Therapy Dogs Help a Community Heal After School Tragedy
A Kansas high school made national headlines after a 2022 school shooting shook the community. A place of positive experiences, such as football games, school plays and prom, turned into a crime scene. Therapy dogs in schools were part of the response team. Friendly furry faces, supportive counselors, staff and parents all joined together to greet students and begin the healing process within the school community. Trained to use their therapeutic nature to deescalate emotions in a difficult situation, therapy dogs bring joy to students and...
Dog Massage for Arthritis
If you’ve been lucky enough to love a dog, you know that many develop some level of arthritis. Arthritis, or joint inflammation, most commonly appears in senior dogs; however, young dogs are also susceptible. Managing dog arthritis involves pharmaceutical and nutraceutical intervention, as well as lifestyle and environmental adaptations. Include massage therapy in this list as it creates a rewarding experience for both you and your dog. While most dogs respond positively to massage therapy, dogs with arthritis find it particularly...
Dug Up at Dogster: May 2023 Dog Events and Dog Holidays
Three May dog holidays stick out for me: National Dog Mom’s Day (for obvious reasons), International Chihuahua Appreciation Day (see my Chiweenie, Lucy, in the photo!) and National Rescue Dog Day. Even though both my girls, Emmy and Lucy, now comfortably lounge around my house on their oversized beds, they once had no homes. During the height of the Covid pandemic, Emmy was abandoned at a school about an hour from my house. One of the teachers (my friend’s aunt) noticed a white, scruffy, furry dog around campus at all hours....
Kibble Dog Food: What It Is and What’s New
Simply put: Kibble consists of crunchy, little pieces made in a high-heat process that dog parents spill into bowls for their dogs to devour. No mess. No fuss. Look around today, however, and you encounter kibble undergoing a tasty revolution. Companies now tout kibble as: made from sustainable and alternative proteins like insects, such as the dried black soldier fly larvae (Yum or yuck, depending on your viewpoint.) gently air-dried to maintain more nutrients with each bite for your canine pal made from all-natural human-grade ingredients...
Guide to Dog Food Puzzles: How to Choose and Use One
Food puzzles enrich your dog’s life and can be used as feeding bowls. They slow down mealtime for a dog who scarfs his food and double as a thinking toy. Aside from choosing the correct puzzle level, which ranges in difficulty from levels 1 to 4, teaching your dog to use a food puzzle enriches both you and your dog! How to choose the best dog food puzzle Consider what your dog enjoys doing: Rolling a ball, pawing at something or just sniffing. Choose your food puzzle based on your dog’s interests. Interactive puzzles for dogs have...
What Can I Give My Dog for Gas?
Stacy Nordstrom Stacy Nordstrom is an award-winning freelance writer and technical editor who specializes in pet, music, and technology topics. Her articles have appeared in Catster, CAT FANCY, and Cats USA, among other publications. Stacy lives in Southern California with a sweet 12-year-old Cocker Spaniel/Labrador mix named Maggie and a 17-year-old gray shorthair cat named Mollie. You can find Stacy on Instagram at @stacy_m_nordstrom, where she posts pictures of her garden, sunsets, sailing adventures, and her pets being cute. Source:...
How to Cut Black Dog Nails
Kristina Lotz Kristina Lotz has been a writer on all-things animal for over a decade. A former CPDT-KA dog trainer, she has competed in agility, herding and rally with her dogs. Now, she clicker trains her horse! Follow life on her farm @MeridaTheBitless. Source:...
Can Dogs Eat Bread?
As you prepare a meal with your dog nearby, you may wonder if dogs can eat bread. If it’s plain white or wheat bread, a small piece is safe, as long as your dog doesn’t have any wheat allergies. Avoid breads with toppings or additional ingredients, such as raisins, onions or garlic, which are common in breads and toxic to dogs, says Dr. Nicole Savageau, who works with mobile veterinary service The Vets. “Additionally, some dogs may have sensitivities or allergies to certain grains or ingredients commonly found in bread. It...
How To Introduce a New Puppy to Your Dog
Everyone loves a puppy. But your current dog may feel differently at first, no matter how adorable the puppy is. It can take weeks or longer for your dog to accept the puppy. Don’t force or rush interactions. Always set them up to succeed. To start, avoid the puppy running into your home with your resident dog there. After all, would you want a stranger suddenly rushing up to you in your house? Probably not. And neither does your dog. Assuming that your current dog is canine friendly and you’ve chosen a compatible puppy, managing...
Top 10 Rare Dog Breeds in the U.S. for 2022
Have you ever thought about sharing your life with a rare breed of dog? There are 200 different breeds of dogs recognized by the American Kennel Club and each breed is unique. To determine how popular or rare a dog breed is, look at the American Kennel Club records for the number of a certain dog breed registered in the country. The fewer dogs who are registered, the rarer that breed is considered to be. The list is updated every year. The top 10 rare dog breeds in 2022 English Foxhound: A large hound developed to hunt in packs. These dogs...
