Puppies

Michael Pollan, author of the best-selling books on diet The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and Food Rules, once came up with the...

Wanna see a fight? Start a debate on social media about what’s best: adopting a dog or puppy from a shelter or rescue group...

A pandemic has upended the globe, but here’s a little bright spot: puppy fostering is experiencing a golden era. Record numbers of people are offering...

Symptoms of panosteitis can look like other conditions, so a thorough evaluation is needed. Other diseases that can mimic panosteitis include tick-borne illnesses (Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever), polyarthropathy (inflamed joints), sprains, and fractures.

Most service-dog organizations rely heavily on volunteers to welcome the organization's puppies into their homes – and hearts – for more than a year, during which time the volunteers are responsible for teaching basic obedience, impeccable house manners, and how to be confident and calm in a variety of public settings. Socialization is a huge part of raising any dog, but it's especially important when the dog is destined for a career spent largely away from home. When it comes to socializing a puppy, how you do it matters – a lot!

It's true that a dog's adolescent period involves a ton of changes to the dog's biological, physical, and psychological makeup. By extension, his behavior is affected. It's also true that there are times when this transformation is accompanied by some challenging moments. But rest assured it's not all doom and gloom! For every challenging feature of canine adolescence, there is an equally awesome element that makes this a very special time.

I've been a professional dog trainer for 10 years. I've tackled all kinds of behavior issues ranging from mild annoyances, like jumping up, to serious aggression or anxiety problems. I've doled out training and management advice to dog-owning families expecting babies (of the human kind), guided adopters in their selection of a puppy or adult dog, and counseled clients on what to do after their shiny new puppy finally arrives. I've taught group classes of various themes, including puppy kindergarten – so many puppy classes, I'd heard and seen it all.

There are many different ways of feeding dogs – commercially prepared dry, wet, semi-moist, freeze-dried, and frozen options, as well as home-prepared diets that are cooked or raw, including both BARF (bones and raw food) and prey-model methods. Because feeding can evoke a strong emotional response in the human who fills the food bowl – in our world, food is love, after all – our reflexive response is often to assume that the way we currently feed is the best way.

One of the things I've discovered in my puppy classes is that many people assume socialization is simply about getting your dog around lots of people to be petted and plenty of dogs to play with. This can be a piece of the socialization package, but remember that the goal of socialization is to get your pup accustomed to and comfortable with the world around him. Puppies need to be exposed in a pleasant way to the following things.

Some puppies have a naturally soft bite; some joyfully shred flesh without a hint of malice as they engage in normal interactions with the...

Puppies! Who doesn't love 'em? They're cute, cuddly, and silly. They look like little angels when they sleep, which is often. When they're awake,...

Socializing is more than just getting your puppy out and about and having him meet lots of people and animals. The way a puppy is socialized is just as important. It is the quality of the exposure that counts (not the quantity!). Your pup doesn't need to have prolonged or close contact with new things or people. He just needs to have easy, happy experiences. The more relaxed your pup is, the better.