There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. —Maya Angelou A young vet assistant carried my Lab, Fergus, into a room set aside for euthanasia. While Fergus lay on a large, soft pillow, I lay down beside him. I told him what a good guy he was and how I loved him. […]

During the COVID-19 lockdown, your puppy won the people lottery by enjoying your attention around the clock. Snuggling for hours on the couch, long neighborhood walks, and extra lunchtime treats were all in a day's work. It's a heavenly routine your canine best friend has come to rely on. The downside is that your pup […]

Puppies have a short time window for optimal socialization, and that requires exposure to multiple different surfaces, people of all backgrounds, and various new situations. But what about the puppies who happen to be within that window now, during this time of necessary social distancing due to COVID-19? How can they be socialized so they […]

Training dogs, and especially the most challenging dogs, has taught me a lot about getting through life. Figuring out how to take care of myself during, and after, the pandemic is no exception. I get my second COVID vaccine next week and, like many other people, this means I'm starting to cautiously think about what […]

Although consistency is key when training dogs, naturally there will be training breaks that happen. Work schedules, family commitments, and vacations can all result in even the most serious dog sport competitors needing to take some time off from training or reduce the amount of time they have to train. Similarly, injuries to the dog or handler […]

Fifteen-year-old Reagan Wallace from St. Peters, Missouri got involved with training dogs during the pandemic. Now, she’s an active dog Agility competitor, placing third at the AKC Junior Agility Championship. In addition to Agility, Wallace and her dogs now participate in a variety of AKC sports, including Rally, Fast CAT, and Obedience. Wallace competes with […]

If you've ever experienced a panic attack yourself, you know that the effects can be debilitating and scary at the moment—and can even be traumatizing long term. This severe anxiety episode can present itself as cardiac arrest in humans—and do our pets feel that sense of panic the same way that we do? Erin Askeland, […]

Picture this: You're walking your dog and suddenly, another dog is rushing towards you—something your dog is not prepared for. Dogs don't always need to greet other dogs when out on walks, and encouraging on-leash greetings aren't natural for dogs and could lead to or exacerbate reactivity. Even if your dog is friendly with other dogs, that […]

The author of California AB 1881 (the “Dog and Cat Bill of Rights”) has agreed to remove the word “rights”, along with other substantive amendments from the text of Assembly Bill 1881 and will be verbally stating this in the public hearing tomorrow. This amendment comes after significant concerns were expressed by the American Kennel […]

Nothing is more fun than introducing a litter of puppies to the world. Interactive playtime with balls, squeaky toys, climbing obstacles, and games of hide-and-seek helps puppies put their best paw forward on socialization. Add in children and seniors, backyards and basements, carpet and concrete, and puppies will be well on their way. Puppy socialization focuses on that sliver […]