September 2003
“Must-See” Dog Book
Subscribers Only
Whole Dog Journal Reviews Some "New and Exciting" Dog Toys
I have some good news to report and some bad news. First, the good news: Happy Dog Toys is really on to something. Their products are highly appealing to playful people, so much so that they can’t wait to go try them out with their dogs. The bad news? None of the three interactive toys I tested performed quite as well as their packaging suggested.
Holistic Dog Care and Holistic Checkups for Athletic Dogs
Subscribers Only It goes without saying that every dog should undergo an annual health examination, complete with laboratory tests to evaluate blood chemistry and composition. Hard-working dogs – whether they are athletes or used for emotional therapy work – should be taken to the veterinarian for additional exams if their performance or attitude sours. In addition to conventional veterinary examination tehcniques, Dr. Bessent employs an age-old practice, taken from traditional Chinese medicine: tongue and pulse examination of the dog.
Training the Hearing Impaired Dog Is Not Difficult
Each year, as many as tens of thousands of dogs are born or become deaf. Unfortunately, given the number of hearing-impaired canines, there is a lot of misinformation promulgated about deaf dogs, even among dog lovers. Well-meaning but misinformed breeders and other “experts” commonly perpetuate myths about deaf dogs – that they are difficult to live with, hard to train, aggressive, and that they are only suitable dogs for a few “special” people. But the people who really know deaf dogs – those who live with and love them – tell a very different story.
Calmative Herbs for Canine Panic Attack Occurrences
Subscribers Only Dark clouds boil on the horizon, and a slow rumble of distant thunder delivers a slight vibration in the window panes. Jake, a large long-haired Chow-mix, is already nervous. He paces the living room, wild-eyed and panting, his body trembling with anticipation of the first dreaded clap of thunder. When it strikes, he tries to hide under the coffee table, and just like last time, he is too big to fit. The very same vase that was glued together after Fourth of July is reduced to a heap of jagged shards.
Veterinary Housecalls - Make the Most of Them
Subscribers Only It’s not uncommon for animals to show signs of stress or trauma at the veterinarian’s office. These kinds of reactions at a veterinary hospital can become a conditioned response. Housecalls, then, offer a particularly desirable option for those who wish to limit their dog’s exposure to infectious agents, such as guardians who practice natural rearing methods and either don’t use vaccinations at all or limit their use significantly (particularly for well-puppy exams), or people whose dogs have a compromised immune system.
Dogs are Body Language Communicators
Subscribers Only Dogs are, first and foremost, body language communicators. While they do have a limited ability to communicate vocally, they are much more articulate with their subtle body movements, and much more intuitively able to understand ours. As Patricia McConnell says in the introduction of her excellent book, The Other End of the Leash, “All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume that each tiny movement has meaning.”
