The Howl and The Pussycat

03/31/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVZ9HhnEa0T/?igsh=MTZwOHNobTl1cHhkMg==

12/18/2025

In every interaction with your dog, *someone* is being trained. Will it be your dog, or will it be you?

Be aware of your responses to things like nudges, going out a door without permission, hanging out in the kitchen while you're in there, pestering you while you bathe/shower, too-enthusiastically greeting you when you come into the house* etc.

*I learned my lesson about this. One of my dogs would give me a really enthusiastic greeting when I came home - dancing around me, coming up and putting her feet on me, giving me welts on my legs with her tail. I would respond with an enthusiastic greeting of my own.

One day I came home with a flat of eggs, 3 doz. I was carrying them with my left hand below the flat (I don't remember what I was carrying in my right hand, probably a bag of vegetables, but that's why I was carrying the flat of eggs with one hand) and the flat in front of my body. My enthusiastic greeter came up on me, her big head hit my left hand, and the entire flat of eggs smashed onto my chest.

After that, I changed how we greeted each other when I came home. I would ignore her when I entered the house, hang up my coat, put my groceries away, and wait for her to be calm before I acknowledged her. Then I'd give her a calm greeting. She was a sharp cookie, she learned the new routine very quickly, and I never got another overly enthusiastic greeting from then on.

01/10/2025

Dominance theory is often misunderstood, which can lead to the development and/or exacerbation of behavioural issues in dogs

07/02/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=732675732200910&id=100063754704364&sfnsn=mo

There is absolutely no need to repeatedly titer your dog! Once you learn about the key immune system component called the memory cell, you will understand that repeated titering does nothing but waste your money and create confusion in the cases of many older dogs. Read about it here: https://healthydogworkshop.com/the-trouble-with-titers/

06/02/2023

This is how it's done!

05/07/2023

Please do not adopt or buy 2 littermate puppies. In many cases it leads to heartbreak down the line - one dog needs to be rehomed, or even euthanized.

While it IS possible to raise littermates without developing Littermate Syndrome, it requires dedication and a LOT of work.

I have successfully placed littermates together in 3 instances, but only after they'd been raised separately for 6 month or more. Two of those times were 6 months apart, the 3rd time the siblings had been in different homes for 3 years, when one was returned (because "we just don't love her"). Two of those pairs were M/F, only one pair were both females.

The West Suburban Humane Society (WSHS) is a volunteer-based, animal welfare organization providing care and housing for up to 25 dogs and 60 cats in our facilities, and even more animals in our foster homes.

05/07/2023

Your dog's not feeling guilty, they're reacting to you with fear.

That 'Guilty' Look That Your Dog Is Giving You Isn't Actually Guilt

02/23/2022

Very interesting. It seems that gently-cooked, human-grade fresh foods 1. Are safest in terms of microbial contamination, and 2. Have higher digestibility than either kibble or raw.

So those vets who continue to push "WSAVA-compliant commercial foods" (Hills, Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, Eukanuba are the ones most often cited) are, IMO, full of hooey. (One contributor to the Vet Sense group especially likes Hills products *because* they're preserved with ethoxyquin. BTW, ethoxyquin is carcinogenic.)

New Book Announcement! “Feeding Smart with The Science Dog” by Linda P Case Description: In The Science Dog’s latest myth-busting book, Linda Case takes on canine nutrition and feeding …

12/22/2021

This is fascinating.

Not sure what kind of music to play over the holidays? Here’s some tips: If you’ve invited Orangutans to Christmas dinner, (and who hasn’t?), they would prefer silence. Some chimpanzees like rock music better than quiet, while other chimps are more social when hearing classical music with a sl...

12/04/2021

This is pretty clever. It can probably be done without sedation, if your dog isn't panicking.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education blog, we demonstrate how to get a round bone off a dog's muzzle. Sedation, lubrication and removal!

12/01/2021

'Tis the season!