways Dog Training Facilities Can Make All the Difference
Dog training facilities are dedicated spaces for training dogs. They’re controlled environments with fewer distractions, and they’re staffed with experts who can ensure your dog gets the attention they need to succeed. Dog training can be done anywhere. In a public park, at home, on the streets —even at pet-friendly retailers like PetSmart. So why spend money to train at a special facility? Dogs are easily distracted during training, and they also might not get the attention they need during regular training sessions, which...
How to Find a Lost Dog
Though the number of animals that end up in local shelters and are reunited with their families varies by community, Best Friends Animal Society surveyed more than 2,000 shelters nationwide and found that in 2021 only 21% of lost dogs got back home. “It’s terrible. There’s a huge percentage of pets that probably could be returned to their owners that are not getting returned right now,” says Marc Peralta. He is the chief program officer for Best Friends and has run shelters and animal control departments across the...
Pusha The Cat Adopts Orphaned Baby Squirrels With The Help Of Her Human Friends
Oftentimes when baby squirrels get adopted, it’s by humans. We’ve covered so many stories about it like how this soldier found a baby squirrel and nursed it back to health, or this woman who tried to foster one but ended up with a roommate instead, or the story of how a couple went on a date and one of them came home suddenly a pet parent. PHOTO: Unsplash/Alexas_Fotos These are all wholesome stories, sure, but how can they become doubly cute? Add a cat and her kittens. Cats usually chase off squirrels, but that’s not the...
