The NY Assembly has approved a statewide ban on debarking, and now the bill is pending in the Senate Agriculture Committee. The AKC opposes this bill, which would restrict the rights of responsible dog owners to make viable, safe decisions on behalf of their pets in conjunction with their veterinarian. Read AKC’s previous Legislative Alert […]

Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Minnesota Senate File 1325 seeks to modify the use of certain traps used in hunting, and would require the reporting of pets or companion animals found caught in traps.  SF 1325 is currently pending in the Minnesota State Senate after being passed by both the Environment and Energy and Judiciary committees.  […]

This article originally ran in the “Training & Behavior” column of AKC Family Dog. Congratulations on entering your first rally trial! The hours of practice with your dog are about to pay off. Now all you have to do is stick with your plan for pre-show week and you’ll be good to go. Show Countdown: […]

There are 34 All-American Dogs entered in the 2015 AKC National Agility Championship that takes place Friday – Sunday, March 27-29. This year’s location is the Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center in Reno, NV.  Get more information and keep up with results over the weekend at: /events/agility/national/ Here are the 2015 contenders, listed in alphabetical order […]

Natural Supplements as Treatment of Separation AnxietyMany veterinarians would tell you that separation anxiety is one of the most common behavioral problems they encounter. Holistic vets may suggest natural supplements as the remedy. Separation anxiety is seen in dogs of all breeds, but often in large, high-energy dogs that are confined to a small area […]

Some veterinarians view low-energy lasers as a noninvasive alternative treatment of arthritic inflammation and chronic pain in dogs. It’s not a panacea, but combined with other treatment, it can ease your dog’s arthritis pain. Arthritis (osteoarthritis) is a common degenerative disease in which cartilage wears away and inflammation, swelling, and joint deformity all result. The […]

By Allan Reznik   By Allan Reznik (Reprinted with permission from Dogs in Review and author Allan Reznik, from the November 2014 issue of Dogs in Review magazine. People get into a new breed for all kinds of reasons: the need to downsize, a desire for less grooming, a thirst for greater challenges, even the search […]

There’s a Holistic Alternative to Prescription-Only Skin Care? A holistic veterinarian can recommend natural therapies to address your dog’s allergies and skin problems. Allergies and skin infections are health menaces that typically surface with the arrival of spring weather. Traditional medications help dogs with these problems, but the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and antifungals can […]

Your Dog’s Hair Loss Could be a Sign of Demodex Most dogs can tolerate a small number of mites. However, a mite infestation can pose serious health problems for puppies. Demodex mites live in the hair follicles of most dogs. Most dogs have a small number of mites. Usually, the mites are harmless and are […]

Canine Flu: the nasty but treatable virusCanine influenza, or “canine flu,” is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs. Like a human head cold, there is no cure, but a vaccine has been developed that can lessen the severity of the flu symptoms. The canine flu virus can be in aerosol form, inhaled by a […]