It’s important for dog owners to establish a human-canine relationship built on a strong foundation of mutual trust, patience, understanding, fairness, consistency, and love. So where do you begin? Spend Time With Your Puppy Aside from feeding (one of Purina® Pro Plan’s® 30 unique dry formulas is always a great choice!) and providing health care, […]

1. You’re not giving him enough exercise: If you’re gone 12 hours a day, and your dog’s walk consists of a quick dash into the backyard, you’re not providing your pet with adequate opportunities to use up all his energy. Instead, the excess will go into chewing your shoes, stealing your food, or scratching your walls. […]

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Sienna Bay Watermark Dirk DM DS TKN TKI CGC, shows off one of his tricks that helped earn him the new AKC Intermediate Trick Dog title. Eleven-year-old Kya has had an impressive career that includes a conformation championship and rally titles. Being a veteran has limited some of her activities, but that […]

Whether he is comforting a terminally ill hospice patient or cavorting around an upbeat show ring, The Dude is right at home. Dewey (his nickname is "The Dude") is an almost two-year-old Norwich Terrier, owned by Becca Parkins, a Tacoma, Wash., hospice chaplain who also handles him in Western Washington dog shows on weekends. A […]

When Drs. Carole Schuster and Philip Abessinio, of Locust Valley, N.Y., bought their West Highland White Terrier four years ago, the duo set some ambitious goals. They hoped their new canine companion, Max, would be a therapy dog, Canine Good Citizen, and a successful conformation competitor. The dynamic, 20-pound pup hasn't disappointed. "I was looking […]

Millions have had midlife career changes. They touch on an amalgam of motivation, health, skills, and behavioral soundness. Not everyone’s psyche is geared to these life-altering, pressure-point transitions, however. And what about dogs? A pair of Washington state Shetland Sheepdogs — Brumby and Sonnet — are finding it suits them nicely. Both have discovered how […]

The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program has been the gold standard of behavior for all dogs — both purebred and mixed breeds — since 1989. Thirty years later, one million dogs have passed their CGC test! On August 14, 2019, the AKC recognizes the millionth CGC dog — Fiona the Bernese Mountain Dog, owned […]

In November 2015, a 2-ounce Cocker Spaniel named Jordi was born. Her breeder, Kathy Korab, was not only shocked by her small size but by her leg as well. Her front right leg was deformed, folded in toward her body. On top of that, the mother had rejected the entire litter and all three puppies needed to […]

Tucked inside a plush beanbag-filled playhouse in South Salem Elementary School's media center is everyone's favorite staff member: Mr. Booker T. Pug. It's where he makes a difference in the lives of 900 students every day. The students who read aloud to nonjudgemental Booker and become better readers. The students who come into the media […]

For Valerie Schuter, doing a good deed for a dog turned into her downsizing Pinschers. The 30-year Doberman Pinscher breeder and rescue volunteer helped another breeder and ended up transitioning to the smaller German Pinschers—notably Bentley—GCH Diamond Bay A Chevelle Bentley Tribute. This conformation Grand Champion has a passion for people and racked up 13 […]